The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-04-12

Nor was there silence till the dawn.
Then the abbot rose from where he
knelt and called 10 God. saving:
Thou hast heard. o God; make an
swer.'
And there came a great sound from the
sea as though tongue had been given
to the deep sea. So that the monks fell
upon their knees in fear, but the abbot
answered:
ut is the voice Of God speaking
through the waters. He hath made an.
swer."
And that winter a mighty storm rose.
the like of which no man had known be.
fore for the sea was piled upon the dry
land until the highest tower of the town
Of seven towers was not more high. and
the waters moved forward over the dry
land. And the men of the town of seven
towers fled from the oncomius Of the wa.
tiers, but the waters overlook them SO
that not one of them escaped. And the
town of the seven towers and Of the -four
churches and Of the many streets and
quayS was buried underneath the waters.
and the feet of the waters still moved till
they came to the hill wherein the abbey
stood. Then the abbot prayed 10 God
that the waters might be staid. and God
heard and the sea came no farther.
And that this tale is true and not a
fable made by the weavers Of words he
who doubts may know from the fisher
folk who today ply their calling among
the reefs and sand banks of that lonely
coast, for there are those among thcu
who, peering from the bows of their
their keclS city of strange streets and
many quays. But as to this. |. who re-.
peat these things to you. cannot speak Of
my own knowledge, for this city of the
sea is only visible when a rare wind.
blowing from the north, sweeps the shad
ows from the waves. and. though on
many Il sunny day | have drifted where
its seven towers should once have stood.
yet for me that wind has never blown,
pushing back the curtains of the sea, and
therefore | have strained my eyes in vain.
But this do know. that the crumblne
stones of that ancient abbey, between
which and the foam fringe of the ocean
the town of seven towers once lay. now
stand upon Il wave washed cliff and that
he who looks forth from its shattered
and the wrinkled waters, hears only the
plant of the circling guls and the weary
cry of the sea.
And that Gods anger is not everlasting
and that the evil that there is in men
shall be blotted out he who doubts NAV
also learn from the wisdom of the simple
fisher folk who dwell about the borders
of the marsh land. for they will tell him
that on stormy nights there speaks deep
voice from the sea, calling the dead
monks to rise from their forgotten graves
and chant mass for the souls of the
men of the town of seven towers Clothed
in long, gltterng white robes they move
with slowly pacing feet. around the alb
beyS grass grown aisles and the music
of their prayers is heard above the
screaming of the storm. And to this |
can also bear witness. for have seen the
passing of their shroudcd forms behind
the blackneSs of the shattered shafts: |
have heard their sweet, sad singing above
the wailing of the wind.
Thus for many ages have the dead
monks prayed that the men of the town
of seven towers may be forgiven Thus
for many ages yet shall they so pray till
the day come when of their once fair alb
hey not single stone shall stand upon its
fellow, and in that day it shall be known
that the anger of God against the men of
the town of seven towers has passed
away, and in that day the feet Of the wa
tiers shall move back and the town of
seven towers shall stand again upon the
dry land.
There be some, know. who say that
this is but legend, who will tell you that
the shadowy shapes that you may see
with your own eyes on stormy nights.
waving their cleaning rms behind the
ruined buttresseS, are but of phosphores-
cent foam. tossed by the raging waves
above the cliffs, and that the sweet. sad
harmony, clcaving the trouble of the
night, is but the Tolian music of the wind.
But such are of the blind. who see only
with their eyes; for myself | see the
white robed monks and hear the chanting
of their mass for the souls of the sinful
men of the town of seven towers. For
it has been said that when an evil deed is
done prayer is born to follow it through
time to eternity and plead for it, Thus is
the whole world clasped around with
folded hands both of the dead and of the
living. as with shield, lest the shafts Of
Gods anger should consume it.
Therefore | know that the good monks
of this namelcss abbey still are praying
that the sin of those they loved may be
forgiven.
God grant good men may say mass
for us.-St. Louis Post Dispatch