Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-05-02

way rom 1Ie OHl NdH al Slet'lblP. Ill
 it rode many knights fully armed. be.
 fore whom were borne their banners
 These went first, Then came old Sir
 Andrew D'Arcy, also fully armed at
 tended by sau'es and retainers He
 was accompanied by his lov.lv daugh-
 ter. the Lady Rosantlnd. Next ap-
 peared the brethren. notlestly arrayed
 as simple gentlemen. followed each of
 them by his squire, After them rode
 yet more knights. SQuies. tenants of
 various degree and servants
 Folowins: the road through the vii
 at the grnlt arch which marked the
 boundary of tlle monks lands and
 heas!ed for Stang ste abbey, some two
 miles away. At length they came to
 the stone gate of the abbey that gave
 the place its name of Stanglte Here
 they were met by a company of the
 Cluniac monks. who dwelt in this wild
 aEd la.selv spot Upon the waters edge.
 headei Ky their Fa':cT John FitZ Brien.
 He v;.s 2 vcnera5r white haired man,
 clad in wide Sleev"N black robes and
 ore eeGe,. !ly 2 priest carrying q silver
 cross. N3N tho procession separated.
 God s,..n and Wuf. with certain of the
 Knights a',l the e.';.2s::.its. being led
 to i.e i1::.u:N, H!!.....t ,t.> ..ssil body of t
 entered tl> q i.us. T 9r stood about out
 s.de 1s, .
 Arrive <, tii.s. :. s..,,,.. {. two knights
 elect were :..i.e:i ;a o :'o1ls ".!..erc the:.
 bair w;t* et ss:=s. ',..; ;. ehiH> Were
 shaved by h;.r'a" "!.o a";litcl t!.cus
 Theii, ul.utr ,=.e s...... .4ct.1f two old
 knI,s..;s l.ss:.st... S r .ll....lsly ,.e Msnde.
 vile and ST 'se:s zee a::,::1si. ttley Were
 conducted to i:,tl.~ s:se3asssa .esi witl
 rich cloths. Into tt.t'.-r, h,t ing l7ccn uia=
 dressed by tie >'+t,,t.'a. t..ey entered
 and batheG theiA>t.T@S. Waiie Sir NJ
 thony and Sir It9ger spoke to tlci41
 through tie cloths of the i.sh duties of
 their yoca ton, ending bY pouring Wal
 ter over them and signks their bare
 bodies with the sign of tie cross. Next
 they were dressed again and, preceded
 by minstrels. led to the church, at the porch of which they and their esqures were given wine to drink.
 Here, in the presence of all the con- pany, they were clothed first in white tunics, to signify the whiteness of their hearts; next in red robes, synbolical of the blood they might be called upon to shed for Christ, and lastly in long black cloaks. emblems of the death that must be endured by all. This done their ar nor was brought in and piled before them upon the steps of the altar, and l the congregation departed homeward, leaving them With their esquircs and tAe priest to spend the long winter night "in prisons and prayers
 Long indeed it was in that lonesome, 1 holy place, lit only by a lamp which swung before the altar. Wulf prayet. i and prayed until he could pray no more, then fell into a half dreamful state that was haunted by the face of |Rosamund, where even her face should have been forgotten. Godwin his el- bow resting against the tomb that hid his fathers heart. prayed also until |eyen his earnestness was outworn. and he began to wonder about many things. What might be the true duty of man: he thought. To be brave and upright: Surely To fight for the cross of Christ |against the Saracen? Surely. if the |chance came his way What more? |To abandon the world and spend his life muttering prayers like those priests in the darkness behind him: |Could that be needful or of service to |God or man? It would mean, for in |stance, that he must think no more of |Rosamund Could he do this for the |sake of the welfare of his soul ill some future state?
 Why, at the thought of it even in |that solemn place and hour of dedlca- |tion his spirit reeied, for then and there for the first time it was borne in upon him that he loved this woman more than all the world besiae-1nore than his life, more, perhaps. than his soul. He loved her with all his pure young heart-so much that it would be joy 10 him to die for her. not only in the heat of battle, as lately had almost |chanced on the Death creek quay, but in cold blood, of set purpose. if there came need He loved her with body and with spirit, and, after God. to her he consecrated his body and his spirit. But what value would she put upon the l gift? What if some other man By his side, his elbows resting on the altar rails, his eyes fixed upon the beaming armor that he would wear in battle, knelt Wulf his brother-a mighty man. knight of knights, fear less, noble. open hearted; such one as any woman plight well love. And
 he also loved Kosalnund. Of this God Win was sure And oh, did not Rosa mund love Wulf: Bitter jealousy Seiz- ed upon his vitas.
 Should he abandon hope: Should he
 fly the battle for fear that he might he
 defeated? Nay. he would fight on ill
 all honesty and honor, and if he were
 overcome would meet his fate as