Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1837-07-18
gzI.scr1D rAL1,
THE BRIDAL or GERTRI DE.

point ut Which The Ncckct tails INTO ihe mHruIi d.
cent Rhine, between tho email srd leauiif.l TOW n
Of Neckcrsicn1ch and The famous city IL Hebron.
deep aud narrow gorge, lined with WOOD, IND
hauked, co either hand. by rocks, carries dawn .
sparkling stream into the wiJcf channel uf The
Necket. Following tie course of that rivulct up
towards the mountains uf The Odopa aid, In which
ii lakes it's risc, hcs smsH vllsgs domineered By
ono ~ the fowning castles Of opc Of he lcudsl
lords nf Germany. That castle nsw stands gray
ruin, raising it's proud bat .hatioso6 heed in the
mslcsty Of desoiatirn twined with immcmnriable
ivy. and with its aged brew crowned by The fan.
tsstic hand Of nature, with rich garlands of Wild
flowers Thus have ! seen II myscf catching the
shadows Of the clouds as they nuled across the
ky, whilst the humber village, that has grown 40
at It's feet. lay smiling ir the calm sunshine. Bu,
IN the days that speak Of though The lords Of bn I
castle dwelt amidst the storms of ambitious life,
yet the light aud sunshine Of prosperity was upon
those castle walls, and spendor aud pagesn,ry, the
song, the reve aud the feast rioted, day uner day
within the stately halls. How the means were Oh
taned by which that proiuse expenditure was kept
up, how often the grooming peasant forced la
yield his hard earned produce to supply his lords
extravaganza, how often the wandering merchant
was despoed Of the fruits Of his industry, 10 fur
nish resources to the idle and the turbulent how
ces from which that luxury was derived. may easily
be OWNED by all those sho know the history of
those times, and of that country. For the present
our story leads US to the humber dwellings which
lay below.
1t was a pretty village. and peaceful spot FOR
the inhabitants paid highly for the protection
they had of their lords above, and III general
obtained II in due measure, SO that the evil days
they knew were few. Each cottage stood by IT,
self, surrounded Ly the host. Of maple trees, which
still distinguishes that part of the world each had
its little garden of herbs and fruit each had tie
little portion of allotted woodlond and when the
lords Of Erach looked out from their strong hold
the world of forest that lay extended at their
feet, they could distinguish their own immediate
vlllages by tie glow Of apple blossoms, or the
snowy flowers of the cherry, chequcrng the dark
er foliage of the beech and oak. Little variety
existed among the houses some we're larger und
some were smaller but all were built very nearly
on the same plan, and the only two which distn.
gushcd themselves at all from the rest, were those
the pastor Of the place, and Of the forester of
Count Erlach. The latter was a wealthy man,
the affairs Of the village went. lle had been
great favorite with his lord, who Of the
mobiles Of those days (; and under him, Muller, the
forester had accumulated no inc nsiderabe wealth
On the death Of the old lord, some apnrehensions
had been entertained by the worthy peasant, re-
gardng the duration OF his favor with the young
Count, who hnd been absent many years from his
paternal home grazing the Imperial Court TO which
the emperor was, at that time, making every effort
to draw the young nobility of distant principaliiies
lie was reported to be gay and gallant youth
somewhat too much addicted to the pleasures of
the court, familiar with the camp, the battle
field, the bail room and The capital, than with the
sports Of rural life, and the usual evocations OF
feudal noble and old Karl Muller shook his head
when the news came that the old Count had died
IN Vienna, whittier he had gone TO see his son.
The villagers found difficulty in trnnslating
that prophetic shake Of the head, easily divnng
that the worthy forester believed new days aud less
pleasant ones were about to fall upon them. No
immediate change, however, was percepible the
forester continued in all his privileges aud
charges all the old seryents of rhe castle
tanned and provided for every month, courers
from Vienna brought The orders of the young Count
displaying great care and exaclltude IN nulntain-
ing every thing in the state wherein his father had
KEEP, Il up The feudal retainers necessary for the
protection Of the peasanlTy were always held IN
due state OF preparation ind discipline and so
prompt ard well judged were all the arrangements
Of the yourg lord, that il became prOyerb among
the people Of the Odenwsld that Count Wilhelm
had a long arm, Tor IT reached from, Vienna. The
pehsnnry. however, and the old relsnefs. tie good
seneschal Of the castle, tie lieutenant commanding
the soldiers, the forester himself and even the fool
whose jesis OF nonsense had gigen amusement TO
the long dinners Of the cd Count, began 10 grum-
bic as year after year passed by, and their Young
lord never u.ado hls appearance Smong them.
Our lAle hOseyer, refers more immediately to
the forester and hs family, AEich consisted Of three
persons besides himself. His wife had been dead
tor years, aud lac had never taken uuto himself an
other hepmate. alleging as reasun-lhongh per
Lsps II vas not the true ODe-ihsi, having uObe
blood ia has veins, bong pour relation Of The
Count himself, he could Deter hope to find another
wife of cqusl dignity with be lasl good dame, who
Ny some very citcuiious process, was hnked. by
long chain, 10 the Laudschadeas oi Neckersieinhch.
She had leil him, however, enoogh pledges Of Their
love TO prevent their home from looking desolate
tAo liprdy lads. who soon grew Up into stout and
po~ rful aen and one islf grl, who, ifou' pref
iy child rsse, day BY day inlo lrcsh beauties, I'll
sho ended IN becoming The envy Of all The womeS's
hearts, and the admiration Vi ell the men through
out the country round
The eldest son nss called Kari afler his father
the seeoud vas named Wilhelm after the Yoong