Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-12-23
eneslsis Dec, "Glory be toaod IS I'D
TIE peace. !
aistration

.iPax IN ferris" on earth peace. when
| the door was thrown violently open
and one of the guards from the sea-
shore, pale as death, rushed in, and
dropping his spear TO the floor fell at
| the feet of the monk, grasping his
! knees and crying in terror:
Help mel save mel The wraiths Of
| the dead are coming this way over the
! frozen sea- Holy brotherl it is aine0
| at mel confess | will alasl the phan.
toms are floating above the ice, white
as this.
Fear and dread whitened every face.
| Only Rautzen and MISUNDERSTANDING
calm. The first exclaimed in vexation.
"Out with tine drunkea harel After
the feast he shall receive his punish.
ment.
''Requiescat in pace. requiescat in
pace"
1 Suddenly there was great tumult,
| the door was forced open, q spectral
! looking flock in long white cloaks.
| from under which the polished steel
armours appeared, rushed into the
/ hall
/ Inf1riated the Danish warriors
rushed over the unprepareG defenders
/ of the castle. The table was upset.
and blood and wine in horrid CON-
pound despatched the floor, the dead
| and dying
! During this scene two persons con-
| fronted each oths- in the upper end oil
the hall Apparently calm they stood,
as two pillars. Only their flashing
eyes betrayed the emotions OF the in.
/ ner man, and no wor1 made its wav
| from their lips. The uproar subsidized.
and now the two chieftains Commenced
| thecombat with their swords. Pressed
down to the left of the hall py the
| Danes, Rautzen pulled the tower door
| open and dashed up stairs. From
| there he defended himself for iona
time from the enemies below, until
pcrceivlng that all hope of rescue was
/ lost, he threw himself down on the
frozen sea.
] Thus Olsbore came into the posses.
sion OF Otto Rud. But he had broken
1 the peace of the blessed Christmas
time, and for him happiness no more
would bloom; and not even the gentle
i hand of love could obliterate this
gloomy reminesence.
III.
Many years had elapsed and thena
| of Otto Rud had shone brightly dur.
/ ing the wars of Christian Ii.
| 1t was in the month of December.
The snow was lying in soft whitsness
j on the peaks of the Alps, drawing it.
self in broad or narrow bands down
| to the little Bavarian valley, whert
a brownish greensward yetevincedthe 3
southern. cline. Jammei in be
tween two mountain scopes lag
a building surrounded by small out
houses and stables 1t was the
| Hospitium, constructed for travellers
| by the pious Fathers in the adjacent
| abbey. Every wayfarer here found
refuge and the needed nursing.
The pallid sun OF Christmas-eve was
about TO hide itself behindzthe high
mountain top, when group OF three
persons approached the charitable in
| stitution The one was q pilgrim,
Judging from his WORKOUT mantleheld
! together around the waist by a rope,
and by the naked feet, only protected
by pair of leather sandals fastened s
! by strap above the instep. He was
carried oy two peasants, upon whose
shoulders he rested his arms. As
customary the monk OF the hostel
FASTENED to meet the corners, and
| took the strangers into the hospital,
| where bed always stood ready.
The traveller was n tall and we'll
built man, but in the highest degree
/ emaciated His blue eyes, the lofty
brow and the blonde hair proved him
| a son of the high North, while tina
snow-white beard waving down his
/ breast bore witness to high age pro-
| found mental suffering.
i The monk seated himself at the bed
side, after having given him goblet
1 full OF hipporass. The drink spread a
perceptible warmth through the pat
tents limbs, and faint blush covered
/ his wan countenance. He tried TO
speak, but the monk laid his fingers
on his lips and whispered that ha
should try to sleep. But the sleep
was that of one fever-sick, during
| which wild fancies chased enc another.
The sick man writhed upon his couch,
while the monk wiped the great
perspiration from his forehead. All
| that he hitherto indistinctly had NUT
tered now gradually assumed theform
ofwords and meanings, expressed IN
the Danish tongue.
The monk listened.
/
] Yuie bath All right Ran down on
/ the BulIar sea- Don't stare that way
/ at ME with your contemptuous eyesl
q holy day; but the duty, the iron
! heavy duty Yes, it was the red
bearded devil served. was bound
to serve Prince Christian-Carrys
Garry! you are faded from me- In
[ hlfr ND
warm thyself on my bosoml There IS
burning heat No, no; away! But
why did you take our son with you!
! At length he fell into a sound Sleep
but the rattle in his throat It was
thought to be his last.
/ During these outbreaks the COUNTS
nance of the monk had undergone az
possible changes. Surprise, resentments
sorrow and pity swept over It Ike
clouds foreboding a storm. 1t seemed
as though he fought fearful baths
with himself At last he rose and
measured the floor of the room with I'M
petuous steps. Now and then he
stopped, while his eyes we're directed
toward the dying pilgrim, with aglancs
that now cracked with hatred, and
now expressed the deepest compassion:
At last, with his hand raised toward
heaven, he prayed with tremoling
| voice:
Forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive them that trespass against u.s.
who speaks about forgiveness
Where is such? Say. answer holy mas:
Is forgiveness to be found for mel
Me, who in vain have sought it in tht
holy city,"
For the penitent there is always forz
giveness,' replied the monk.
"Yes," exclaimed the pilgrim, per
haps for all, but not for what com
mitted when | disturbed the roy
peace at 0lsburg on Christmas-es
compelling the chieftain to end his lil<
by q run from the pinnacle OF tnt
castle down to the frozen sea. No, no,
even if God and the holy Virgin wouia
forgive me, Neils Rautzen would never
Woe unto me
Silence, Knight Neils Rautze9
sends you the words that Joseph sag
to his brethren, when he BY tneil
malice had come to might and homer
You thought evil against me, Dus
God turned it into good Neiis hausI
zen forgives you, Otto Rud-"
! "But-but-how do you know m7
pious father"
From this very night ninetee'
years agop'
i And You are"