Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-09-18

their post, who scorned her message,
were surprised ut their game. The four
hundred had come over the walls by
their scaling ladders and gained the
market place. where they were heard
shouting;
"Ghent! Ghcntm
The startled people sprung in horror
from their beds, only 10 see that it was
too late to save their town, even If their
own lives were secure.
II was an awful night of fighting and
pillaging; and the sight which the next
mornings sun looked upon was of
streets full of armed men, houses broken
open, confusion and destruction and
death everywhere; and out through the
now open gates multitude of women
and children, in tn" clothes they sltep
in, barefoot and halfnaked, fleeing for
their lives before the men of Ghcnt, who
were driving them as If they had been
cattle; and the poor fugitives, glad 10
cscapepn any terms, went running off
on every road except the one to the
enemy's city: and in the end found
refuge in other towns, where the hus-
bands and fathers of some of them after
ward Joined them, but the most were
the same ms If they were widowed and
orphaned.
There was only one person who dared
take the road to Ghcnt, and he crossed
out to il over the fatal meadow, but lcft
il as soon ms hc saw at one side the lean
ing cottage, with the little cow pen be-
side il, where Petronilla lived. The
sentinel had escaped, with his outer gar
mcnt torn away and "A cash across his
shoulder; but he had kept safe scwcd
within his lcathcrn doublct pouch of
gold which he had laid by for his old
mothers support, if ever he should come
back to Oudenardc.
Since he came he had heard that she
had been some years missing from the
farmstead, which had been ruined by
the wars, and that surely she must be
dead.
He thought that perhaps hc would
give this grny-haircd woman some of it
now for his mothers sake. How nnxi-
Gus she had seemed, what a faithful
soul she was to do so much, how old She
was 10 have walked so far, and how
kindf ~ invitation had been.
This was her hut, then, How poor ii
was. And those two cows looking over
the fence and lowing mournfully-how
lean and starved they were! The house
door was open, and n cat came out.
salmon-colurcd. Where had he seen
such cat Of that queer color? She
growlcd and put up her back and started
in, ,hcn stopped and looked around in
dismny ~ he called Solomon, Solo
mOn' II is my very cat, solomon"
Then something else happened, for q
voice cried from the bed within;
"Oh, Peter"
Yes; Pctronilla, sleeping late ancr her
nights adventure, dreamed of the scnti-
mel; and Peters words awokc her. As
sure rs she was Pcironilla. he was Peter.
What more j. there 10 be told2 Why.
that they both agreed that il was best
to get away from Oulcnarts as fast ~
their feet could carry them. The house
might serve rs shelter to some poor fugi-
Give. The dinncr-pot they would leave
with somebody who had whcrcwithal 20
buy dinner TO cook In IT.. And the
few possessions Of the departing house
keeper should bc left for her successor.
But Solomon they took with them in a
bag; and the two orry-looking cows
they drove before them 10 n more fertile
"A well rs peaceful land" bccauscr'
said Peter. at It had not been for the
cows. we never should have found each
other Youths ConpIHiDu