Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-04-05

baran tribe he summons his prisoners.
They march before the eager multitude
with bowed heads dragging their massive
chains i'll the dust. Their doom is
sounded aud they are led away. Then
the fearful chief, who has caused so much
alarm and threatened so many calamit les
10 the State, is brought forward. A
scream Of terror at his ierocious aspect
escapes from many Threats. The Cen
cral asks in what way he shall punish
this chief Of all barbarans. shout Of
torture and the aXc!" comes in an aw-
ful tide of condemnation. But lark
The song of Blondcl pcnetratcs the dis
coidant sounds and reaches every ear
Perfect silence reigns. Every hat is
lifted. Every head is bowed. The
guard releases the captive. When the
song has died away, with tears in his
eyes, the General says: "Unhappy
Blondcl, art thou still faithful" Then
turning TO the captive chief he cries in
a loud voice: 'rhink not am so bnsc
as the Duke of Austria; be fiec. :"
In a rough and wild mountain pass
many thousand feet above the sea, where
the snow is piled in heaps and dcsolation
reigns supreme, two robbers meet. They
exchange grim and hcartlcss greeting
and sullenly enter II cave near by, where
may be seen Il lantern aud few of the
essentials of life. 4 rousing ire is started,
and as they warm themselves they curse
their lard luck, for neither has found
any one to rob for two whole days, and
/ they have no food nor drink, nor that
with which TO buy. Without the wind
howls, the snow drifts and the clements
/ rage. Old kings of the forest, oaks and
pines long dead, nrc unable TO withstand
the blast, and come crushing to earth
with fearful sounds of destruction. Cold
and famishcd beasts see the fire in the
III the cave aud prowl about. growing
and snarlng in their distress The dark.
est villain now rises, seeks tho moth of
the cave, and stands a moment thought
full. lie starts. lie hears sob. And
looking whence it came he beholds a
shivcring youth. The dark robbor drays
the boy from his retreat, and with
sparkling eyes sees that the lad is covered
with jewels, rare and most brilliant.
Loughly he pulls the boy into the cave,
who though trembling with fear, feels that
the fire is a kindling ray of light from
heaven. The villains hasten to dcspoil him
of his vauablcs, but he protests that he
will die before he parts with his gems
They iicrcey say he shall die, if he so
chooses, and raise their swords To STAY him.
lie knecls and prays for mercy. They
laugh, a cold, hoarsc, licndish laugh,
and bid HIM pray the half frozen lion
ess Tor mercy; or implorc the hungry
and dying tiger. But now. rs the
blades of the rusty swords are again
raised, Blondcl-for it is hc-sings
his magic song, and lol the swords
cfcavc the air and fall harmless upon the
rocks of the cave. The villains invol-
UNFAIRLY bow their heads until he fin
isles, and then with slammed faces rush
into the night, leaving the trembling
minstrel alone in the cave with the fire
to give him warmth the lad docs not
note the departure of his enemies nor
the height to which the flames are reach
ing, but sits lost in his mediLations, or
dreaming, it may be, Of his master.
In the morning he awakcs and realizes
where he has spent the night. He re-
members the fierce villains and wonders
where they have gone. At length he
starts on his journey again, for the day
is bright and warmer. Not more than
half II mile beyond the the cave, and
farther down the mountain, Blondcl
came upon man dead, rs he supposes,
III the snow. lie nj once recognizes him
to he the boldcst of the robbers. His
arms and hands are almost gone, torn in
pieces, and his limbs are fro en-. a It,
lie life remains, however Pcrceiving
this the aiTcctionatc boy leans over the
dying villain and asks in what way he
may bring assistance. I he bold robbor
replies that he hopes and expects and
desires to die. lie says that ioncss
has utterly dcvoured his colleague and
that he himself escaped in this frighlful
condition. The lad tries to help him
upon his feet and offers him wine from n
flask he carries but the robber will not
drink; he cares not to prolong life
Reckoning Blondel to draw nearer that
he may catch Gu word. he says:
81 know you. You are Dlondel in
search of King Richard. | was in the
employ of the Euke Of Austria when the
Cnur dc con was captured. am dying
cow and consider that among my great
est crimes; therefore. let me somewhat
atone for it by telling where he is i'm
prisoncd. Follow this path about twenty
miles. and in yonier valley you will sec
an isolated tower. The castle, of which
it was part, has long since persisted
but in that tower lies The King of Eng
land
AS he finishes speaking he hcaves a
troubled sigh, and is soon free frcm pain
i'll deaths embrace. B!ontlcl wceps over
his body, as an a:iectionate lad is prone
to do, and prays God to forgive the rob.
bcr's many sins on account of this ono
} deed of virtue. Then covering tho
} corpse with the soft snow, swiftly
onward pushes the boy. Twenty
miles is long way, and it is late
) in the evening and quite dark when
Blondel sees the tower. standing alone
, and isolated. Everything in this valley
is warm and beautiful, all remnants Of
: the snow and cold which threatened
, him during the night arc n long distance
: behind, far up IN the rugged Alps The
: walls before which he stands are over
, grown with vines, and roses cluster
about their base. In fact, he has de-
scendcd from the cruelest of winters te
9 the kindest of summers. 1t is peace
, full night, but very dark, as the moon
, has not risen. No light may be seen il