The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-24

| Is long" But that was Roland's horn,
the olifant." replied the King. The Duke
of Names then spoke up and said: Upon
my soul, there is a battle, Sir King. Arm
you, call your battle cry and hasten to
the rescue" The knights and barons
sprang to horse, as did also the Emperor
without further parley. But as Charles
mounted to horse he called to some of his
guards. and. pointing to Ganelon, said ::
Guard me that man we'll" He knew
| that treason was abroad.
! The cook was placed in charge of the
felon and took him to his quarters. There
he set a hundred of his fellows at him
and they belabored him with sticks and
switches and pulled out the hairs of his
head and of his beard and kept him for
the after judgment of Charles.
| The emperor, with set, stern face, rode
| toward the Pass of Roncevaux. His
| youngest knight or squire could scarcely
keep pace with him. Meanwhile, as Ro-
| land looked around at his handful of
men left alive and at the dead who cum
bered the ground he felt that instant
death would be a boom So far, by
singular miracle, he had escaped without
|
mortal WEAKNESS stealing over him.
| "Barons, my brethren" he cried, I'VE
are all dead men. May God be merciful
to our souls. 1t is my fault; l would not
sound the Olfant. l see 1t now. Oliver,
| stay by me. If 1 am not killed by the
| enemy / shall die of broken heart.
Come, comrades, let us to our work. Kill,
kill, kili'
| This is how it should be- cried the
| Archbishop. This is how a true knight
should die" Again they rushed into bat
| tie, those sixty, and this time the King
| Marsilius led the Paynim onslaught. But
Roland made for him and with one sweep
of Durendal struck off the Kings right
| hand at the wrist
| When the Saracens saw their king reel
and fall from his horse a great panic took
possession of them. But before the Chris
tons could take advantage of this state
of affairs there came upon the field $1,000
achievements for the Paynims, black
troops from Ethiopia, led by the Caliph,
an uncle of Marsilius When Roland
saw this fresh host arrive he cried out:
Strike for the honor of France; for
field and sees Is Saracens lying dead by
each of us he cannot but bless U.S." The
Caliph charging against the Christian
host, was met in full shock by Oliver,
and that doughty champion of Christen-
dom felt the Moslem lance pierce through
his body. Yet death was not instanta-
neous, and with all his expiring strength
Oliver gave such blow with his good
sword that the Caliph was cleft down to
his teeth. Then divers strength gave
way and he fell. crying out, Roland.
Roland hither to met Roland, pausing
for a minutes in his saughtering of the
heather, bent over him and embraced
him. Oliver cried his Mea Culpa loudly
and folding his hands and extending
them toward heaven, prayed God to bless
Charles and sweet France. Then his head
fell back and he was at rest. When Ro-
land saw this he could not control his
grief $50 many days, so many years
we have lived together, my friend,'' he
cried land never didst thou do me harm
nor l to thee"
When Roland had at length recovered
himself he looked around and saw that
though the Paynims had for time drawn
off, of the French only two besides him
self were left alive. One was Turpn. the
archbishop, and the other Count Gau-
tier, who had just descended from a noun
tain side where he had, with his now
dead followers, held the Paynms at bay
until all but he had been killed. The
count was faint from many wounds and
his only idea was to die beside his
friends The next moment the Paynims
were upon the three from ell sides. These
three fought now no longer for life, but
for honor. Gautier fell the first and
then the archbishop. But Turpin was
not killed and ran to Roland. saying,
AS long as brave warrior lives he
does not give I'D the fight The en-