The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-08-30
THE BEAUTIFUL SINGER.

HUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS, Sweden's
" heroic king, was fond of music. The
sweet voice Of song, especially from the
lips of childhood, often moved him to
tears.
Once upon q time Gustavus Adolphus,
after long and severe fighting, had con-
quered strongly fortified town, In
which were citizens who had been born
within the limits of the Swedish rule,
but had since found new homes. And
all these people he condemned to death.
They were marched out from the town
at nightfall, to be held in camp until the
following morning, when they were to
be shot for treason. Several of his oill-
GERS interceded with the king for the
lives of those poor people.
But Gustavus felt that he had already
granted enough. First-in the ruddy
heat of his passionate had consigned
the whole tribe to death but since then
he had greatly modified the sentence,
condemning to be shot only those of the
former subjects of Sweden who had been
taken with arms in their hands; and
from this no power of persuasion or argu
ment could move him. All the talk of
his old chaplain about these people hay
ing only joined their fellows in protect
ing the homes to their wives and chill
dren, moved him not an atom. "They
are traitors !" he said, "and as traitors
they shall die !"
At a late hour-it was past midnight
-Gustavus Adolphus threw on his cloak
and drew his slouched hat down over
his eyes, and, staff in hand, wandered
forth in the darkness. Without think
ing whittier he went, he slowly walked
on, answering the sentinels as they hail
ed him, until at length his steps were
arrested by a strain of music.
"Who is that Y' he asked of sentinel
who he CHANGED to meet moment later.
1T is one of the prisoners, sire. The
wife and children of one of their chief
men have had permission to spend the
night with the husband and father"
The king nodded his thanks for his
information, and moved on. Slowly he
approached the tent from which the
music issued, and as he drew near he
heard the sound of weeping and wailing,
for the song had ceased. AS he stopped,
close by the rear of the tent, he heard a
deep, manly voice
Hush Hush Weep not. God will
provide !" the voice said.
The king looked in through the open
seam in the cloth and saw gray haired
man, with an imposing presence-a
grand face and head, and q clear, flashing
eye, surrounded by his wife and children,
who clung to him with passionate ten
derness.
Hush |" he said. C Let us not make
these precious moments darker than they
need to be. 1t is but the fortune of war,
my loved ones. Come, my Hermione-
sing to me, once more, our dear old song
of the Fatherlandl For, though Gusta.
vus will take my life, yet love the land
that gave me birth. God bless dear Swe-
den, now and evermore Now, Hermi-
one-sing Come,-let thy voice give
my poor heart cheer if it may be-
Presently thereafter beautiful girl of
fifteen or sixteen summers, threw back
the silken hood from her golden curls,
and began to sing. Her song was the
Swede's Oldest and most cherished piece
of music-the words full of love and
devotion-love of home and of country,
and the melody was peculiarly sweet
and touching. And never had the king
heard it sung so grandly. The words
fell upon his ears with new meaning,
and the music touched his spirit with a
strangely awakening power. AS the
charming melody swelled to grander and
grander tones and the voice of the singer
deepened and strengthened, the listener
felt his heart hush with awe. And
finally, when the last rich cadence died
away, in mellow, melting echoes upon
the upper air, he pressed his hands over
his eyes, and burst into tears.
After time Gustavus lifted his head
aperture in the wall of the tent he saw
the family upon their knee, and heard
the voice of the old man raised in pray
er. He listened for few seconds, and
then turned and strode away towards
his quarters, where he found two Of his
attendants sitting up waiting for him.
| TO one of them he said
" Colonel, 1 wish you to go to the pli.
soners' quarters, and in the large tent
nearest to the river-it Is at the extreme