The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-02-01


tnero devour me; put Just vnen there
arose O little white dove-so mild you
would not think he could harm a hum
ming bird--and he attacked the griffin
and there killed him, and so saved me.
The griffin has come in Sir Aldingar.
Now perhaps the white dove may come
in the form Of some true knight. SO ride
forth, Margaret, and seek him"
Then the damsel, Margaret, kissed her
queens hand and went forth and rode
far and wide; but the story that Adm
gar told had gone forth. All believed
the queen a wicked woman, deserving of
her fate. No knight offered to fight Al
dingar, for every one thought that he
had only done his duty. So the maiden
returned to the bower broken-hearted;
but, riding through the woods, she met
q little boy-a child 80 small and delicate
that he was not more than a babe, and
clad in one white garment, over which
his golden hair fell to his waist.
"Why do you weep. fair damsel2" he
asked.
"For something a child knows nothing
OF, !" she answered.
"Dry your tears, good damsel. replied
the child, land take this message to the
queen. Bid her remember her dream.
Bid her remember how. as the griffin
would have borne her to his nest, the little
white dove came and saved her from its
claws. Tell her that Heaven knows her
innocence. and that it shall be proved"
The damsel was silent with astonish-
ment, and the child seemed to her wide
open eyes to vanish into air even as he
spoke.
She rode home sadly. and her story Of
the child in the wood was all the COM
fort she could bring. And the day of
the queens death approached, and the
preparations were made for her death
and for that of the blind minstrel. Two
trees were shorn Of their limbs and wood
piled high about them and soaked with
oil, and the queen was led forth on one
hand and the minstrel on the other. All
that remained was to tie each to stake
and fire the pile. But first the herald
must do his duty.
He, riding forth into the open space
about the stake, which was guarded by
soldiers, waved his hand, blew blast
through his trumpet and uttered these
words, "If any knight desires to fight
for the lady now about to die upon the
stake, let him speak, or ever after hold
his peace"
He paused; there came no answer.
Again he repeated the cry. Still silence.
And now, for the third and last time, the
words were uttered. and Sir Aldingar felt
his wicked heart begin to beat again, for
he feared the justice Of God, knowing
how evil were his deeds, when, suddenly
whence no one knew-a little white
clad figure stepped into the open space
the white clad child Margaret had seen
in the woods. He stood and looked at
them with glorious eyes like stars. and he
lifted up his hands.
II challenge Sir Aldingar to fight me
for the good queens life," he said. 81
stand here ready"
Then all saw in his hand sword that
was not there before.
"Aldingarr they called.
And the traitor stepped forth and con-
fronted the child.
"It is not fitting that l should fight so
small childr he said.
Il am large enough to avenge wrong,
as you shall see, replied the child.
And SO, perforce, Aldingar produced
his blade; and the story goes that the
first stroke of the child's sword pierced
his body and he fell, dying.
The priests surrounded him, holding
their crosses before his face, and to them
he made full confession of his sin and
begged the queen to forgive him.
Her answer was: MAY Christ forgive
thee, Aldingar, as freely as dol"
Then the king clasped his wife in his
arms, and besought her pardon; and the
tiny champion himself unloosed the
bonds of the blind minstrel, and kissed
him upon his eyes, which, at the kiss,
received their sight again; and. after
wards, the king made him one of his
knights, and exalted him to great favor.
But as for the tiny champion, no one
ever knew just how he departed, or ex-
actly at what moment. Only, surely
there was a strange music in the air,
and rustling as of the wings of unseen
angels, and great mass was said, and
the story of the miracle was recorded by
the monks, who found the sword with
which the queens honor was defended
upon the ground, and enshrined it among
their holiest relics.-New York Mail and
Express.