The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-09
The Mercy of the Uaters

THE day was hot sultry sky shimmered in the
liquid heat; breath Of air stirred; everything was
with the white alkaline dust common 10
Regardless of the heat and barely conscious it,
group peasants inenty gazing along the road which
northward Near the watchers little
spring gushed from under rock and flowed along
side scrubby trees and underwood The
however, thinking of the drought that was
drying vineyards entirely different thought
cupied minds They watching for the army OF
child Crusaders whose innocent hands were to deliver the
Their hearts sad indeed for this tiny
community gone Viven
and Adene had left weeks before vendome
gathering place not the courier
passed in the morning said the would go by that
wavy hair and the beautiful girl whose song
held the birds spellbound. Who knows?
topped the zenith and started it's
downward course when beyond the
vanished Before long the foremost
Slowly they and the dust
heavy entirely concealed Ere
the children reached the peasants, there commoton
among them boy and girl forward In few mo-
they casped their parents Viven and
Ade1ine had come home for the last time.
Now the first of the Of weary little marchers was
spring little brooket Instantly
thirsty struggling Parched voices called
peouy Dust covered and they moved
they had drink and others took their places
Still they passed passed. singing SILENT
always the dropping out dropping out. The
line of march lined with children dying for drink OF
care; children crying for their moth
still cold little boys trying to be
others lying for awhile where they fe then struggling along
little further only to drop at last like the rest And the
breasts Of the embem Of hope and faith that had
not been dmmed
spectve homes, and each had good meal for they
nearly starved Then fearful said and they
to catch to the head Of the column as was
ing there
Several days after passing the homes OF Adelne
Viven the child toling steep HILL Ahead Of
Stephen with
pomp nobest lords Of
France Behind the confused of and girls
with their The foremost marchers reached crest
of the hill paused
Look" cried Adeline shout which, gathering
volume it sweed back through the ranks reached the
heavens. Jerusalem! Jerusa1em!"
There beneath sparkled its shore,
not leagues distant, lay great city The fresh
they would free the Holy Sepulchre Already the multi
tude behind forward for sight of the
Holy City. Stephen held up his hand. .Tz.
"Stop" he cried "This' is Jerusalem, but Mar
other side of yonder
He finished and again the children moved
came to they thought was Jerusalem. r -.
When the child reached the city they spread out
through streets crowded and pushed in their
eagerness % water.
vivien caught Adelines hand and together with many
others they side street. lodging people and
ing sharp till they the ahead of them. AL
ready of the red there and
all sides the children pouring the beach
Hungry tired and dusty they Stood nearly thirty thousand
children waiting for the sea to and let them through
for they firmly believed it would
But it remained the Hour after hour they waited,
Suddenly vivien noticed that the before
''see," he cried. "the water is retreating."
All was excitement Everyone tried to see and in tho
Adene, with Others pushed
it only the ebb tide and the children
found out their mistake.
Day after day they waited miracle
The city crowded with the little Cru
who becoming discouraged and desertng
day. the week only five thousand children
remained Viven had found family who willing to
have Adelne live with them. but he staid out with the
after Ade1ine had in her home
but couple Of days. standing in the door when
yivien came running down the street toward her
on" cried eve going. Two good merchants
will Of their ships"
They to the water there shore
possible ships Boats taking aboard
children large crowd gathered around the land
Everybody tried to be first After long time Viven
succeeded obtaining boat full
Tapped the gunwale and they reached the
ship it just crowded About five thousand
aboard Of those ships BY
all ready sail hoisted and the ships to
Day after day passed with dull monotony. The sun