The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-01-27

"ous4 gladly have killed him, he
neyeNs'owed signs of fear. He never
cou''A pe brought to speak the hated
'a"s 1''kt OF his adoption, and no ex-
press<Rlof regard for any one ever
esca t him. save occasionally for
ii'''stAadrew. The children were
'i'uc'4 together, and, at least on little
AnufFWs part, quite warm friend
shIp.kfes up. AS for the young yik.
inx, hey came 10 call him, it was
uih'sa.'t o say with certainty exactly
WiiatFsR Feelings were. He was so
inOu4X md reticent that he almost
SCENE % be insensible to kindness,
anu 81 2 quite incapable of the gent
ieF tAiian feelings. He cared for
no Snanionship except little An.
ore ,lnd even him he sometimes
repuiset Thus the weeks and mouths
Went hAnntil three years had gone.
~ NJ and .~his worthy wife had
nearly Sven up all hope of making
on the mud of the fierce young vik-
ing any ofthe religious or even the
ordinary hnder impressions that
they had at irst hoped for. But they
treated him kindly, even lovingly,
and hoped fol the best, despite the
smiles andjees of the other villagers.
One bright, Hear spring day, when
the late afternoon meal came, the
good wife, going to call her family to
come and eat, rDticed that the young
Northman wasstanding on the ex-
treme edge of TIN promontory nearly
a mile away, gazing steadfastly out
over the sea. Sht did not give much
thought to him, knowing he would
not return until thewhim selzed him;
and the three, husband, wife and son,
sat down to their meal as usual. After
they had finished, al hour or so still
remained, and then when the shad-
ows Of night came dDwn they went
to their beds, still thinking little of
the young Northmans absence.
The next mo ming they and other
Villagers were awaketed by mes
senger from a neighbOring hamlet
farther uD the coast, who brought sad
news of an unexpected attack by the
dreaded Mortimer during the night.
Nearly the whole village had been
burned, many people had been killed,
and large number of cattle seized,
together with such other possessions
ashad caught the fancy of the robbers.
The affair. barbarous and cruel as
were its details. was far from unusual;
and the customary aid by clothing,
provisions and the like, was sent to
the unfortunate viifage. The excite-
ment regal ding it soon died away,
and the lives of the farmers fell again
into their plodding course. But in
the family OfSilent Andrew curiosity
and anxiety increased for the young
Northman, their adopted son, did not
return. They waited, and searched,
and waited again but no trace of the
10y could be found; and when, at
last, the conviction forced itself upon
them that he was indeed gone. they
sincerely mourned his loss.
Young Andrew was an uncommon
youth. He won the love of the viii
lage pastor, and was pursuaded to
study for the ministry. After taking
the requisite orders, he was attached
to the church of st. Paul, only few
miles from his old home. But through
all these years the ravages of the
dreaded Northmen had not ceased.
1t was Christmas day. The church
was profusely hung with holly. bay.
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 scat
tered through the aisles, and some
knelt at the small altars hidden away
in the little dim chapel behind the
choir.
"The vikings are coming ~ so cried
a messenger.
All was terror in the church. When
the fierce, eager freebooters reached
the great stone building they found
the iron.bound doors closed. They
first sent word, by one of their num-
ber who could speak a little Saxon,
to the people inside. that if the treas
ures and church plate should be given
up to them they would depart peace.
fully; but, if not, they would destroy
the church and all within. This offer.
which many, terrified by the actual
presence of the dreadful foe, were in
clined to accept, was by the earnest
exhortation of young Andrew refus-
ed. The now enraged robbers began
fierce attack on the doors and win
dows-then made narrower and more
defensible than now--and attempted
- L. - ,,,oII a-I ~oonE, tk1 raaf