The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-05-15

/ the powerful Earl or tlanuerS entercu 81
miserable an abode. The woman con-
Quoted him to the loft and showed him
six children asleep on bed of straw.
Conceal thyself, and quickly. for ]
hear thy pursuers already at the door,
she said, pointing 20 the straw.
The earl hastily crept in among the
slumbering children, taking the young
est one in his arms. There was no little
auarreling at first.
'How big brother Max has grown,
said one little girl as she snuggled close
beside the mighty potentate who had
taken refuge in that rude bed.
"Why can he not come to bed earlier
and not awake u.s." grumbled q flaxen
haired boy.
But they soon became quiet, and the
earl lay still with Gretchen slumbering
beside him and faxen haired Hans snor-
ing fearlessly.
Meanwhile loud pounding had sum-
moned the widow to the door again.
"Where is the man who has just en-
tered thy hut?" demanded asavage Gan
tois.
cart thou not mistaken" she answer.
ed. "Iam widow and live her alone
with my children"
may, but we saw the light upon the
way as it glared forth from the open
door"
Il did but open it to throw something
into the street. If there be man with
in, search and find him."
The man casts qnick glance within.
He saw the ladder leading to the loft,
and taking the light from the widows
hands he hurriedly ascended. A row OF
children huddled together was all that
he saw, and he descended again. "The
woman is right" he muttered to the
crowd. There is only nest of chill.
dren sleeping together like pigs in sty,
and there isn't room enough for an ant
to hide, much less the Earl of Flanders"
Uttering cries of balked vengeance,
the throng of White Hoods, as they were
called, pushed on, while the earl, with
thankful heart for his wonderful pres
eryation, went to sleep in the company
of the young children. Sorely wearied
by fatigue, he slept as soundly in the
mud hovel of the poor widow as though
he had lain in one of his own palace
chambers.
The next morning was the Sabbath,
and the great earl was awakened by tho
wondering cries of the children.
"How funny! Brother Max has come
to bed with his clothes on" cried the lit
tie girl, who had slept all night in the
arms of her illustrious bedfellow.
"Hush, Minna," cried Max himself.
ut is some friend of mothers. heard
him last night when he came in"
"Nay, but l am friend to you ALL"
said Earl Louis. "From this hour count
the Earl of Flanders your protector.
The children were hushed to silence at
the mention of that great name, and the
earl presently descended to the lower
room, where he found the pious widow
singing her Sunday morning hymn.
"And who art thou, to whom Louis Of
Flanders owes his life?' asked the earl.
II am the widow of Dolph the Diker,
whom the wicked men of Ghent slew
when he was at work for his lawful SOW
ereign."
'l cannot restore to thee thy hus-
band, said the carl, "but never shall
forget thy generous kindness in risking
your own life to shelter me. Here is
purse of gold crowns, all that can give
thee now, but
'God forbid that should take it when
thou needest the gold more than l." in
terrupted the woman as she put the
purse back into his hands. "Thou art
not yet out of danger, and it has cost us
nothing to give the shelter"
"When | have my rights again, the
widow of Dolph the Diker will not re-
gret that she entertained her sovereign
replied the earl.
He staid all that day with the widow
and her family, keeping better Sab
bath, l dare say, than he had for a long
time before, and the following night he
succeeded in making his escape out OF
the city, disguised in the jerkin and
marsh boots in which poor Dolph used
to work at the canals. He reached Lisle,
one of his loyal towns, in safety, and an
army soon gathered around him quite
large enough to enable him to take the
field against the rebellious White Hoods.
In a great battle he completely de-
featcd the Gantois, and Philip of Arte-
weld, their leader, was slain. Chen.
was delivered mp to him, and Flanders
once more passed under the sway of its
rightful lord.
When Earl Louis returned to Bruges,
he richly rewarded his faithful preserver,
the widow Mechie. who was enabled to
pass her last daysin comfort and luxury.
Max became page in the great castle, |
and all the other children, from Hans to
the laughing prattler, Gretchen, became
the proteges of the earl who owed lis
life to their mothers generous protec-
tion.-Clinton Montague in Philadelphia
Times.
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