Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-03-15
THE BLACK VIRGIN.
FROM THE FRENCH OF CHARLES EPHEYRK

Upon oneof the rugged coasts of Fin
land, facing the little fishing village of
Liedsmarken, there rises barren
peak, a solitary rock in the middle of
the sea. When the weather is fine,
Won can distinguish, from the coast,
the Jagged outlines aud steep slopes of
this peak, its forbiddIng aspect unre-
Heved by any trace of vegetation; it is
an unfavorable place for sailors and
fishermen, for the sea is deep Just
there, and landing becomes very diff
ficult matter as soon as the wind be-
gins to blow a little. The only inhRb-'
itants of the rock are the sea birds,
which gather there in great numbers
at evening time.
As you draw near to it you can see
recess in the cliff, about halfway up
a recess which, with a slight stretch of
the imagination, may be compared to a
chapel-ip which a hum8n figure,
probably the figure of a woman, has
been roughly cut in the rock. The
worship of this singular divinity dates
back, without doubt, to the time OF
paganism; in later years it has bsen
looked upon as the statue of a virgin.
1t is called "The Black Virgin" and is
supposed to watch over the destiny of
the village of Liedsmarken.
The Black Virgin, however, is not
looked upon as a benevolent divinity.
For a long time it exercised n fatal
power; and if at the present time this
power is not used, 1t is because it was
conjured many years ago by devotion
and love.
Here is the story as it was told to me
by a fisherman of the vlllage:-
The village of Leidsmarken has al
WAYS been inhabited by fishermen and
peasants; honest, poor, and hard-work-
pg, and all thoroughly convinced of
the power of the Virgin on the rock.
Every year the Virgin demanded a
victim, and, as a matter of fact, each
wear one of the inhabitants of Leids-
marken had been struck by desth-one
year 1t would be an old man, another
year a child in the cradle, a third year
brave sailor, whose frail barque
would be lost in a storm.
In the year 1856, the Black Virgin
was once more awaiting a victim; the
wear was drawing to a close-lt was al
ready in the latter half of December
but not one of the good people of
y
of the inhabitants. however, was i'll,
and it was upon him, no doubt, that
the Black Virgins choice had fallen.
He had only few more days to
live, for it was the twenty-third day of
December, and it was certain that lit
tie Axel would not see the first of jan
nary.
Axel was an orphan under the care
oF 4,
hearted yonng woman. Night and day
she sat at his bedside, holding his hand
and telling all sors of wonderful
stories; despair in her heart and tears
in her eyes, yet she tried to smile and
to sing, in the hope of bringing a
gleam of pleasure into the boys ewes
Frida's resources being insufficient
to meet EXPENSES, ber affianced hus-
band, Robert, assisted her; and Frlda,
look ng upon this help as quite nat
ural, had accepted IT; for she loved
Robert, and her love was returned.
Their marriage bad been a settled mat
ter for months. Every evening, after
a hard days fishing, Robert came to
see Frida; but when he pressed her to
tix the wedding day she shook her
head and, without replying, looked at
Axcl.
That evening-the 23d cf December
when Robert entered the cottage,
FTida and Axel were not alone; their
neighbor, an old fisherman named
Uhristisn, was talking to frida in a
ow voice while Axel slept. Robert
at down silently 10y the side of Frida,
and listened 10 the old man.
Yes said Christian, ", am quite
sure that 1t is possible to cure Axel,
people ID a worse state than this poor