broad level,--while the bright silver of the distant and beautiful
river Aa glistened in the rays of the morning sun.

Alf stopped at a stone cross which stood by the road side,--and while a
deeper red suffused his blooming cheeks, and his pious eyes sparkled
with enthusiasm at the sight of the ancient episcopal seat, he took off
his hat and swung it toward the city for joy.

'God bless thee, dear native city!' he rapturously exclaimed; 'it is
long since we parted--and I now look in vain for my good old parents,
who, seven years ago, accompanied me as far as this cross. Nevertheless
thou appearest kind and friendly, and ready to offer me a hearty
welcome. Ah, nothing is dearer to man than his native home; thank God I
have again found mine, and in it that true and genuine faith in which I
hope to live, and, one day, happily die.'

He then replaced his hat and walked briskly in the direction of St.
Lambert's tower. At that moment the morning breeze brought suddenly the
sound of the many voiced bells to the youth's ear, while an immense
cloud of vapor rolled up in the well known region of St. Mauritius's
cloisters. 'Holy God! some terrible misfortune has happened!' exclaimed
Alf, redoubling his pace. At the same time he saw an immense multitude
of people running toward him from the city. The nearer they approached
the more distinctly he discerned the motly combination of the crowd
that came gushing forth on foot, on horseback and in carriages. It had
the appearance of a formal national migration. Judges and clergymen,
patricians and plebeians, the old and the infirm, women and children,
indiscriminately mingled with various kinds of property apparently
collected in the haste incidental to a sudden conflagration, packed up
and borne along with them, successively and rapidly passed the
wanderer. The men in a state of great excitement conversing eagerly
with each other, the women weeping, and the children crying, they moved
on in a seemingly endless procession.

Alf, transfixed with surprise and astonishment, and resting on his
walking staff with his heavy knapsack on his hack, stood gazing upon
the passing multitude. All had finally passed except one old burgher
who toiled singly on after the crowd, panting for breath. Alf stopped
him in the way and said, 'by your leave father, what means this general
flight? Is Munster beset by hostile armies?'

'Alas, worse than that,' answered the graybeard, wiping his eyes, 'the
an