Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-08-13
M | s & + l. l. A N Y.
A ROMANTIC STORY.

on the peaks of the Thuringian Mountains, in
Germany, Bayard Taylor relates the following
story of matrimonial adventures
In wandering through the tumblng halls.
that rare story of love and lbcrality. of which
they were once the scene, was constantly before
my mind. Most Of my readers have doubtless
heard it-heard and disbelicvod. yet it is his
torically true and here on the Wandersleben
Gleichen, its beautiful conclusion transprel.-
Let me tell it, as il actually took place.
Among the princes who followed Louis IX.
Of France on his disastrous crusade in the Oi-
cnt, was Lulwig, Landgravc of Thuringia, at
the head of small but Jealous band of noble
men and their retancrs Prominent in his
company was Otto, Count of Gleichen, who
left young and lovely wife to say prayers for
him during his absence. Whether he locked
her up in one of those guarded chambers,
wherewith the knights of that day imprisoned
their "Palcstinc widows is not recorded. Let
US hope not. Ludwig died somewhere on the
shores of the Adratic, but few of his follow
ers, among whom was the Count of Glcichen,
pushed on, joined st. Louis, and in the course
OF time crossed lances with the Saraccns at Ro-
setta
The Count was o passionate hunter. and it
happened one day that, as he was chasing ga
zelles, attended only by his faithful servant,
Kurt, he was suddenly surrounded By band
Of Saracens and made prisoner. The two were
carried off to Cairo whore the Count was thrown
into a dungeon. while Kurt was employed us a
slave i'll the Governors gardens. The latter,
who seems to have been a keen-witted knaye,
soon acquired the Arabic language. and so in
gratiatcd himself into the favor of the head
gardener that he persuaded him to apply for
the services of the Count, whose skill in gar
dening he extolcd greatly. Being thus freed
from his dungeon, Count Otto found his cap
tivity much more endurable and with Hurts
assistance, managed to keep up his reputation
as gardener, though he probably knew moth
ing more about it than to distinguish between
roses and cabbages. Thus years passed away,
and the chances Of their release from this bond
age seemed more hopeless than ever, when a
wonderful providence at last opened a way for
them.
by this time, the governors daughter had
reached the age of womanhood. Fond of flow
ers, as all the Orientals are, she was naturally
interested in the curioSities of gardening (yerv
emlrkablc they were, no doubt y produced by
the combined art of the Count and Kurt Fl
nally, she became interested, also, in the gar
dener. To make a long story short, she pitied
FIRST then loved him. while he in return, loved
her for her pity. She proposed that he should
become a Mussulman; but this he stcadhstlv
refused. After all other plans seemed vain.
she finally proved the sincerity of her love by
protesting her willingness to escape with him
and become Christian. The Count Ian hon
orabe man, be it Acknowledged then explained
that he was already married But this was no
impediment in the eyes of the fair Melek-e'-
Saeh; and, at length, overcome by his desire
for freedom he accepted her proposal. The
three escaped by night into the house of a Jew
lsh physician, in the cellar of which they lay
concealed for two or three months. When the
terrible commotion consequent on their flight
had subsided, they were each packed into the
middle of bale of dry herbs, and sent as
freight to Alexandria. What will not love en-
dure? Embalmed for a week in catnip and
wormwood, it comes out breathing as deeply of
roses as before
The Jewish physician and the Venitian mer-
chants at Alexandria were rewarded with some
of Melek-e' Saleh's diamonds, and proved faith
ful. The bales were Immediately shipped for
Venice, and the odoriterous captiyes liberated
at sea. Fortune favored them, and the voyage
to Venice was accomplished without accident.
But what of the Countess Gertrudis? She,
with faith and patience uncqualled since, save
by Lady Franklin, waited for the return of her
lost lord. When the few survivors of the CRU
sade made their way back, bringing no tidings
of him, she nevertheless was not discouraged.
When the messenger whom she had sent to the
Mediterranean returned with rumor of the
Counts death, she asked: "Did you see his
dead body?" "No.' did you see any one
who had seen t?" mo" "Then go back
again !" Finally, the messenger hired perma-
nent lodgings in Venice, not daring to return
until something positive should turn up. lie
waited several years i'll vain. But one fine
morning his persistence was rewarded the
Count, with Kurt and the sodans daughter,
walked up the steps Of the quay.
Good Catholic as he was, the Count proceed
ed first to Rome, in order that Meek e. Saleh
might be received into the Christian Church
The wonderful story created great sensation
in the holy city, where the Pope tone of the
Gregorys) baptized the fair Saracen under the
name of Angelica. The Count then applied
for special diSpensaton to marry her, on ac-
count of the sacrifices she had made for his
sake. The matter was considered so impor-
tant. that n council of cardinals was called to-
gether; but the stony-hearted celibates, whose
yontricos pumped sand instead of blood re-
fused the prayer. Iheroupon, Angelica threw
herself at the popes feet. and so warmed them
with her tears and the sunshine of her beauty,
that one drop of thawed blood finally crept up
to his heart, and he declared that the Count OF
Gleichen, alone, of all Catholic Christians, then,
and forever afterwards to be born, should be
allowed two wives. The espousas were cele-