ry troops in front of the town
hall, what an eager and even restless desire was manifest among them to
be led against the enemy. He betook himself to the cathedral, where
the church-superintendent, Dr. Paul Glaser himself, was conducting the
daily service, and heard this aged servant of the Lord encourage his
great audience to a brave resistance against the foe, and patient
endurance of such trouble as the siege might bring. 'Call to mind, my
brethren,' the good man was saying, 'what was done by the children of
Israel when the wicked King Antiochus and his soldiers troubled them,
and each one had to take refuge in the caverns and rocky clefts of the
mountains. My hearers, Antiochus and his fierce soldiery did not
torture the Jews of old one whit more unmercifully than these Swedes
have tortured our Saxon brothers and sisters. And it is vain for you
to think that you, at least, will escape torture and death by resigning
yourselves into their hands; for their hearts are like the nether
mill-stone, and they find an evil pleasure in hearkening to the groans
of those who perish under their torments. Therefore defend yourselves,
as did the Jews in the days of the Maccabees! And let not strong men
alone bear their share in the work, but do you aged men, you women and
children, aid with all your feeble might. Think of the brave women of
the ancient days! And while you think of them, do not forget that in
our very midst there dwells to-day a brave woman who has had to defend
hearth and home against a murderous foe; not less truly a woman because
this hard task was assigned to her, or because she was found, in the
hour of need, capable of discharging it. While we pray to God that
such terrible work may never fall to our lot, we cannot but honour this
our brave, and now, alas! our bereaved sister.'

As it happened, the miller's wife from Erbisdorf was herself present
among the worshippers, without the clergyman's knowledge. As the
glances of those around turned naturally towards her where she sat, she
endured their friendly scrutiny with blushing cheeks and downcast eyes.

The preacher's words had produced a deep effect in the mind of the
worthy Burgomaster. 'If a Christian minister,' said he to himself,
'sees it his duty on this special occasion to encourage the weak, that
they may make a valorous deface, surely I, who rule over strong men,
should be the last to think of surrendering into an enemy's hands the
city ent