It flooded the crimson twilight, It quieted pain and sorrow, It linked all perplexed meanings I have sought, but I seek it vainly, That came from the soul of the Organ, It may be that Death's bright angel Doing nothing for others is the undoing of one's self. We must be purposely kind and generous, or we miss the best part of existence. We do ourselves the most good doing something for others. -HORACE MANN. THE DUKE'S PLOT. JOHN LOTHROP MOTLEY. (From "The Rise of the Dutch Republic.") The duke dined, as usual, at noon. While he was at dinner he received a letter, was observed to turn pale on reading it, and to conceal it hastily in a muff which he wore on his left arm. The repast finished, he ordered his horse, and, placing himself at the head of his body-guard and some troopers, numbering in all three hundred mounted men, rode out of the palace-yard toward the Kipdorp Gate towards Burgerhout, where his troops were stationed. As soon as Anjou had crossed the first drawbridge he rose in his stirrups and waved his hand. "There is your city, my lads," said he to the troopers behind him; “go and take possession of it!" At the same time he set spurs to his horse and galloped off toward the camp at Burgerhout. Instantly afterwards, a gentleman of his suite, Count Rochepot, affected to have broken his leg through the plunging of his horse, a circumstance by which he had been violently pressed against the wall as he entered the gate. Kaiser, the commanding officer at the guard-house, stepped kindly forward to render him assistance, and his reward was a desperate thrust from the Frenchman's rapier. As he wore a steel cuirass, he fortunately escaped with a slight wound. The expression, "broken leg," was the watchword, for at one and the same instant the troopers and guardsmen of Anjou set upon the burgher watch at the gate and butchered every man. A sufficient force was left to protect the entrance thus easily mastered, while the rest of the Frenchmen entered the town at full gallop, shrieking "The city is taken! The city is taken! Long live the Duke of Anjou!" They were followed by their comrades from the camp outside, who now poured into the town at the preconcerted signal, at least six hundred cavalry and three thousand musketeers, all perfectly appointed, entering Antwerp at once. From the Kipdorp Gate two main arteries-the streets called the Kipdorp and the Meer-led quite through the heart of the city, toward the Town-house and the river beyond. Along these thoroughfares the French soldiers advanced at a rapid pace, the cavalry clattering furiously in the van shouting "The city is taken! The city is taken! Kill, kill, kill!" The burghers, coming to door and window to look for the cause of all this disturbance, were saluted with volleys of musketry. They were for a moment astonished, but not appalled, for at first they believed it to be merely an accidental tumult. Observing, however, that the soldiers, meeting with little effective resistance, were dispersing into dwellings and warehouses, particularly into the shops of the goldsmiths and lapidaries, the citizens remembered the dark suspicions which had been so rife, and many recalled to mind that distinguished French officers had during the last few days been carefully examining the treasures of the jewelers, under the pretext of purchasing, but, as it now appeared, with the intent to rob intelligently. The burghers, taking this rapid view of their position, flew instantly to arms. Chains and barricades were stretched across the streets; the trumpets sounded through the city; the municipal guards swarmed to the rescue. An effective rally was made, as usual, at the Bourse, whither a large detachment of the invaders had forced their way. Inhabitants of all classes and conditions, noble and simple, Catholic and Protestant, gave each other the hand, and swore to die at each others' sides in defense of the city against the treacherous strangers. The gathering was rapid and enthusiastic. Gentlemen came with lance and cuirass, burghers with musket and bandoleer, artisans with ax, mallet, and other implements of their trade. A bold baker standing by his oven-stark naked, according to the custom of the bakers of that day-rushed to the street as the sound of tumult reached his ear. With his heavy bread-shovel, which he still held in his hand, he dealt a French cavalry officer, just riding and screaming by, such a hearty blow that he fell dead from his horse. The baker seized the officer's sword, sprang upon his steed, and careered furiously through the streets, encouraging his countrymen everywhere to the attack, and dealing dismay through the ranks of the enemy. His services in that eventful hour were so signal that he was publicly thanked afterwards by the magistrates and rewarded with a pension of three hundred florins for life. The invaders had been forced from the Bourse, while another portion of them had penetrated as far as the market-place. The resistance which they encountered became every instant more formidable, and Fervacques, a leading French officer, who was captured on the occasion, acknowledged that no regular troops could have fought more bravely than did those stalwart burghers. Women and children mounted to roof and window, whence they hurled, not only tiles and chimney-pots, but tables, ponderous chairs, and other bulky articles upon the heads of the assailants, while such citizens as had used all their bullets loaded their pieces with silver buttons from their doublets, or twisted gold and silver coins with their teeth into ammunition. With a population so resolute, the four thousand invaders, however audacious, soon found themselves swallowed up. The city had closed over them like water, and within an hour nearly a third of their whole number had been slain. Hardly an hour had elapsed from the time when the Duke of Anjou first rode out of the Kipdorp Gate before nearly the whole of the force which he had sent to accomplish his base design was either dead or captive. bourse, exchange house. ban' do leer', broad leather cartridge belt, or belt to support musket. cuirass (kwe rȧs'), breastplate. flo rin, silver coin worth from 36 to 48 cents. pre' con cert' ed, previously arranged. lap'i da ry, worker or dealer in precious pro' tes ta' tion, solemn declaration. suite (swēt), company of attendants. CHADD. CHARLES EGBERT CRADDOCK. (From "In the Tennessee Mountains.") The others gathered about the great, massive fellow, who was violently gesticulating and incoherently asserting his offended dignity. Chadd strolled away toward the gloomy woods, his hands |