The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-07-25

l will not be q F6eslander my more. I
SHOULD bh,sh'N fth shame, for everyone
would havevthe right to=say TO me:
You belong to that barbarous people
|'whO slaughter defenseless. women olf
you do throw her to the wolves, will go
with her and will protect her with my
good sword.''
So saying, the Prince drew his sword
ard locked proudly n the assemb
No one responded; bttAall looked at him
with wonder and ,ukeOncealed admira-
ton.
"When my royal father" he contin-
ued, "gave me this good sword, lswore
| would use it to protect the weak, the
innocent and the helpless. Twill keep
my ny. o IL ~, havc,spekcns may God pro-
And with these words he left his seat
and stood before Fostcdina in the at
titude of u protector, his sword in
his hand. 1t would be impossi-
|sble 10 describe the effect of this pro-
ccedfng UPON the assembly. All the
people were charmed with his bravery
and spirit. 1t seemed rs if the applause
never would cease, and the old oaks re-
echoed in the distance. ~
Finally, the priest Of Heligoland
farose. and at his signal the people were
silent.
"Our noble Prince" said he, "has
spoken very we'll ,Happy the people
IsWh6 posseGS such young men. He does
not desire the blood of this young girl.
None of us do. But she has insulted
our gods. She has embraced the new
religion. She has renounced the re-
ligion of our fathers, and that is a
great crime. The laws of the Fries
landers punish with death whoever
mo! not with .deathr' cry thou
sands Of voices. interrurting the priest.
The young girl must not de-
The priest bit his lips and was pale
with Indignation. He saw that the peo-
pie were appeased, and that it was i'm
possible to sacrifice Fostetlina.
Every WE'LL" he said, smothering
his anger. LET her live; but it would
mot be Justice to let her go unpunished
Our gods demand. Justice. This young
girl told me that she desired a crown
III want crown said she. : want !;
i ClOWH VI SiOIy DIV lSto UCSOuIC q
Christian and has freed the Danes
Well, let US give her the crown thai
she desires. Here it is. 1t is exactly
like that worn by the God of Christian
ity."+ ssii,s; H.!
SO saying, the priest drew crown
of thorns from under his robe an(
showed it to the assembly.
Resolved! resolved"' cried severa
voices. "The crown! the CROWN
Some priests and old men rose ther
and insisted that they should intlict thu
proposed chastiscment. The King con
scented. He was resolved that FOstedi
Ma should be exposed in the circus tn,
next day, from morning to night, wear
ing the crown of thOrns7 on her head
and that afterward she should b,
exiled. ...,.....-..,
She submitted to this punishment
with joy. The points Of thorns tor,
her forehead and temples and the bloot
ran down her checks; but she uttered
no.complaint. The next day she lef
the country. Willibrod and his friend
accompanied her to the Court of Pepil
d Heristal. At the same time Adgi
disappeared from Friesland. He wen
to France, where Pepin gave him thu
command of one of his armies.
kadbod didnot long survive the de
parture of his son. He died in 719
Adgil succeeded him, in spite of the OPP
position of the priests. The peopl
chose dim unanimously, and he chos'
Fostedina for his Queen.
l.. IhesHarks Of the crown of thorn
were still visible on the forehead of til,
Queen when she made her. entrance a
Staverly, the residence of the Frieslan,
Kings. The people: grieved over thes
wounds, which recalled their cruelty
and the evening Of the .tete: twclv
young noblewomen entered the apart
ment Of TIE Queen and. presented to he
Va Nr0Nl: Which would 4hide the mark
of the first. Two gold plates coverc,
the temples, and beautiful band whicl
joined them covered all traces of tn
wounds.
The new couture. instead of dimin
ishing the beauty of the Queen, seemed
on the contrary, to increase it. Littl
by little all the ladies of the court fol
lowed her example, and it soon becam
the custom for all of them to wear one
Fostedina, however; did not like it
She would take her golden crown ii
her hand and say, "You are of les
e1yalue than 4 crown of thorns;' and
looking up to Heaven, she would add
r: NM God ,jhy Savior, thou hast one il
tSt0rc 4OEs he more beautiful than this!'
IN y. Independent.
Ers-e,s-