Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1907-06-06
A CHURCH LEGEND

- ~ AIS Noh6hSCa oGlAGu0G d4uOuuNGN
Hendric Staufman.
Hendric was goodly fellow, little
wild perhaps-but, then. he was the
captain of the city guard, and much
might be excused In soldier who
ventured blood and life as freely a.
though he had ample store Of both.
The little fat mayor guessed the er-
rand upon which the youth had come
and was not sorry to have an oppor-
tunity to deliver his mind upon the
matter
Your daughter, worthy mayor" said
the soldier briskly-"I love her aud
would ask your consent to WOO her"
Now, although Peter Smith had not
the slightest intention in the world Of
favoring the suit Of the young man.
yet so versed had he become In the
arts Of diplomacy since his service as
mayor that he did not openly tell the
sutton that his suit was hopeless, but
he returned an evasive answer.
II have no objection against you, my
gallant captain" the mayor said, ca
ressing his fat chin and smiling upon
the soldier as IL he fully intended to
say yes at once and have done with 1t,
''but affairs of state require me to
hesitate before deciding such a
weighty matter. You know that our
cathedral is unfinished, to the great
scandal Of our town"
what has that to do with your
daughterY exclaimed the soldier in
establishment Surely you do not ex-
pect that she can aid In finishing itv'
The soldiers words gave rise to a
bright idea in the mind Of the mayor. 4
"Exactlyv' he cried. MY daughters
husband must finish the cathedral"
"By my faith, then, she is apt to 60
husbandless for awhilev' the soldier
cried bluntly as he withdrew.
The mayor chuckled with delight up-
Oh getting rid of his visitor SO easily
and Immediately resumed his study OF
the surrounding country, planning how
he might best attack the insolent
neighbors who had dared to scoff at the
unfinished church.
The soldier quilted the mayors man
sion In disgust, and as he walked down
the street, brooding modify over the
utterly impossible conditions that old
Peter had imposed, he became con-
scious that there was a stranger Gid
Ing by his side.
Young Hendric glared at the stran-
ger In wrath. He felt In the humor
for quarrel, and here was a chance.
The man was tall and thin, with q
nose curved like an eagles beak, deep
sunken eyes glowing like balls Of fire,
a long, dropping mustache and sheer
Ing smile. and he was wrapped from
head to foot in long black cloak,
Upon his head he wore little hooded
cap, and a single slender red feather
curved In the air like a tongue Of fire.
Hendric was hot with rage when he
glanced at the stranger, and then all of
a sudden he became as cold as ice
"Our fat little mayor made strange
conditions" quoth the stranger, his
voice as metallic as the ring Of steel
upon steel
Hendric could only stare, not speak
You see, know all about it, the
stranger continued, with a confident
nod, land take quite an interest In
your case. 1t is a shame that two
young hearts should be kept from each
other, and IL you say the word I'm the
man who will give you the maiden"
Hendric shivered, and as he glanced
around to see If any one was near his
gaze fell upon the unfinished cathedral.
The two had halted right In front of
the Ill fated church.
There you arev' cried the stranger
as he looked at the vast pile with the
air Of man who considered himself a
Judge about such things. 1.-The 6nish-
ing OF that Is but q mere trife. I'll
help you myself. 1t is little out Of
my line to build churches, but opposi-
ton IL the life Of trade. I'll aid you
cheap. Just sign me this contract
The purport of it IL that the first who
shall enter by the open door when the
cathedral Is finished shall belong to
me. skin and hair, body and soul" &
Az It is generally very easy In this
world to give away what does not be-
long to us. Hendric gladly signed the
contract, and then the dark stranger
agreed to deposit certain sum amply
sufficient to finish the cathedral In q
lonely spot upon the grounds belong
ing to Hendricks dead father, accompa-
MED by will purporting to be signed
by the old man bequeathing the money
to his son. This was 50 arranged that
none might have suspicion as to who
furnished the money.
All went well. Hendric found the
money, devoted it to building the ca
thedral and married the girl. But be-
fore the cathedral was finished Hen
dric had confided to his wife the bar
gain he had made with Satan, and she,
womanlike, set her wits to work to
cheat the fiend.
The contract stated that the first tn
enter should fall Satan's prize. but did
not stipulate whether that first should
be human or beast.
And 80 the opening day came and
vast crowd assembled. Two men
placed large box close to the cathe-
dral door. the portal was opened, the
box was shattered and a huge wolf
ran into the church at headlong speed
The dend In waiting grfpped the