The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-26

do not wish to possess feelings which
corrupt man and 1 live to pray for
our souls" The pale face of the old
man flushed, and with a last effort,
rising to his feet he said: Forgive
thee? Il =" Father"
chied Neagoe, beseechingly. -"
1 Il bless thee!" And he fell back
dead.
Radu sighed, and made the sign of
the cross his soul lghtened of
heavy burden. Then he called other
monks, and they performed the last
offices, and buried Vlad, the convict.
Neagoe was sitting out in the moon
light, under the shelter of the pine
trees; she was overwhelmed with the
sense of her own loneliness. Where
should she go? What could she do?
Her brother would gladly have taken
her to live with him, but, being a
monk the plan was impossible.
The thought of entering a nunnery
was not pleasant to her. for once with
in it's walls, she could hear no more of
Sandule nor meet him when he was
free from Imprisonment in the Salt
Mines.
Sor7owfully she thought of her fu-
ture life, and knew not how TO act.
Suddenly she heard rapid steps coming
swiftly up the steep mountain path,
and much loved voice cried out, eag-
erly:
"Neagoe, Neagoe!"
Sandule stood before her! She gave
a wild scream Of joy, and flung herself
with rapture on his breast.
Neagoe had grown so weak and fee
BILE thai she no longer resembled the
robust, energetic girl, who had hith-
erto born her reverses and troubles
so bravely, but she was soon herself
again and asking Sandule to relate to
her how he had escaped, and tell her
the dangers he had risked.
She learned with what difficulty he
had got away, and that he must
quickly put the Danube betwiXt him
self and his pursuers, because that at
any moment he risked being captured
and shot.
"And now thou canst come with me,
my dear girl" said he.
But my father is only just dead,
Sandule! We did not bury him yester-
day."
He no longer needs thee. Come
along with me, Neagoe, my darling"
The girl looked back at the monas-
terry, where her brother dwelt, where
her poor old father was laid at rest,
and taking firm hold of Sandules
hand, set out with him on his peril
Gus path to an unknown land and pow
erty.
Yet, she had never felt so supremely
| happy.
When Sandule and Neagoe reached
the banks of the beautiful blue Danube
hole herd of buffalos was just about
! to be drifted across to the opposite
bank; making no more ado, they at
| once sprang astride on the backs of
| two of these animals and were soon
| safely forded across to the other side
| 1t was a picturesque sight. The herd
| consisted of more than a hundred buff
| faloes, whose black heads with their
curved horns were seen emerging from
! this gigantic river while the herds
men in their big white lambskin caps,
bestrode some of them, and drove
them ongards with their heavy slaves,
And then, the beautiful young maid
| en-, with her uplifted skirts, her max
| ed feet, wet by the wavelets, looked
back to see If Sandule We're following,
to see If he were not pursued; to see IL
no bullet had followed to kill and bury
him in the mighty stream, before he
| could gain a hayen of safety.
| At length they were safe. And they
| fell down and kissed the ground, and
thanked Almighty God and made the
| sign of the Cross.
|
Years have past since that time
Radu, the monk, has become the abbot
of his monastery. He has gained the
| confidence and good will of his super
iors by his excellent conduct and in
| dfatigable work for the well-being OF
| the monastery. He lives in his own
house, within the precincts.
One day as he sat summing himself
and playing with his chaplet on tho
balcony there came in sight a hand
| so@ne woman and a good-looklng man.
in the flower Of their age; before them
ran two children, while the woman
held third by the arm, fourth being
carried in his fathers arms.
But not until they arrived quite close
| to him did the abbot recognize them
and cry: "Neagoe! my sister, my sis
terri Then he listened to her story
of their sufferings, and she told him
how 1t was Sandule who had asked him
the way when they were both hiding
| from their enemies. And that now
Sandule was pardoned they were going
back to live in their own village. and
that through hard work they possessed
| fair sum of money, after having en-
dured for a length of time poverty and
even want
Thus the children of the poor OLD
Vlad were calm happy. The last
blessing of their father had shed a