Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-08-03

the night, and, gliding along the
streets with his head down, slipped
into the priory. and was lost to the
world for many long day. Indeed
he was confined to his cell for
month, by order of the prior. and or
dered TO pray thrice day for the
soul of brother John.
When brother Richard emerged
from his cell be was changed man.
He made himself of little account,
and outIived all enmities. He lived
much in his cell, and prayed so often
for the soul of brother John, that at
last he got to love him dead whom
he had hated living.
Time rolled on. The Knights
hair turned gray and the good prior
died.
Then there was great commotion
in the little priory, and three or four
of the leading friars each hoped to
be prior.
That appointment lay with Sir
Richard Erpingham. He attended
the funeral of the late p'ior, and then
desired the sab>prior TO convene the
m onks.
"Good brothers," said he, "your
prior is brother Richard. | pray
you invest him forth with, and yield
him due love and obedience"
The Knight retired, and the monks
stared at each other Az lille, and then
obeyed, since there was no help for it.
They invested brother Richard in
due form and such is tho magic of
station, that, in ore moment, they
began to look on him with different
eyes.
The new prior boro his dignity so
meekly that he disarmed all hostility.
His great rule of life was "H0ni soft
qui NAL q penSe," and there is no
course more apt to coGciliate res pect
and good will. The Knight showed
him favor and esteem the monks
learned to respect, and by and by to
revere him but he mover ceased TO
reproach himself, and say masses for
the soul of Brother John.
The years rolled on. The Knights
hair turned white and one day ne
sent for the prior, and said to him =
"Good Father, have grave matter
to entertain you withal."
Speak. worshipful sir" said tho
prior. "You would confess to me,
my son p
Gas man to man, sir, but not as
penltent to confessor ; for that were
no merit in me. 1t would be no
more than to bury my secret with
me in fleshly grave. Nay, what |
tell to you, you shall tell to all the
world, if good may come of it,"
Here the Knight sighed, and seem
ed much distempered, like one who
wrestleth with himself. Then he
cast about how he should begin. and
to conclude he opened the matter
thus,
'Sr. please you read that letter ;
it was written by brother John unto
my wife,"
The prior read it, but said never a
word.
"Sir," said the Knight, do you re-
member a cad time when you lay in
Norwich gaol accused of murder and
cast for death p
II do remember it well, sir; and
the uncharitable heart that brought
me to that pass"
"Wbile you lay there. sir, some
thing befell elsewhere, which | will
hide no longer from you. The King
being at his palace in London, a
Knight who bad fought by his side
in France, sought an audience in pri-
vate. 1t was granted him at once !;
the Knight fell on his knees to the
King, and begged that his life and
lands might be spared, though he
had slain a man in heat Of blood.
The King was grave but gentle, and
then | showed him that letter, ana
owned the truth, that and my SER
want, in our fury, had strangled that
hapless monk p
ALAS sir, did you take my guilt
upon yourself to save my life, so fully
forfeited =? Twas | who hated MIN,
twas ] who flung the stone"
"At dead body. tcilthee, man,
we straugled him, and sot his body up
whero you saw it; hand in his death
YOU had none"
The prior uttered a range cry,
and was silent The Knight contin-
ued in low voice.
"We set him in the yard and
when we found him in the porch, be-
ing half mad with terror and drink
together, we bound him on the horse
and launched him. All this | told
told the King, aud he, considering
the provocation, and plying too
much his old companion in arms,
gave me my life and lands and gave
me thine, which indeed was but bare
justice. So now, sir, you know that
you are innocent of b,oodshed, and
tits am guilty"
The Knight looked at The church
man and thought to see him break
forth into thanksgiving. But it was
not so. The prior was deeply NOV
ed, but not exultant.
"Sir," said he, like a man that is
near choking, "let me go to my cell
and think over these strange IT,
dings."
"And pray for me, l do implorc
you," said the Knight.
SAY, sir, and with all my heart"
Some days passed, and the Knight
looked to hear his own tale come
round again. But no; the prior was
silent as the grave. Then after
while the knight sent for him again
and said
"Good father, what told You was
not under seal of confession
81 know it SIR" said The prior
"Yet it will go no further, unless |
should outlive you by Gods will.
Alas, sir, you have taken from me
that which was the health of my
soul, my belief that | had slain him