The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-03-30

In one Of the most romantic districts in
Germany stood such quaint old castle,
very much dilapidated, very much over
grown with hchens and ivy, and very
much dreaded by those who lived In the
immediate neighborhOod. IL stood 10 .
deep valley, and was surrounded by an
almost impenetrable forest. IL was dilfl-
cult for . stranger TO llnd out the ap-
prOaches that led to Il, for, on viewing il
from the rising ground on the opposite
side, Il appeared to be 90 completely
hemmed 10 BY closely planted timber, as
to lead to the belief that there was bat
one way to gain access to II, which vas
BY threading the intricate lAbyTinIhs Of
the forest. There was, however, better
and more direct approach, which, new.
ertheless, was known to very few Of those
who had ever lived all their lives within
. mile CT tw0 Of the place-thosC who
knew there existed such an approach,
knew no more, for they had never VEN
tured along the path even in the broad
daylight The proprietor Of this curious
domain, more than . century before the
time referred t >, had caused about twelve
ieet's breadth Of timber to be felled from
the top Of the valley to the castle, and
thus road vas formed, very rude Il is
true, but Of sufficient breadth to admit Of
. carrisge being driven from the opening
in the forest direct to the gate of the castle.
This road, by . gradual descent and an
occasional winding, Was the only aP-
proach to this remarkable edifice. The
building was not very conspicuous at q
distance, and viewing Il from the most
favorable situation, Il might easily escape
the spectator, wl.O would most likely be
absorbed In contemplating the extrAOrdi-
nary forest, which spreads itself right and
lett to such distance before him. A
closer inspection, however, would enable
him to descry the gray, moulding turrets
Of the castle just, as il we're, peeping out
from amongst the tops OF the treeR
At the bottom Of the valley stream Of
water Of considerable breadth and depth
pursues itS course, till at length it falls
into . much larger stream some few miles
below. -----
The castle itself occupies Q large space
Of ground, but Il Is difilcult to DIX the pre-
else period Of its erection. Ths founder,
IL tFaditiOa may be depended upon, had
endured some bitter disappointment In
youth, and becoming disgusted with life
and mankind, he determined TO shut him
self up altogether from society. lie Sc
lected this spot 6oF his hsbitatiOn, fclled
considerable portion Of the timber, and
built the present edi6ce upon its site. AS
he neither visited nor eOurted visitors, he
was hot a. XiOus 70 make hiS abode very
accessible; h.nce It was not till long after
his time that the road to which / have re-
lerred was made.
There were great many stories in cir
eulaiiOn with regard to this old castle,
and, like = great many other old castles,
especially in Germany, fear It had not
too good reputation. This much, how
ever, IL certain Il had not been occupied
for great number Of years, was the ter
rUr Of tho neighborhoOd, and there were
none bold enough TO venture near It either
by night or day. 1t was asserted that it
was haunted, that spectral beings had been
seen fitting about the woods at night,
and that strange noises had been heard in
the neighbOrh0od.
At the distance Of about two miles from
the castle stands . small village, which,
for the sake Of convenience, (aS | do not
wish the locality to bo known l shall call
1t LandsdorG 1t was the custom Of the
gOssips Of the place, when they met to-
gether at their own houses, or ct the only
Gasthaus in the place, which was known
by the name Of " Der schwaFxs Adler, y
TO discuss stories Of supernatural vista
tiOna, md one or two su6iects OF local in
tesest, an0Ogst which ives the singular
character Of the castle Of Ehrenbreitstein.
shall relate very briefly one or two
circumstances IN the history Of the last
heirs Of this remarkable domain. u all
the girls that lived 10 LAndsdOrf, Il speak.
by the way, Nf . period more than half q
century antecedent to the time Of the mar
rative,) there were none who possessed
the viVacity and the aGeeti0Oate dispOsi
don Of LINDA Hermann Her Couute-
nance was beautiful; her forehead broad
and white as the purest alabaster; her
dark eyes shaded with long silken eye
brOws; her nose such "a Grecian sculp-
tor would like to have chiseled; her ruby
c,T pS "' T;~S" % ~ n nc"r Int sIv r.srrcts. ~
Ne 80, :. r.rt."s ~ .nd h.d hut on. hsrther
who was much attached to her. There
werC many who sought her affections,
WnrfTsI W. he .,Scst Of fonr brothers and
,ns h.;r 70 % The estate of Ehrsnhrr;,st,.;n :
liz III. I h"rJ.cmo ] nsrson his address, h;s
..n.,s.S ...S - ~S.,.S "a. r"rk .I, cons~;r..d in
h;r % fsvor and 4 w.s No. 'l;fic"lt to sec 70
the, % T;nds iooEea nnon him more com.
"I.c.n,Iv | ths" nnop "nv Of her other
s,,itorS There we're those Who ventured
~ 'sS ,S,,cD.trst. ~ ~,;th hsr a. hsr EoIIv .nd
~ ~ h;"s ,n". T. vn',id h. ~,or. ~ nr"1.rt h
Sbs ~ .'' ,-er: r.'i h"stc~;r. - her sr,;ls. anon !.
more T humhIs lover vho woaId male her
an % honest wom::n instead of nnoo = ner.
~. :" ".". y, s"r.-;o- 80 he. T. stnt;or .rd ,rho
S ~",,lJ ..rs. Sa - .I,Is ~ "a ~ msE. her h;s G r,;S.
T;~@s h."s.d % No, ~ H. f.;s~Sl~ ~.r";~sS ~. .
,,~S.- . ~~~,c;ss oT wsrr;s:. 'hs h.ro,,
S"c";v.d S"uS ~ T pocr ~ T;~d. sSs | All S' no'