The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-03-25
CHAPTER LII

Count Stephen had no need to tell the
story of his VOW, for the evidence thereof
shonc on his breast as he faced the coming
f. train. The sight of the white cross hush
ed the gay laughter of the young people,
who were riding toward him, as if by
magic; and every face became grave
They knew too we'll what that cross
meant. The wearer had taken n VOW
which separated him from his fellows, as
much as if he had become Il monk or a
hermit; and, once taken, there was no
means Of discarding it, save at the price
OF disgrace on earth, and as most firmly
believed, of eternal punishment after
death.
We, in our days in free America. have
little idea of what the Crusades really
were. In the time when Count Stephen
lived, they demanded their thousands of
victims with unfailing regularity, and
spared none. That our readers, old and
young, may understand this better, a few
facts may be mentioned here to save them
from the trouble of hunting them up for
themselves
The Crusades were a series of wars
carried on by Christian men, who wore
crosses on their shoulders as q sign that
they would be true to the cross. The first
Crusade ended in the capture of JeruSa-
lem from the Turks, a hundred and twelve
years before the boy count heard Hide
brand preaching at Naucuse. After the
capture of the Holy City Christian king
dom was set up in Palestine the mark of
which is still to be seen in the ruins of
many an old castle, and in the Christian
churches al Jerusalem itself. Fifty years
after the capture of Jerusalem, the Latin
kingdom was overthrown by the great
Sultan Saladin, and q second and third
crusade failed to take it back. From that
time forth crusade after crusade was set
up or preached, all TO end in miserable
failure. The sixth was in progress at the
/ time of Stephen S VOW, and had languish
ed along for eight years, in parties of arm
ed pilgrims, who sought their way to Pal
estine as they could, and generally per
ishcd on the way.
Then it was, in the 1912, that the monk
Hildebrand, with the frantic idea of en-
listing the aid of heaven to his enterprise,
began to preach the Chidren's Crusade.
under the hope that children alone. as
being free from sin, might be Judged
worthy of seeing the Sepucher of Christ
Such was the effect of his eloqucnce that
thousands of children had been gathered
frantic hermit proclaimed Stephen the
leader of the new Crusade, fifty thou
sand children of all ages, first gathered
together At Nendomc, in the center of
France, were slowly marching toward
Marscilles, supported by the offerings of
the pious as they went; singing hymns,
carrying white banners and sustained by
that remarkable nthusiasm. which has
been n wonder to the world ever since
Stephen had heard of them, and had
wondered, with the rest of his friends,
what would become of them He had
heard jeers and gibcs, at the folly which
thought to conquer the Turks with an
army Of children, and the last thing he
had had i'll his mind that morning had
been that he should be found among them.
Yet here he was, consecrated before all
the people as the leader Of the Chldren'S
Crusade. and before him was his sister.
the being he loved better than any one
else. save his mother, looking at the white
cross on his breast rs if the sight had
frightened her.
lie could not avoid the meeting, nor did
he wish to do so. in the state of exalta-
tiou to which he had been raised hy the
preaching of the old hermit.
1T is true. my sister" lie said. without
waiting 10 he questioned. rs Blanche drew
rein in front of him and stared at the sym
hol on his breast. with dilated eyes. 1t
is true. have taken the cross. and Hill
dehrand has appointed me the leader of
the Children's Crusade to drive the infidel
from the scpulcher.
Blanche gazcl At him silently, and her
Young friends with her gazed in the same
sort of stupefaction. The sister of Ste
nbeu was Il slight, graceful girl hardly
beyond childhood. with large dark eyes.
Il delicate rose-white complexion. and a
disposition noted for gentleness and kind
ness 10 all sufferers. That disposition
shone ont now, as, instead of bursting
into reproaches, as Stephen had expected,
the girl. in low voice asked him:
And have you asked our lady mother
whether she approved of it,
1t was rather a singular thing that this
oucstiou. like that of Big Peter little be
fore. seemed to irritate the boy count, for
he drew himself up proudly, and replied,
with one of Hidebrand's texts:
He that will not leave father and
morhcr 10 follow tho Lord hath no part in
Him | have taken the cross on my
shoulder and in my heart, and henceforth
I belong to the crusade, with my orders
from heaven itself
Their, was Il low murmur among the
younr people around Blanche. Stephen
knew them all. for they were the children
of his neighbors and relatives, about his
own age or younger. They had been out
On n hawking party by the banks of the
LIue Rhonc, as their dress and the hooded
hawks on wrist of boys and girls showed.
Right before them rose tho castle of
Naux. and round them spread the broad
meadows owned 10y the old count. Riches
ana luxury. comfort and pleasure had
been the lot of all there till that day; and
now, at the sight OF the white cross, all
this seemed 10 bc forgotten. and n general
gloom spread over everything.
No one answered The speech OF the Toy
count: and he irritated by the dlSapproVai
he read on every face, launched out at
once into n fiery speech. modelled on what
he had heard from the old hermit short
time before. calling on all his young
friends to join him i'll fighting for The
cross. Like Hildebrand. he painted the
terrorS of hell and the delights Of heaven.
which was 70 be the portion Of every one
who died for the cross. Transported py
bis newborn enthusiasm. he forgot hlm-
self entirely. and poured forth burst of
cloauencc that aSton;>hcd his hearers, Al
rr,dy disposcd ~ clievc him hero. IS
having done something they dared not 40
All the while Il. was cNhoriinS them 'h,S
eal hcrel closer round him, anu rs ne
paused for breath, t!lck-eyrd s!:l. WIZ
dark. rich face fal c:a4spA cAreAs'
cried out CIT has. ~. $50.