The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-02-04

Robert of SlIllN, anIotlleI VI rope VI ptiiC
Ana Nalnlond. emperor OF Al'emaihe,
Apuareied in magnificent attire
With retinue of many Il knight and squire.
on st. Johns eve. at Nespcrs. proudly Sat
And heard the priest chant the Masnihca''
And as I've listened DER and DER AGAIN
Rcf,cated like Il burden or refrain,
He caught the words, "Deposua po'eh'cs
DE sede., ct eNaltaVit hu!niles,
And slowly lifting up his kinsiy heaH,
He 10 a learned clerk beside him said.
..What mean those words The clerk
made answer meet,
.IIe has nut down the mighty from Their
seat.
And has exalted them of low degree.
Thereat klng Robert mut,eHed scoriltu'N,
=. TITS wen that such seGitious WORDS are
sang
ONLY by priests, and in the Latin s
For unto priests and people he II Known,
There is no power can push rae from my
And leaning back he yawned an" ien
Luiled bN the chant monotonoas ; ad deep.
When ne awoke. it was already night:
the church was empty, and there was no
light.
save where the lamps, that glimmered
few and faint,
Lighted Il little space before some SAINT
lie started from his seat and ea"ea
around,
He saw no living thing and heard no
sound,
lie sroped toward the door, Wv "'
locked:
He cried aloud. and listened. and hen
knocked.
! And uttered awful threatenings ana CONF
plants,
And imnrccations upon men and saints.
' 1'f,o cn,,,,Is 1,a-rYhppI from lnG FOOL ititO
wallis
AS tf dead p,iests we're laughing in their
stalls.
A, length me sexton. hearing from with
out -
The tumult of knocking and the shoo''
And thinking thieves were IN inc mouse "
prayer.
Came with his lantern, ASKING, VIM 40
there"
ualf ehokea with rage. Kim Robert
tiercely said.
open: it's /, the king. Art thou afraid?
The freigl.tened sexton, mutterihg WIN a
his is some drunken vagabond' OF
worse.'
Turned the great key and lung the portal
wide:
A mar rushed by kim at a single stride,
Hag.ard, half naked, without hat or cloak
Who neithe. turned: nor looked at nm,
nor SpCkc.
Cut leaped into the %blackness of the night
And vanished like a specter from ms
sight.
Robert of Sicily. brother OF Pope Urbant
And Nalmond, einporel' OF Allemaine,
Dcspoiled of his magnificent attire,
Bareheaded, GREATNESS. and besprent Will
mire,
With sense of wrong and outrage des
perate,
STROBE on and Numbered at the pa'"e
Rushed through the courtyard. thrustinl
in his rage
To right and left each seneschal and page
And hurried up the broad and soundin'
stair.
His white face CHASTITY i'm the tcfc:es
glare.
From hall to hall he passed with breath
less speed;
Voices and cries he heard bu, dld NO
heed,
Until at last he reached the banquet room
Blazing with Eight and breathing with pei
funne,
There on the dias sat another king,
Wearing his robes, his crown. his signe
ring
King Roberts self in features. form an
height.
But all ~transGeu-ed with angelic light!
1t was an angel. and f.is presence there
With a divine effulsencc filled the air,
An exaltation. piercing the disguise.
{ Though none the hidden angel recosniZ
A momen sfeechicss, motion.ess. amaze
The t~lronele>+ monarch on the n
gazed,
Who met his i..uA of anger and surprise
With the divine compassion of his eyes.
> Then said. "Nlo art thou. and wi
, corn'yt thou here?"
: To which King Robert answered with
sneer,
: 81 am the king. and come to claim II
From an imposter. who usurps II
throne"
And suddenly at these audacious words,
Up sprang the angry guests. and DIRE
their swords:
The angel answered With unrufhed bro,
NAY, not the king. but the king jeste
thou
Henceforth shall wear the bells and sea
Hoped cape
And for thy counselor shalt lead an ape;
Thou shalt obey my servant when tn.
call,
And wait upon my henchmen in the hall
Deaf to King Roberts threats and cri
and prayers,
They thrust him from the hall and dow
the stairs:
A group of tittering pages ran before,
And as they opened wide the folding doc
His heart failed. for he heard. wi
strange alarms.
The boistrous laughter of the men-a
arms,
And all the vaulted chamber roar and ri
With the mock plaudits of Long live I
king"
| Next morning, waking with the days fiji
beam.
He said within himself. ut was a dream
But the straw rustled as he turned l
There was the cap and bells beside j
Around him rose the Bare. discolor
| walls.
Close by, the steeds were champing
| their stalls,
And in the corner. a revolving shape.
Shivering and chattering, sat the wretch
| ape.
1t was no dream; the world he loved
| much
Had turned to dust and ashes at his tou,
Days came and went; AMI now return
| again
| To Sicily the old Saturnian reign:
| Under the angels government benign
| The happv island danced with corn {
! wine.