New Orleans daily crescent., 1856-11-10
The Lady of Hole.


'i' @'-'"Ai]H
marriage of his only daughter. Extensive prepara-
rations had been made and the joyful activity Of the
dornestcs and peasants sufficiently testified to the
pleasure they experienced at the return Of their lord
All expectation satisfied, when on the morning
of the day before Christmas, the rolling Of wheels
was heard. The weather was cold, but clear the sun
waq rafected in rainbow tnts from the snowcovered
leaves Of the fir trees. Soon the report Of firearms
under the command of the boys, was heard echong
from all sides. The steward advanced at the head Of
the chief men and made a complimentary speech to
the oaron and at its conclusion, the young girls ad
vanced and presented the betrothed with a distaff.
She gracefully received it, though not without sur
prise for she could not imagine what she would do
with it, never having spun in her life The baron
had been accompanied by several guests, who set off
to e,Dore the beauties Of the park whilst Bertha re-
tired to her chamber with her mind full of melan-
choly thoughts of her infancy, when her mother had
led her to the huts Of the poor, who showered bes-
sings Of gratitude on her head. Alas for ten years
had Bertha been deprived of her presence by death,
and had been obliged 70 spend the time at boarding
school in Vienna, which she had just left to marry the
heir of a noble house in Wieben. She was thus abb.
sorbed in meditation, when the door softly opened,
and her nurse entered she had come to offer her
gratuations. Bertha believing herself alone in her
large, dark room, was at first startled at h entrance
and confessed to her nurse after the embracngs were
over that she had taken her for a ghost
That does not appear until tonight" answered
the nurse.
At these words, Bertha opened her eyes very wide,
aud asked what she meant.
what do you not know that the Lady Of Hole
visits us to-nght?'
"No indeed, what foolishness is this?'
"What fooshness! Do not talk SO, my lady,
answered the frightened nurse, for the Lady Of
Hole will punish YOU
= But who is this Lady of Hole? l am quite Gu
rious to know about her do tell me the Legend
After moments hesitation, the nurse commenced
as follows:
In the eleventh century, Oh the summit Of
mountain in Schwarza, there was a castle inhabited
bv the Baron Of Hole, much dreaded lord who
irrre a1l nrirr ba
on the highway, and invaded and laid waste the
castles of his neighbors Heaven had blessed him
with q daughter as good as he was wicked she
mourned the crimes of her father and only lived
in the hope of his repentance Meanwhile the Barons
of Thurngia tired OF the depredations Of the Baron
of Holle joined together against him, attacked him
in his castle, conquered it in spite of the most deter
mined resistance, and the baron forced to fly to
the woods. There he passed his days wandering
about, hunted like wild beast, whilst his daughter,
taking refuge in hut spun in order to support her
unhappy father After the baron died, the Lady of
Hole continued to live in the village, where she ended
her days at an advanced age, and every year. after
the midnight mass she returns to visit the huts of
the poor That is the reason the doors left open
the night before Christmas
. | now understand tie present the young girls
made me this morning Of disatf" said Bertha q it
was in memory Of the Lady Of Hole. And you say
she returns on Chsstmas Eve! p
q Yes, my lady, that is what they say; for my part
| have never seen her.
The nurse withdres in order to overlook the pre-
paraons making for the repast, and Bertha returned
to her reflections then calling her waiting maid she
spoke to her in mysterious tone \ bell soon
nounced that the guests of the Count de Reiss
invited to take their places around the hosptable
board. In the midst Of the general joy Bertha ap-
pearcd preoccupicd, her lover became alarmed and
made vain efforts to attract her attention. The Ba
roness Of Wehen had also remarked the distracted
manner of her future daughter-n-law and during
the evening she observed that Bertha held several
whispered communications with her waiting maid.
When every one had retired to repose, the Baroness
! walked hastily up and and down her chamber with
anxious face. thinking why Bertha on the eve of
sorted by something else. Was it that she did not
love her son: Had her heart preference for some
else? AT last exhausted by this worrying thought,
she approached window, and raising the heavy cur
tain Of crimson velvet which excluded the cold air.
her looks wandered over the country, Illuminated by
the brilliant rays Of the Her attention was
soon attracted by a door opening slowly two
enveloped in cloaks came out seemingly using great
precautions, and disappeared in the direction OF the
village. The Baroness withdrew from the window,
tormcnted BY the thought Of these two women one
Of them seemed about the height Of Bertha and this
occurrence was joined in her mind with the Temem-
bercnce of her future daughter-n-laws behavior Re-
solved to tAthOm the mystery, she took the pains to
eXtingush the light and remain the window un-
til the return Of the two figures who had left the door
open in order to re-enter without hose the assist
Of any one from the interior of the castle.
The watch was long one three times did the
baroness hear the village clock strike; at last the
the door and before allowing her cnmnanion to en-.
ter, looked in in order to assure herself that there
was no troublesome person to see them Then, reas-
sured by the silence which reirned around She made
sign and her companion entered in her turn but
in her haste she caught her cloak in nail. and the
hood which concealed her features falling of, dis
closed the pretty face of Bertha The baroness was
completely overcome at this sight that this Young
girl whom she had always thought to be so reserved
and timid, should leave her father's castle at mid
| night accompanied only by a waiting maid II Ber.
tha could not Justify such singular stem all connec
/ ton between their families must be ended.
The next day, at mathis, nothing appeared to dis
turb the serenity of the Young rirl, Two or three
times the baroness addressed her in such yay as to
rive an openine for an explanation: but she did not
Or would not understand and Withdrew to her cham
ber in order to the ARRANGEMENT of her toilette for the
ceremony of signing the contract.
There was a large assembly when the Young be-
trothed entered the par!or All were seated whilst
the notary read the articles. Bertha, weared bv the
sound of his monotonous voice cast her eyes around
when they were attracted by the stern expression of
the aronesss features and the unhappness depicted
in the face of the baron She became aeitatcd, low
cred her head and tried to think what she could have
done or said to disulease them BIT when the notary
had ceased these words fell like kpe on the ears
of the Young girl absolutely forbid the marriage
. of nv son With Mademoiselle de Reiss,
Tie cousin turned pale and asked what was the
mason of ;nc,,ltir,r rr,nr ~,