The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-09-09

Meanwhile she, with head erect and
an assured aspect, stood at the edge Of
the water, motionless as q statue, with
arms crossed upon her breast.
As he looked at her, she stretched out
her hand toward her husband, and said,
in loud and naughty voice:
Do not hesitate y
And now the crowd began to heave
and rock, while low murmur was heard,
like threat, ascending from among the
assembled people. For, as the woman
spoke, the gloomy man lowered the
strange cradle, placed it lightly on the
running water, and let it and the child
oat away down the stream.
Scarcely, however, had the shield
moved yard away from the doubling
man, when Vindor Gas though nature
had suddenly reproached him) raised
his clasped and trembling hands, i'm
ploring heavenly help.
he followed the course Of the shield
with great eagerness, despite his evident
desire to control his emotion, and bend
ing anxiously forward in the direction it
was taking.
The mother, on the contrary, re-
manned quite calm, her arms crossed
on her bosom, her eyes following the
course of the shield with firm and
tranquil look, so quiet and unmoved
that she appeared to fear nothing for
her child's safety. -.
Twice were the shield and child nearly
swallowed up in the waters.
The mother alone did not finch among
all who watched this test.
Twice-then, again, the shield was
seen TRANQUILITY descending the current.
All present clapped their hands, and
shouted, "The boat the boat |"
Two men rushed forward, launched q
bark into the river, and, rowing rapidly,
soon reached the shield, and drew it
from the water.
The motion of the water had soothed
the child, and rocked it to sleep-a state
of things which, in all probability, was
the cause of its safety, for had the child
moved at all the frail craft must have
been overturned.
Now, as the shield was taken from the
water, Vindor, whose face had become as
bright and hopeful as it had previously
been gloomy and foreboding, ran toward
his wife, his arms outstretched, calling,
"Albra, Albra, thou art my faithful
wife !"
But she showed no sign of responding
to his welcome.
"Stand back" she said. "I have
been suspected, and cannot forgive!"
1t was custom with the wives of the
ancient Saxons thus to prove their inno-
cence when suspected by their husbands.
IF the shield did not sink, then the
wife was innocent; while if it and the
child went below the water, then she was
considered guilty, and, as rule, leaped
into the water after her sacrificed child.
They were, indeed. strange and terri
bic times in which to live.
AS we have said, the wife Albra showed
neither signs Of Joy nor forgiveness.
At this moment, a handsome, dark
man thrust himself forward, crying,
Fair Sister Albra, what dost thou here
by the side of the river?"
Vindor, looking at the newcomer,
trembled.
"Did I not tell thee" said Albra,
that many of my people were dark I?
See, here is my brother, who has been
in Gaul these five years. Is not he
dark Our infant is like my fathers
people,"
Wife-dear wife !" cried Vindor.
Ono longer wife Of thine" she said.
"a woman outraged is a woman lost.
Good by-good-by!"
And, before any one there had q COM
plete knowledge of what she was about
to do, she had leaped into the fast-fow-
ing river.
Twenty men rushed into the river
! after her, nor was she immersed during
more than q score seconds. But when
they removed her from the stream she
was dead.
In all probability her heart had broken.
Certainly she had not been long enough
In the water to account for her death by
way of drowning.
Sad, indeed, did the sun set upon Vim
dor that night. They had bound him
with cords, that he might not do him
self injury, perhaps even to the taking
away Of his own life.
| He neither spoke nor stirred. Again
and again his friends addressed him, re-
minding the wretched man that he was
a warrior, and that he must live for the
sake Of that vengeance which it was
hoped by the Saxons they would take
against the Normans.
But he answered not, nor responded
even by a look. His senses appeared to
be completely dormant.
At last, his mother, an ageing and wise
woman of her kind, took the infant and,
placing the little hand upon the fathers
neck, whispered:
"Son, live for your child's sake"
Then he trembled, and the great down
pour OF tears saved him from the stony,
horrid death which had been slowly
creeping over him.