The Columbus journal., 1889-09-25

the aoooe reelre0 % 10 came, no ono
daring to hinder or to harm tho holy man.
yum henkeri to the hangman with him.
cried the baron, choking with rag, and
Swinging after him. That moment tho old
bell pealed out with . Wild clang from the
tower Tho baron In hs haste tripped over
. stool and Ten 10 tie ground. When they
lifted him up b Was dad. TWAS aid he
died Of . A. Maybe %. Bot that very
night oosof ths holsknschts~ returning 10 tie
village from tho Riesen up the hills where b
had been working, declared that - he pasmd
tho tower b heard the old bell pealing and
NV Q procession of MONKS following Q bier,
and disappearing within the ruins Next
morning tidings can,e that tho old abbot had
died the day before 1t St. Wolfgangs, but
whore o. when b was buried nobody ever
knew"
Old Klaus ceased and sat looking in tho
fira
"A strange, Wild tals!' I said, lightly. un-
willing to confess mysslf moved by the story.
Has tho ghost bsll sver been heard sincs
that timer
Old Klaus shuddered. "Ay, dr." be an
swered gloomily, ''whenever tho soul passes
from the body Of . Won Steingrafl, but I am
not willing to believe that the evil one dare
claim the spirit Of my dear. young master
oss 70 good and nobas - he isI" and again
The old servant fell TO weeping.
"Hush, Klaus, lest you disturb him." !
sid hastily, although . glance at my poor
Friedrich well nigh assured me that few
sounds would disturb him more. Then l
paced the room and out into the ball and
down tho stairs, for l heard the sound Of
horses at the gates and I knew tho physician
had come. Let him 60 up alone, while I sat
for . few moments in tho little chamber I
had been shown to on my arrival. Icould
not take my mind from the story Of the
ghost bell I nm not naturally ~credulous,
but tho shock I had received after the weari-
ness Of my journey Of several days had, !
suppose, told upon my nsrvea I stole up
once more to the sick room. The physician
sat at TIE foot Of the bed. Friedrich seemed
to be sleeping quietly. I hoped this might be
. good sign, but, to my inquiry. the I'D
physician shook his head sadly:
Its tho slsep that viii wake only in
DEATH" he answered sadly. IAN hour will
decide, but be prepared for the worst-I can
give but little hope"
Impelled BY I know not what, l suddenly
asked:
doctor, what could have caused this sud-
den ilnessi Ny friend has had the most
perfect health al his life. He once told me
be had never been III What could have
caused this fever"
''God alone can tellI" answered the phyd-
clan piously. 1.-THE young baron was with
me the day previous to his illness, and babe
me gayly enough to dance 1t his wedding.
I never saw him looking better. he was on
horseback and rode swiftly out Of st. Gilgen,
refining up his steed for an instant to throw
money to IN old gypsy, who stood, her hand
outstretched, by the road. Always kind"
added the good doctor, always noble! !
nave known him thus ~ boy and man." And
tho usually cold man Of science brushed his
hand acroo his eyea
took his other hand In my own and press
ed It warmly. Then I went to the chamber
below. Old Klaus crept after me. He eemed
to cling to mo Tor sympathy. sat down by
tho ilre with . heavy heart. I pondered on
the doctors worda found myself wonder
ing Why I had put the question "a him, and
then I recalled, word for word, his answer.
A sudden thought shot through my brain.
BE bad spoken Of an Old gypsy Who stood,
with outstretched hand, by the roadside.
Another scene rose before me
A fair haired Id with his firm palm held
It.; and I seemed to hear the quavering voice
muttering the prophecy: "Young herr, take
heed to your wedding dayi The way to Gods
altar lies through Gods acreI"
"Klausf' I asked sharply, when VA your
49, ->-3>S0H - H1S>Ss>l
had mentioned no day In his lettsr-"We
win talk over every thing when you come"
he wrote.
Zach, mein hesri But tomorrow"
seemed to turn cold an over. To think
Of other things I questioned Klaus concern
ing the young Roeschen, whose cup Of happi-
men WAS % sooo to b dashed from her lips
I learned that he was lovely and amiable
and deeply snamored Of her handsome lover.
His Hines bad been kept from her - long as
possible. and though she knew her marriage
must b postponed-shs dreamed, - yet. Of
no changa
"AlasI" said Klaus. should my lord not
recovsr. I fear Il wfl 60 hard with the sweet
young lady, for he loves him moro than life.
Who knows but thsre may b two bur1als
rather than ono bgidalr"
The way 70 Gods altar lies through Gods
acrsI"
Would tho words ever cease ringing in my
earsi Ishook myssk impatisutly. A coin
cidsnc- I'D coincidsnce2 that was ALI
And my gfise bad surely unsettled my mind.
Ipicked up . book from ono q tAs shelves
and trisd to rod. The words swan On the
paga Not . sound was 10 b hard save the
ticking Of The great clock in IL hall laid
down the book and dghed. Just then tho
clock tollsd The midnight hour. The deep
bsll struck twelve timss loud and clear, and
mechanically I counted every stxoka.
xidnighti A sudden thought-the crisis!
Thn my poor Friedrich might, even now,
b paning thsportal a eesFnityi
Ivas about 70 peak 10 Klaus when I dis
covered that b slept, ~sxhansted, on the
hafth.
.tGod Sorhid,.Iaisd aIosd. IN my lsar.
"Hooe, faithful soulT" tAoaghs I "Rsst
thHo Q whilscyoa may swahs 70 deepest
R1alI" IdrlrsallDd that ~ M mysetf-
hs RooeAsn-~e lusa With Yfisdrich,
TIT vAicA - bse loved % sartAL
solves noislsdy and paasd adly and
aloas into - Qsas seoas IN.
Ahua1A q co1a ar sw1pe ~ ehsGk. Il
came ion IL 81 a IL kAn-down Jthsre,
towarathsoaAsrdoora IW0piEosd through
0dthguaeh Win - I'm tu9eA. C9hinly,
~ outsr 6oues une b epsal Cold Dans.
hksaxtsty, havs losyot10 % e3oss thsm
af1w - doctorb 0fzasoss Ipssrsd through
IL VIA a dimly NGAAsd asuh0 toward the
0fsanas and noveaa 6sw sesp 4 that direc-
tiu. AsIdA@ q, fwas ars IhsardamuASed
knocaing e ~ portal I Hsesosd intently
md afbr a0n00t IL so1nd was rsosatsd