The Worthington advance., 1876-06-01
The Nearest Way, to Purxatory.

No one can wen make 4 visit to Dr1es.
dehwithout hearing Of Augustus the
Strong: The great bronze! statue of
himself and his gigantic steed. is the
most prominent object in the Ha,apt-
strasse, and it is impossible to traverse
Dresden's historic bridge without star.
ing "August'' in the face, or. regard.
ing kim in the rear. He it was who
first founded the chief Of the renowned
art collections of Saxony's Capital
the Picture Gallery, the Green Vault,
and the Museums. All visitors to the
Historical Museum will remember the
broken horseshoe snapped in two by
the Royal grasp and the tremendous
helmet said to have been worn by the
Saxon Samson.
All students of German history will
be only too familiar with his name and
his deeds, and no reader of Carlyle's
Life of Fredrick the Great can ever
forget that writer's graphic descrip-
tion of ''August the Physically
Strong,' his 800 irregular children,
and the big hammock he baked-the
biggest that was ever baked-at the
camp by Muehlberg.
Augustus was the tallest and the
strongest, as we'll as the widest and
most handsome man of his time. At
the age Of II he was skilled in all man.
ly and martial exercises no leap was
too wild fol: him; he was equally ready
for bout with fencing master and 4
wrestling-match with i blacksmith;
he could crush q goblet in his grasp.
break horseshoe in his hand, stop q
mad bull in full career, and suspend a
fully accoutred trumpeter at arms
length.
Augustus, whilst still a young man,
succeeded his brother, in 1894, in the
Electorate of Saxony. Ambitious of
military renown, he joined the Impe.
rial army with a contingent of Saxon
troops, received the supreme command
of the combined Christian forces. and
led them against the Turks on the
Lower Danube. The world believed
that another Samson had arisen, and
that the infide! hosts would be smitten
hip and thigh, rs were the Philistines
of old by the strong man of Zorah.
But in two campaigns the Elector was
worsted by the Grand Vizier, and, af-
ter the disastrous battle of Olaska, the
young Prince felt himself constrained
to surrender his command to Eugene
of Savoy.
1t was during one of his visits to
Vienna, at this period of his life, that
the ElectOr of Saxony discovered the
nearest way to Purgatory.
He was the guest of Jos, PHI, the En-
per0r's oldest son, a Prince who en-
joyed the honorary title of King of the
Romans, and with whom he had con-
tracted an intimate friendship. One
night, Augustus, as was rather his
habit, had retired to bed at a late, or,
more properly, at an early hour, and
just closed his eyes in sleep, when he
received most urgent summons from
his Royal and Imperial friend to go to
him Immediately. He went, and was
astonished to find his Romish Majest.} !
whom he had left, the previous eve.
ming, apparently in the enjoyment of
good healtll-lying prone on his couch
with closed eyes and countenance of
death-like pallor, teeth chattering con.
vulsively, big gouts of PRECIPITATION
standing on his brow and, when he
attempted to speak, broken and scarce.
ly distinguishable words alone. fell
from his trembling lips.
= "Good heavens p cried the Elector.
t'what ails your Majesty!'
"a most terrible thing has happened;
and must soon die; but what most
concerns me, my noble guest, is that
for you even a worse fate is reserved
not death only-which is the lot of all
but eternal woe. Sit DOWN and lis
ten to my tale!'' Augustus took a
seat, and his Roman Majesty contin
ued:
''This night have I seen the most
awful apparition ever beheld by NOR
tai eyes. l had slept perhaps two
hours, when, suddenly awaking,
heard sound of footsteps. Thinking
that some improper person had obtain
ed access to the room, extended m,
hand for the purpose of ringing fo]
my peOple-when-when-1 heard tht
rafting of chains, and there stood a
the foot of my bed tall and ghostl.
figure, clad in mouldy and grave
stained clothes. The spectre in q ter
rible voice addressed me thus:
"'Joseph! Joseph! Romish King!
am an unhappy soul, condemned for ;
space to burn in Purgatorial fires
Sent by thy gurdaian angel, I come t.
warn thee of the impending ruin t.
which thy friendship with the Electo
of Saxony is exposing thee. Forswea
at once this fatal friendship, or pre-
pare for sudden death and the torture
of the damned!'