The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-04-01
CHAPTER ".

Count Stephen the elder was not fated
to reach his son as soon as he had antici-
pated when he rode out of the castle gates,
followed by his vassals, intent on bring
ing back the boy. The distance from
Naucluse TO the plains of Ayisnon, where
the children had been encamped, was a
twentyfour hours journey, for light
horses; while the train Of the count, com
posed of men in heavy armor, who had
TO carry all the food their horses would
need on the saddles of the animals, could
not move fast enough to catch the young
crusaders.
The warriors toiled on, hearing frequent
reports of the progress of the Children 5
Crusade, which had attracted the interest
and help of the whole country round. Ev-
cry one they met had done something to
help it on, according to his own account;
for the young crusaders, with simple
reliance on the promises of llidebrand,
only possible in that age, had departed on
their journey, gathering recruits at every
castle and village, taking no heed what
they should eat or drink, but relying sole
ly on charity.
1t is, indeed, one of the strangest things
In history, hardly to be believed, did we
not know it to be true, that the children in
that wonderful crusade did not all starve
TO death before they had gone across the
breadth of France.
Their numbers fluctuated as they went,
the feebler ones dropping out on the way,
some of them never to see their homes
again; others, more fortunate, being re-
claimed by their parents. But still the
march proceeded; and, day by day, the
children nearcd the end of the journey
they had set themselves, at MarsciIleS,
where they confidently expected that they
should find ships to take them to the Holy
Land. in some way.
The boy count. Stephen, with his little
train Of friends, had reached the camp on
the morning of the day after he galloped
away from his fathers castle, the horses
of his little party completely exhausted,
the riders tired out, hungry and ready to
drop, but as full Of ardor for the crusade
as ever. They had been welcomed by a
boy called Nicholas, supposed To hc in
command Of the crusade, who received
them in lordly manner as if he had been
the king of the country.
Nicholas was very different boy from
Stephen stout and strong, with Il great
idea Of his own Importance and a habit of
enforcing obedience to his orders By
blows, if any one disputed them. He had
led the children from Ncndome, and as
sumed the title of Captain of the Cru
SADIE" which. to Stephen, who ina agined
himself appointed to that office, caused
great disappointment, till the arrival Of
Hildebrand in the camp, when the old
monk, in a public sermon, deposed Nicho-
las from the Office of leader on the score
Of his violent temper and made the boy
count Captain of the Crusade in his
turn.
The real reason for the change Hide
brand said nothing about, but it was none
the weaker. Count Stephen, coming Of an
old family, was one we'll calculated 10 win
the respect and admiration Of the children
who had come on the crusade Will" Mich
olas, who was ignorant of reading and
writing and a peasant by birth, had only
his talents 10 win him the aSCCndcnCy.
In those days talent, without descent
from noble family, was useless in the
world, save in the church. where alone
peasants could rise TO the highest offices
Therefore, when Hiidebrand proclaimed
Stephen as the captain of the crusade,
there was no murmuring voice among the
children, and even Nicholas, though he
felt his deposition llcenly, had to hide his
chagrin for in the camp of the cross, the
vow made all brothers, and forbade quar-
rclS. But what neither that VOW, nor any
that has been invented since, could pre-
vent was the existence of envy and jeal-
ousy. which burned as tierCcly in the
breasts Of the children of that memorable
crusade as in those of their elders who
had fought each other in sight of Jerl-
salem, with the same hatred they showed
the Turks.
Stephen dc Yaux could not help seeing
that Nicholas. who had been the head of
the army OF children before he came. hat
ed him. and had hard work To restrain his
feelings: but the boy count with the en-
thusiastic notions he had imbibcd from
Hildebrand. in whom he believed firmly.
stroye to hope for the best and made
Nicholas his second in command, in order
70 appease him and make him satisfied
with his position.
But the peasant boy, with keen jealousy
born OF q sense of his inferior advantages
TO those Of the young noble, while he felt
himself Stephens equal in everything hut
birth and fortune, kept a sullen face. and
encouraged murmurinE among the boys
who had followed him from Nendome.
the majority Of whom were Of the same
class as himself
Thus it came to pass, as they journeyed
on toward Marseilles, that there was di-
vision among the children who had been
united in enthusiasm and hope up 10 the
day when Stephen joined them: and they
had divided into two bodies 10y the time
they had reached the sight of the blue
Mediterranean; one headed by stephen,
the other by Nicholas; the latter of the
two travelling several miles behind the
other. and already talking of taking 4 diff
ferent route.
And it was with this body that Count
Stephen de Naux, as he rode with his sol
diers behind him. came up five days after
he left his castle, and. addressing the
leader. demanded:
Where is the boy they call stephen de
Taux. the captain Of the crusade: | am
his father
He addressed the question to Nicholas,
who was marching ahead of n great crowd
Of children who carried banners. like the
Sunday school professions of our Own
DAYS. The peasant boy. with naughty
toss of his head. replied:
II am the captain of this crusade. and
know nothing of Stephen. They say he
is somewhere in the army; hut tLls l
know. that he can never reach the HOLY
Land He is but singer of songs anu
we are soldiers who can tight
The old count looked at the tumultuouS
mob of boys of all ages who followed the
Young leader. and smile Of some amuSe'
ment crossed his lips as he observed:
..Ye are al! mad together. What can
BOYS like You do? One Turk with las