The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-04-24
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Nv Charlton Lswrnes H6hoias.

INSIDE the cloister cask was dark
l 'rsss palpable as the festoonsd
'cobw@bs that brushed my face, when,
standing in its belly. l looked upward
'mto>ouscurity.
Far far above me glimmered pale
light, like star veiled in mist. "And
that aid the dried-up voice Of the
little srxton, that is the bung-hole.
1t is three feet in diameter: large
enough to admit fine stout man."
and hc sighed like a withered leaf In
the wind.
A fine, fruity smell told Of the
oceans Of old wine that had flowed
through this cavern, from bung-hole
TO spigst. and ah, from spigot into
countless pious throats, thirsty with
much prayer! for in all the time that
this monastery had welded it, power
over much of the Black Forest. the
acloister cask, though always running,
rnever ran dry.
'Ah, yes, once d did run dry" whis-
pered the sexton, land once agnin it
was emptied into vile, profane
rthroats. Each time 1t betokened
great misfortune to our order, but
now that It is always empty, where
Is our brotherhood. where our splen-
did buildings, our glorious church?
Ruins, desolate ruins!
IL remember when It was desecrat-
I'd, that was In sixteen hundred and
odd, and was n comparatively young
man, but already holding q position
of trust in the monastery. was eel
Elar-mnster when Melac, with his
swarm Of French ruffians over-ran
*he whole country. burned the vii
ilages, sacked the sacred courts, and
drained the great cask-may their
threats Ire scorched for IL, the filthy
sponges!
81 looked on. ''-- I'd and foot.
nd thrown in; like b sack
& rye; yes. while the
.wash-buckler, = Mohrepos.
tastard of roy, ladder
-eainst the size ana mounted TO t''a
Stop of the cask, where he found the
fbung padlocked to the slaves.
Ellis williams tossed him up my
bunch of keys, and ~ he unlocked it.
ne noticed that this bung WINS beau
7tiful and curiously carved piece Of
oak; but stop, you shall see Tiny
own work-my masterpiece"
And he dragged me to the end Of
rfhe cask, where stood large cylinder,
soaked by the wine till II had as
sumed dusky purple red.
"Eren in its color this is perfect
likeness Of Brother Ambrose" gasped
the little man. Brother Ambrose,
,,c~llar-master before me and now n
blessed saint in Paradise"
And truly, the sculptured head that
grinned at me in the dusk could have
been naught but that of cellar-mas-
ter; the wavering candle light threw
fiitting reflections over his polished
,cheeks that seemed to quiver and
shake with good living, and the ex-
preston Of supreme physical salts
faction was caught with a freshness
delightful to behold.
"Brother Ambrose II is, and he lived
and breathed," said the sexton with
such feeling that the cask echoed
,sonorously and shook the ghostly
1iraperies, land this is his memorial,
in remembrance of a strange fate that
befell him even where we stand.
"But Monrepos, the pig, what knew
he Of art. When he saw this head on
the bung he drew his long sword and
struck it u blow on the pate till even
the full cask protested duly. This
Nas Gambrnus!' cried he in his
.ciarion voice, whom these swine wor-
ship. Rise now, Sir Bacchus, worthy
sf the allegiance OF gentleman OF
France!' and amid the outlaws of his
troopers he pulled out the bung,
dipped in his casque and drank long
health to the new leader.
"All this l saw, as bound hand and
foot lay In the corner like n sack of
aye"
L looked at the old man suspicious
ay; ancient as he was. he could not
have been living during the famous
raid of Melac, far back In the seven
seenth century.
But without noticing my surprise.
re went on dreamily, with half-closed
eyes: "Ah, Brother Ambrose, that
'saou shouldst ever have come to this
chou most truly German Of all the
n~otherhood. to be worshiped by q
.&orde of French bandits!
when Brother Ambrose was eel.
iar-msster, was n mere boy. his a..
'saxtant. tw to carry the
AaHons Of wiz . had drawn
SAem, for whc' 4, ewsrded with
&Ae drippings - faucets that
Wers caught IL n...- pans.
IA that time The monastery had a.
1aaned height Of prosperity which
- never reached ssl)n. seRs sttris'