Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-09-01

finally, that only provisions enough 70,
one meal remained, and, except as con-
querors. they could never hope TO eat
again.
Meantime. the earl Of Flanders, at his
gorgeous palace in Bruges, surrounded
by his knights and retainers, heard Of
the approach Of this little army Of half.
starved men with smile of contempt.
"The wicked madmen," he said, "to
beard the lion in his den ! will go fortl,
and overawe them with host, and then
literally wipe them from the face Of the
earth r.
That very day he marched out Of the
city, at the head Of forty thousand full.
armed knights and warriors, expecting
an easy victory. A little before sunset
he drew up his army in front Of the men
Of Ghent, and the battle was commenced
with cannon ON both sides. The Ghent
men fought with the fury Of despair;
and, strange as it may seem, when il is
remembered that they were outnumbered
as eight to one, they soon had their
cowardly enemies flying in every direc-
ton. They pursued, shouting "Ghent!"
and slaughtered without mercy. The
whole route back to the gates Of Bruges,
the distance of league. was soon
strewed with the dead and wounded;
and before the now terrified earl and
his body-guard of knights could return
and put the city in state of defense,
the Ghent men were in it and masters Of
the place.
II was now that the vain, pompous,
naughty earl of Flanders, so far from
debating degrading terms to the men
who had sued to him for mercy, thought
only Of saving his own life. He had
left his own palace with a blaze OF
torches, to repair to the market-place
and put himself at the head of the citi-
zens whom he had already commanded
to assemble there, when he was met by
a frightened crowd of knights and
squires, who assured him that not only
was the town in possession of the men
of Ghent, but that large body Of these
rebels was even at that moment in the
act of surrounding him for the purpose
of taking him alive.
Heavens !" cried the earl, in terror,
(Which way will retreat ?"
"There is now no certain way open
for you, my lord !" was the terrible re-
ply "for whatever avenue is not now
closed, will be before you can use it
even your palace, we fear, is by this
time in possession of your enemies"
"What then is to be done? What
then can I do? Oh, save me save me !"
cried the wretched man.
"Your only chance, my lord, is to
order out these lights, disguise your per-
son, dismiss all attendants, and escape
alone in the darkness I" was the fearful
answer.
On hearing this the earl instantly dis
mounted, commanded the torches to be
extinguished, and his attendants to dis
perse and seizing his servant by the
arm he fled with him into small dark
street, where his armor and rich apparel
were hastily removed, and the humble
garments of the other substituted.
"Now CO." said the earl, in low,
hurried tone, "and leave me to myself.
Save yourself if you can and if I escape,
I will reward you. If taken, remember
you must know nothing of me!'
II will die sooner than betray you,
my lord /" replied the faithful valet.
They separated and in the humble
dress of his own servant, the proud and
earl began to wander up and
down the streets of his own city, seeking
some mean obscure place of safety.
What change had few short hours
effected in the fortunes of this man |!
He who rose in the pride and power of a
king, would have been glad to have
sunk to peaceful sleep in the rags OF
beggar.
1t was terrible night for the wander
ing earl of Flanders. He had some very
narrow escapes-more than once casting
himself down in some dark passage, or
himself up in some dark door,
way, while the prowling crowd was
hurrying past. At last, finding himself
in miserable quarter in the city, and
in front of mean-looking hut, the dan
ger pressed him to seek his safety with
in. He tried the door, found it un-
and entered in trembling haste.
The room was small, almost without
furniture and black with smoke and
dirt. A woman and a child appeared
to be it's only occupants ; and the mother
turned upon him with pallid features
and clasped hands, evidently fearing he
had come to take her life. The earl
knew that everything depended upon her
favor, that there was not a moment to
be lost, and he instantly threw himself
upon her mercy without disguise.
Woman, he said, with trembling
~ am thy lord, the earl
Of Flanders, seeking to escape from my
enemies, who are searching the city.
In Heavens name, hide me-save me
and great shall be they reward y
The moment he spoke, she recognized
him, for she had often seen him pass;
and poor and humble though she was,
she possessed a nerve and presence of
mind equal to the emergency. Instantly
she seized his arm and pointed to a
ladder which led to miserable loft
above.
"Quick, my lord, " she cried; "spring
up yonder, and crawl under the bed in
which my children are asleep"
In moment he had disappeared; and
almost the next moment the door was
thrown open, and several armed men
entered the room, and found the poor
woman uuietlv bending over her infant