The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-10-25

hin him. his appearance had peer
the signal for the magnificent Jubllate
to arise from the organ ana MUSIC
loft to be Joined with the correspond
ing burst of Allelulah! from the
whole assembled congregation. Now
all was changed. In the midst OF
rubbish and desolation seven or eight
old men, bent and broken as much
with grief and fear as by age, shrouded
hastily in the prescribed dress OF their
order. wandered like a procession or
spectres from door to the high al
tar, there to install their elected supe-
rior as a chief Of ruins. But If the
brethren had an appearance of min
gied grief, fear and shame, not SO
Father ArnbrOSius. His features wore,
it is true, an expression OF deep mel
anchOly as he walked up the aisle
amid the ruins of things sacred. But
his brow was undejected n his step
firm and solemn.
At length he stood upon the broken
steps Of the high altar. bare footed as
was the rule, and holding in his hand
the pastoral staff-the gemmed ring
and the jewe1ed mitre had become
secular spoils. No obedient Vassals
came, man after man, to offer homage
and tribute, no bishop assisted at the
solemnity. With hasty and diminish
ed rites the installment was completed
and a mass hurriedIy said, the officiat-
ing priest often looking around as II
he expected to be interrupted in his
office. And he had scarcely finished
when he was interrupted. A wild and
disord erly mob brok into the church
with blowing Of horns and belting
of drums, squirting of bagpipes and
jangling Of bells. 1t was a rout OF
maSquers led by the abbot OF In
reason" as masters Of the reve1s. 1t
was one OF those forms of bucolfc fes-
tivities which. strangely enough, Were,
previous to the Reformation, counte-
nanced, or at least not discouraged,
by the dignataries of the Church OF
England and Scotland, though church
men and church affairs were often the
subject of c~aricature Though the ma
iority Of the people of the border had
now forsaken the old religion they
still chung to the old revels, and the
foolery which the church fathers had
, treated With good nature and toler-
ance when the church was all power
| full. was now turned to their Insult
and modification.
The man who took the part Of the
Abbot Of UnreaSOn was disguised with
an immense nose and a great paunch,
and dressed in the full costume Of a
mitred abbot, At the incursion Of the
motley rabble the monks lowered like
a frightened cOVey behind their leader,
who stood firm and ~inhexible. com
handing the tumult to cease and the
rioters TO be gone. But the Abbot Of
Unreason argued the matter and the
hilarity of his followers was re-
doubled.
Magdalen Graen1e, raising her hand
and giving way to her Indignation,
shouted out: "Scoffers, men Of Belial,
blasphemous heretics and %truculent
scoffers'-"Holy dame, pilgrim or ab-
| bess-whatever thou art" interrupted
tn, Abbnt nf TIprnaSnn sIy-a will han.
no temporal nor spiritual scolds in our
diocese of unreaSon. So be mute or
beware of q ducking in the mill dam
AS he spoke he reached out his hand
toward Masdalen, and, quick as light
ming, the poniard Of Roland leaped
from it's scabbard and was buried II.
the paunch of the buffoon with such
violence that he fell to the floor. The
padding Of his paunch, however, saved
him from suffering any wound, though
the anger of his followers was arouse
TO such a pitch at this attempt upon
the life of their leader that it Is likely
there would have been blOodshel in
earnest had not armed men suddenly
appeared at the door of the church,
and a stern voice, which none VEN
tured to disobey, that of HaIbert
Glendinning, commanded quiet and
told the Abbot of Unreason (who
proved to be his own falconer) to take
LIS ~ IhC AIb6C lie IouSS1
giving him at the same time money
with which to make merry.
Catching sight Of Roland, who still
wore the livery Of Glendinning and
had been seized and disarmed by sew
eral of the followers Of the Abbot Of
Unreason, the knight asked how they
dared to hold as prisoner one wearing
his cognlzance- the holly branch
which still waved in the pages cap
The matter was explained and Sir
Halbert also heard from ROLAND the
story of his dismissal from the castle
Adam Woodcock. who was at heart =
good fellow, protested that the fault
was entirely his and that mischief
making women had exaggerated the
pages actions. The matter ended by
taking Roland into his own service
i perceive that you are hot and lack
ing III prudence" said he, but you
are also honest and chivalrous.