the church, the assistant again mounted the
pulpit, and desired them to remain for a while, and hear what he had
to communicate, in the name of the archbishop, Sir Clement Augustus of
Bavaria.

"His eminence, the most honorable archbishop, sends his dear and
faithful children the holy blessing and salutation of the Church. These
are his words: 'We, Clement Augustus, archbishop of Bavaria, entreat and
command our children in Christ to be faithful to their new government
and their new king, Louis XV. of France, whose apostolic majesty has
taken the sword of the Lord into his blessed hand, to fight the enemies
of the Church, and to chastise and punish the rebellious heretic prince
who has arbitrarily named himself King of Prussia. God's anger is
against him, and He will crush and destroy the presumptuous mockers of
the Lord. Woe unto them who will not listen to God's voice, who in their
mad blindness cling to this heretic! Woe unto you if, in the delusion of
your hearts, you still offer him love and faith! You are released
from all duty to him as subjects, and you now have the blessing of the
Church. I, as your shepherd, made so by the holy Pope of Rome, command
you, therefore, to be faithful to your new master--pray that God may
bless his arms, and grant him victory over his ungodly enemy. My
anger and dire punishment shall reach any one who refuses to obey
this command. He who dares to stand by the heretic king, is himself a
heretic, and a rebellious subject of the Church. Be on your guard; heavy
punishment shall meet those who dare to rejoice over the fame of the
so-called great Frederick. Such rejoicing will be regarded as blasphemy
against the holy Mother Church. To conclude, we remain your loving
father, and send our dear children in Christ our most gracious love and
greeting.'"

The men listened to the message of the fanatic archbishop with gloomy
faces and downcast eyes; but the twelve boys, who at first stood alone
in the aisle, not daring to seat themselves with the others, now gazed
boldly and triumphantly around, seeming to ask if the villagers did not
now acknowledge that they had acted wisely in returning.

With renewed courage, and somewhat proudly, they were the first to leave
the church, and placed themselves in two rows at the door. While
the congregation was passing by they invited their dear friends and
relations to meet them that afternoon under the great linden, where they
would hold a little festi