Milford chronicle., 1883-01-12

ng. And then she hoOeu' SfeA AhN-o
olemnly "And this is the very night
when the child Jesus came like a
stranger to earth, just as this little
stranger has come to us.
The mars surprise subsided as quickly
IS it had arisen for the plan was not
impossible, and he looked down at his
,wn child. Little Andrew, delicate lad
If ten years, with light hair and rosy
,heeks. was intelligent above his age,
and he added his wish by nod OF the
head. sSE,is tatlh2eE gazed fondly down at
him and FORD 'e'
80 the y-oRs.-we noticed in y -
member OF the la-- i-"e, that Mr.. }
deed "of VOLTS breed, auu,..his tow liter |
the first outbursts Of rage and grief At
his strange position had subsidized, he !
tuna Urriai @pi q p, Hef"'f'isi
/ ,reer rt,..sst.fsr faf4 "a ~ n o, a
was but Signify Inclined to the qmet M
around him. He relapsed into a s''~il'
/ cOntempt me t--rie OF the village,
and although he must have known that
many Of them would gladly have killed
him, he never showed signs Of fear. He
never could be brought to speak the
hated language of his adoption, and no
expression Of regard for any one ever es-
capped him, save occasionally for little
Andrew. The children were much to-
gether and, at least ON little Andrews
part. quite a warm friendship grew up.
As for the young viking, as they came to
call him, it was difficult to say with GER
tainty exactly what his feelings We're.
He was so moody and reticent that he
almost seemed to be insensible to kind
ness. and to be quite incapable of the
gentler human feelings. He cared for
no companionship except little Andrews,
and even him he sometimes repulsed.
Thus the weeks aud months went by
until three years had gone. Andrew and
his worthy wife had nearly given up all
hone S5nalzing on the mind Of the fierce
Young viking aliyof the religious or even
the ordinary tender impressions that
they had at first hoped for. But they
treated him kindly, even lovingly, aud
hoped for the best, despite the smiles
and ieers Of the other villagers.
One bright, clear spring day, when
the late afternoon meal came, the good
wife, going to call h r family to come
and eat. noticed that the young North
man was standing on the extreme edge
Of the promontory nearly mile away
gazing steadfastly out over the sea. She
did not give much thought to him,
knowing he would not return until the
whim seized him; and the three, hus-
band. wife and son, sat down to their
meal as usual. After they had finished,
an hour or so still remained, and then
when the shadows of night came down
they went to their beds, still thinking
little Of the young Northman's absence.
The next morning they and 9th vii
layers were awakened by a messenger
from neighboring hamlet farther up
coast. who brought sad news Cf an unex-
pected attack by the dreaded Mortimer
during the night. Nearly the whole vii
lage had been burned, many people had
been killed, and a large number Of cattle
seized, together with such other posses
sions as had caught the fancy of the rob
9ers. The affair, barbarous and cruel as
we're its details, was far from unusual;
and :he customary aid by clothing, pro
visions and the like, was sent to the un-
fortunate village. The excitement re
earding it soon died away, and the lives
of the farmers fell again INTO their plod-
ding course. But IN the family Of Silent
Andrew curiosity and anxiety increased;
for the young Northman, their adopted
son. did not return. They waited, and
searched, and waited again; butno trace
of the boy could be found; and when, at
last the conviction forced itself upon
them that he was indeed gone, they sin
cerely mouned his loss.
Young Andrew was an uncommon
youth. He won the love of the village
pastor. and was pursuaded to study for
the ministry. After taking thereuuisite
orders, he was attached to the church Of
st. Paul, only a few miles from his old
home. But through all these years the
ravages Of the dreaded Mortimer had
not ceased.
It was Christmas day. The church
was profusely hung with holly by,
rosemary and laurel. The people had
gathered to the celebration Of the ser
vice: and most Of them were seated
quietly watching the preparations at the
great altar, while a few were scattered
the aisles, and some knelt at
the small affairs hidden away in the lit
tie dim chapel behind the choir
'eThe vikings are coming so cried |
All was terror in the church. Whelf
the fierce, eager freebooters reached the
great stone building they ound the
iron-bound doors closed. They first
sent word. by one Of their number who
could speak little Saxon, to the peo- |
ple inside, that if the treasures and |
church plate should be given up to |
them they would depart peacefully; but,
# not they would destroy the church |
and All within. This offer, which many, |
terrified by the actual presence Of the !
dreadful foe, were Inclined to accept, |
was by the earnest exhortation Of young |
Andrew refused. The now enraged rob |
hers began a fierce attack on the doc