Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-19
naming knights who made up the Or

less host approaching. lie calls 10 no
lsrd to blow his ivory horn and bring
back the Emperor. Roland refuses,
and the Franks prepare to fight; not,
however, before on Bonded knee they
receive the Archbishop's bonedictiln
ard promise Of Paradise to all who
die in this holy war against the pagan
fce. With The old French battle.cry,
NoBf-io}c Monf-joie the Christians
cash The rowels into their stceds and
dose with tho enemy. Homer does
rot relate blOodier fight than that
bjch follows, and which takes eighty
TX stsn2as OF fifty Of Mr.. O'IIagsn's
eyes 10 describe. Again and again
he Christians charge the Saracens.
v bat deeds the great sword, Durin-
dara did that day The slain lie 10
thousands the Saracens flee, and in
tire pursuit all are killed save me, who
It5cLes SSTagOssa. The triumph, how
ever, is short-liyed; Ganelon had de-
creed thai Roland must die, and SO
mighticr army than before marches
forth to cxteTminate Rohnd'S handful.
now reduced to three hundred.
During this battle a terrible storm
passes over FTsnce-lbunder and whirl-
winds, rain and hail, there came.
AuGan earthquake ran-snd sonth say,
From B6sauCon CITY TO Wissnt Bay.
From ~ MichaeIs Mount 10 thy shrine,
Cologne.
And darkness spread in the nOontide
high.'
The people thought that the end Of
the world had come, but this was only
d foresh9dowing of Roland's death. ~
last all the mobiles are killed except RO-
land, Oliver, the Archbishop, and six
y men. Then only will Roland deign
TO blow bis horn. Charlemagne hears
it thirty leagues away and orders his
army to return 20 ROncesyalles. Cane
lon alone seeks to dissuade him, and is
put in chains by the desire Of the no.
bles, who suspect him. The army Of
Charles hurries back, but oil too late.
They will not arrive in time. Away
in the pass Of Cizra Roland looks
around on his dead comrades and
WeepS. lie returns 10 divers side'
who is engaged in hand-to-hand en-
counter with King Msrsil's uncle, the
Moslem Prince Algslif, from whom be
receives his death.wOund. Olivier reels
in his saddle, hl4 eyes are dimmed with
blood, and, as be strikes msdly about
with bis spear, he smashes ROland's
helmet. The friend Of Olivier IS as
tonished, but soft and low he speaks to
him thus:
GO Hast thou done IL, my comraie wit
uugly;
Roland VINO loves thee so dear am I:
Thou uoqu8rrel with me 10 seek
olivier answered i hear thee sP,ak,
But see thee not God seetn thee.
Have ! struck thee, brother, forgive IL
Inn not hurt O Olivier:
And IN SIGHT OF God, ! forgive thee
Tlen TO each other his head hath laid.
And IN love like this WAS their parting
! made.
With hands claspod Sir Olivier cries
TO God for admittance into paradise,
ard for q blessing on " King Karl AMI
France he fair and, above all, on his
brother Roland. Then his hands fall
his head sinks on his breast, aud he
passes away. Filled with grief, t)-
! land muTmuTS:
go many days and ears gone by
We lived together.
And t.ou mast never done me wrong.
Since thou art dead TO live pain.
Once more Roland turns TO where CoIn.
Walter, OF Hum, and the Archbishop
alone stand at bay,
And the Aeathens cry, what a faion
Look to it, lords, taat they shall not
Zee.
Count Walter falls at last, just as they
hear the welcome sound of Charlie
magne's trumpets, at which the sara
Gems flee, leaving Roland and the Arch
bishop uncoDqueIed. But their end is
near. Roland swoons, and the good
Archbishop, in attempting to bring wa
Ter in the famous horn for the dying
Paladin, falls from loss Of blood. Ro-
land RECEIVERS only in time to see him
die: then as he feels that death Is near
/ him also be looks once more on his
ecodly sword DuIindana, and as he
looks he cries:
/ ..Ch far8ud holy, ms peerless sword
what ~. jos lie lu thy l1uWtl stored
Tooth or 50. Peter. ~. Bas.ls blood.
Hairof 80. Denis bees ic them strewgd.
fragment ~ Holy Mary FcsJ-
] .IUete shame tn8t iAOU with thc le1llen
Thee ssor.dth- lend Off Christian serve.
! one WIo should never ina battle s"erfc.
In despair lest it fall into pagan hands
he tries 10 break 1t in pieces, and the
| mighty s,ashes he made ia therock5 are
I'D pointed ont as the " Breche lie Ro-
land" You remember Woydsworth'5
lines
"the Pyrereou breach,
Which Roland c'orewitu Ause 1"o-nAnjed
Ard tie enormous labor ie0 hlsuane
I WLcieurIcuit,ug frost tEcIOrky ..ls.suts
bleach.
Surely Roland might now rest from bis
abors amid the "ilowerets OF Para
Use" But no he had yet to smash
he head Of proving Slracen who
thought him an easy prey. In doing
20 he spoiled forever the ivory horn, his
/ only weapon. Not till then could he
! clasp bis hands as he went to rest, anu
ret till then did
Cod from on high send down GA him
one OF his angel cherublm.'
t. Michael it was, who with St. Ga
lI;el bore his soul to Paradise.
It would be too long a story to tell
Of the vengeance Of the Emperor
Charles how the sun stool still till
the Franks had killed every one Of the
SaIacens how Ganelon was accused
Of treachery, tried by combat, and SEN
fenced to be torn to pieces by wild
horses. The story is true tragedy,
terrible as the tragedy Of Hdipus
From another source we get the mourn
ful sequel.
Long before tho battle Of Ronces-
wales Roland and Olivier hsd met in
single combat on quiet island in the
khono. Towards evening q ileecy
cloud hoyored over them, and from Is
midst an angel wrapped in rosy
light separated the combatants, bid
ding them be friends and telling then
to turn their swords against the enc
mics of the Faith, The heroes shoOl