The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-08-11
A GREAT KINGS PERIL

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dreds of thousands of poor people had
persisted, and dismay and
despair reigned throughout the land,
until at length the great and good Gus
tavus Adolphus, who excelled equally
rs a captain and a statesman, was in
duced, principally by H. advice of his
astute chancellor, the CELEBRATED Oxen
stern, to take his whole army and enter
upon life and death struggle with the
imperiaists.
it is impossible to describe the bound
less enthusiams which the arrival Of
Gustavus Adolphus, with his splendid
army, at Stralsund, the great fortress o.
Pomerania, excited in Germany. There
was an instantaneous and truly mar
yelous revulsion of telling among the
people. Despair gave way to the mos
iervid bopefulness. The belief that the
accession of the Swedish king of the re
formed cause was Equivalent TO the
utter and final discontinue OF the i'm
perialists was widely prevalent even il
the ranks Of the latter. And yet, bui
for a very singular confederation O
romantic circumstances: the brilliant
career of the Swedish king, who fel
afterward so gloriously on the bloody
field of Lutzen, came near being ended
at the above mentioned Fomeraniar
fortress of Stralsund.
The life of Gustayus Adolphu'
abounded in romantic incidents, but the
strangest of these episodes was, perhaps
the one which we are now going to re
late TO our readers.
We should promise, however, tina;
Gustavus Adolphus, as he appears n
history. Is not the man be was in private
life. Especially in his earlier years, he
subjected himself frequently to the re-
proach that he was TOO fond of the fan
sex. He was ever, and there is reason
to believe, not unjustly charged with
having overcome, in moments OF lrresls-
tible passion, the scruples of women, OF
whom he was enamored, by promises OF
marriage, which he afterwards broke as
easily as he had rashly made them.
These bIots in his earlisr year, however,
were obliterated by his later career,
which stands unriyaled in the annals oil
the ROYALTY of the seventeenth century,
and which excited the admiration of his
bitter adversaries.
1t was late in the evening OF the day
on which Gustavus Adolphus had landed
with his army at Stralsund that he and
his chancellor. Oxenstiem, were cOnyers-
ing in one of the small rooms at the
house of DR.. Brauns, tae burgomaster
of the city, where the Ting had estab-
lished his headquarters.
3. NY good Oxenstiern' said the king
to his chancellor, " this has been Il great
dav for us. | shall always look upon it
as one of the most Eemoriable in my
life"
g" Your majesty, TrrSa.s-Drdinary re-
ception with which Won have met here
seems to me an suspicious augury OF the
success of the mOmentous mission that
has brought you and y5ur soldiers &c
these shores. Such a scene rs that
which the harbor presened at the arriv
al Of our fleet, and the frantic rejoic
ings with which the countless multitude
that awaited you on the shore greeted
your coming, have perhaps never beer
witnessed since the time of the cru
sades"
God grant that success may crown
my efforts" said the king, profoundl.
moved but, Oxcnstign, at times
have vague misgiyings that | may, atte
all, fail. How terrible it would be if
should not bring my brave army, tn
flower of the country, back to Swe
den !"
Your majesty said Oxenstiern
with that confident superiority whicl
made him one of the most convincing
and irresistible orators of his time
" need not give way to doubts For tn
time being, there is absolutely nothin
to give us the slightest uneasiness. Th
support which Cardinal Richelieu give
us alone is worth a couple of armies
90 Richelieu !" exclaimed the king
q But is he really and sincerely wit
us?"
"He is, sire"
" At times it seemed passing straug
to me-" interrupted Gustavus Ado
plus, " that he, prelate of the ortht
dox church, should lend such active ri
to the dissenters in their life-and-deat
struggle with the imperialists."
Your majesty" interrupted ii
chancellor, " know Richelieu. He is
man of iron. He knows that the TT
umph of the court of Hapsburg woul
be dangerous in che extreme for Franc
and that outweighs with him all Oth'
considerations. For the rest the Ma
quis de Chavanis is here rs special envo
of the king of France. He will be pre-
ent at the banquet of the burgomastt
and municipality tomorrow, and o
that occasion transmit TO your majest
two lettcrs-one from King Louis til
Thirteenth, and, what IS more impor
tant, another from Cardinal Richelieu.
The conversation was here broken of
and the chancellor retired. The kin
opened his testament in order to read
as was his habit, a chspter in it befor
going to bed, when there was a soft raj
at the door, and Dr. Brauns, the burgo
master of Stralsund, and most of tn,
king, entered the room, bowiDg deeply.
" Your majesty" he said, "forgivt
this intrusion. All evening there ha
been down stairs a vailed lady, who re
fuses to give her name but who seems
to be of high descent. She is extremely
anxious to see your majesty for a few
minutes, as she alleges, on business o.
the highest Importance. / have vainly
tried to get rid of her. She asked me &c
hand your majesty this locket"
The king took the locket and opened
it.
An exclamation of surprise escaped
him.
Send her up" he then said, alb
ruptly, to the burgomaster.
The king seemed to have suddenly
become greatly agitated.
When the door opened. a few minutes
later, and a slender, gracefully built
lady entered, he advanced a few steps
toward her. She raised the thick vail
that covered her face and displayed a
countenance very pale and somewhat
faded, but still retaining traces of great
beauty.
Rosanna !" calculated the king,
drawing back.
Z" Yes, it is Rossnna, countess Glider
streen. King of Sweden she said, in a
low but deeply impressive voice" the
same Rosanna whom YOU promised to
marry, but whom you allowed your
father to drive with her father into
exile"
Rosanna," said the King. struggling
with his emotion, g was powerless to
resist. Grave considerations of public
policy"
" Induced you to break your word, :"
she said, in cutting tone. "Oh, yes,
you crowned heads have always such
excuses, which other peonle would look
upon as fimsy and dishonarable."
Rosanna," he said seftlv. " have
great mission to perform ):
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