The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-29

Wilhelm Tell stared at him, ike one
losing his mind. His hands were clinched.
His glaring eye alternately looked to-
ward heaven, then at the tyrant. Sud-
denly he drew n second arrow from his
culver and thrust 1t into his belt
"Shoot. father, shoot am not afraid!
cried Walther.
II must" muttered Tell. He raised his
cross-bow again.
Ulrich Won Rudenz now stepped for
ward and said angrily:
MY Lord Project, you must go no fur
Their. 1 will not be silent longer. To re-
main so were treason to my fatherland.
You must cease!
How dare you speak thus to your mas
ter?' roared Gesler.
"You are not my master!' answered
Rudenz, furiously. Free am L, and If
you stood not here in the Emperor's mama
would cast my glove into your face!
Nay, becl1on not your men-at-arms!
stand not here defenseless, like these poor
folk. l have a sword, and VINO approaches
/, me"
1.-THE apple! The apple! The apple has
fallenl" shouted the crowd.
1.-The boy 1ives! screamed the women.
"What, did he shoot? The madman!"
exclaimed Gesler.
Wilhelm Tell still stood with his eyes
fixed straight ahead, as If he were star
ing after his arrow. Slowly the cross-bow
slipped out of his hands. and then he
toppled and fell unconscious.
MEN will tell this tale or the master
shot of Wilhelm Tell into the farthest
ages" said Rudolph der Harras, handing
the apple to the project.
"Clean through the center" said, the
latter, admiringly. "A master shot, in
deed!"
1.-THE shot was good" sounded the deep
voice of Pastor Rosselmann. but woe,
woe to him who drove the marksman thus
to challenge his Godr'
"Tell'' said Gesler. "Step hitherl''
Tell, helped to his feet by his friends,
stumbled toward the project
what is your will, my lord?" asked he,
gloomily.
''Tel," said Gesler smiling darkly, 81
] saw you thrust a second arrow into your
| belt What did that mean?
Tell remained silent.
Speak the truth without fear" con-
tinued Geser. Il insist on a reply; but,
whatever it may be, 1 pledge you your
/ life"
well, then, my lord" said Tell, draw
ink himself up, since you guarantee my
/ life, I will tell YOU" He drew the arrow
from his belt and bent a terrible glance
at the project. with this second arrow,
my lord-with this second arrow 1 would
have shot you, my lord. had l struck my
f., beloved son. And 1 would not have missed
you'll"
Gesler shrank back.
/ Hal Is 1t so then? Your life have
pledged you. 1 will keep my word. But
| to be safe against your arrows henceforth
will send you where neither sun nor
moon shall ever shine on you again. Seize
and bind him! Take him to my bargel
This very night he shall go to Kuss-
| nachti
You dare not. sirr' cried the pastor.
THAT is against our treaties with the
Emperor
"Silenee!' said Gesler. REBELS, rebels
you are rebels all This man l take
| from among your band. You are all guilty
| with him. Who is wise will learn to be-
! come mutei"
| Unarmed as they were, the people
pressed forward, overcome with rage.
| But the pilsemen drew close about Geser
and his victim and drove the crowds
back.
But when the barge pushed away from
the shore with Tell lying bound in the
F, stern, eyes full of hatred and invincible
determination followed 1t from every
crag along the lake.
| That night the men of Uri and INTER
walden gathered in the castle of the
| Freiber Won Attinghausen. He had sent
| for them to see him die His breaking
| eyes famed when they told him that thet
were going to rise and cast off the fet-
| tiers of the Austrian. And when Stauf-
facher and Fuerst added that his nephew
had defied Gesler, and was even then on
! his way to the castle to pledge himself
, to their cause, the old knight raised his
| grand white head and said, as one who
sees visions:
Now shall my dust rest in a free landl
I see the kings and princes and mobiles
Ysi6 ntxaarf 1.,s.-
battle with a despised race or shepherds.
I see You hold the passes and the deflles
through many glorious day of blood and
of death! I see the free peasant gather
in his breast the sheaf of foemen's 1ancesl
l see you break their ranks, the crown
topples, and the banner of freedom waves
from every mountain of Switzerland
He fell back, drew a deep breath, and
, died.
Rudenz stepped into the hall at that
moment Throwing himself down at the
dead mans side and holding his hand, he
cried
Here I pledge myself to Switzerland
I have torn off all foreign bonds. A
Swiss am I, and a Swiss I will remain
Oh, fellow countrymenl Forgive me for
my passing error! Receive my oath and
accept me as your brotheri''
I'VE will!' answered they, standing
around the dead banner knight in solemn
circle.
They held a council hastily and de-
cided to wait no longer, but to send forth
the word that the attack on the burgs
should be made at once, since Ulrieh Won
Rudelizs name would bring them assist
ance from all the other great families Of
Switzerland
While they were debating, a vast storm
broke over the canton. The very noun
tains seemed to shake to their eternal
bases as thunderclap answered thunder
Through the passes swept such wind
that men could not face II, but had to lie
PROSTATE, holding to tree roots and rocks
till the mighty breath of the tempest di.
minished for a moment. The incessant
flashes of lightning revealed lake that
tossed and whirled as if 1t were stirred
to its profoundest and most mysterious
depths Waves rose from abysses and
spouted high toward the black sky
Around each~roclS, under every mountain
foot the water milled itself into white
froth, laundering with voice that grew
in mighty strength each minute till 1t
outspoke the thunder and It's reverberat-
ing echoes among the crags.
In that wild night, on that wild lake a
barge tossed helplessly, its steersman APP
palled and despairing, its rowers sur
rendering themselves to terror. 1t was the
craft of the Project Gesler. He himself
sat frightened amidships with Rudolph
der Harras. Both men had abandoned
hope, for every moment the water that
poured over the sides weighed the vessel
deeper and none could keep her head to
escape the breaking waves.
In that emergency one of the sailors
suggested that the only man who might
ha nd1e the vesse1 was Tell Ges1er or