Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-08-04


Hath kept my loved one through the dreadful
And given him back now victory's crowned
A LEGEND OF THE RHINE.
The Rhine is celebrated for the innu-
merable ruined castles and monasteries
that stand on its banks, and each has its
history.
Our guide told us of one, an old mon
astery near Lingerfield, which l thought
worthy of a place in my note book. l
give 1t my own Interpretation, and pre-
sent it to the reader, hoping 1t may meet
with approval in its perusal.
During the "Thirty Years. War" that
cOnvulsed Germany, one fine summers
afternoon foot traveller came to the
hostelry of the "Traveler's Rest, which
stood by the roadside on the rivers
bank. His garb proclaimed him SOL
dier. High black boots were drawn half
way up his thighs, in which q loose pair
of 6reeches lost themselves, and rusty
breast plate covered his buff leathern
jerkin. A broad-leafed, low-crowned
hat, from which n single black feather
depended, was pulled low upon his fore
head. He was armed with sword and
pistols.
There was something in his martial
bearing and firm tread that seemed to
denote the officer. So at least thought
the sandy-haired maid of the hostelry
who came forth to serve him; for she
said at once:
What can serve you with, noble
IA flagon of Rhenish, and your best
vintage, mind, and bit of something
to eat in the first place." answered the
soldier good-naturedly, chucking the
girl under the chin, like one accustom-
ed to that familiarity; land then bed
for the night"
"The first can supply you with, but
the secOnd, am sorry to say, l cannot
1t was mans voice that spoke. They
hostelry--a short, pursy little man,
with fat face and red nose.
"And wherefore not {" asked the SOL
dier, carelessly throwing himself on the
wooden bench under the tree that shad-
owed the hostelry with it's branches,
| whilst the girl went into the house 10
procure the refreshments he had be-
spoken.
Because every room Is engaged, and
have not a spare bed left. The young
Baron Ravensburg, his sister, and theil
attendants, will arrive this evening"
Their courier was here this morning tC
bespeak the rooms"
"That's unfortunate. But I am moi
particular-I am soldier, as you see
so give me bundle of straw in one OF
the outhouses, and that will content
me-"
Impossible" cried the host with an
alacrity which rather surprised the sol
der; "even as 1t Is shall be compell-
| ed to make some of the BarOn's servants
nue. is large. Ten miles further on there
marching" said the host, with an at
tempt at facetiousness, land the dis.
tance will be nothing to you."
Excuse me-" answered the soldier
tapping the heel of his boot with his
heavy steel scabbard, and all the while
subjecting his host to scrutiny ol
which he was unconscious, I am not a
foot soldier, and In my long marches ]
have been accustomed to use four legs
instead of two. 1 did not come all the
way on foot"
"Where is your horse?" asked the
landlord quickly, and with some ankle
ty, the soldier thought.
"Some two miles from here" he an
swereu careleSSIy.
"Two miles from herew echoed the
landlord, there Is no house there
Why did you leave him?
"Simply because he could carry me
no further, and had not been In the
habit of carrying him. He was dead"
"Yes. It happened very strangely.
These are troublous times I know, but
I thought the war had not invaded this
quiet province, at least / was told 30,
and therefore l rode along fearless of
danger. When / came to that little
glen with rocks and woods cresting 1t
upon either side, / thought--a natural
idea for a soldier-that it was q capital
place for an ambuscade, and 80 1t prov
ed, for / had scarcely entered 1t when
two carbines were fired from the thick
ct. My horse neighed with pain, rear
ed up, and then fell to the earth, carry
ing me along with him. I knew that
he was badly hurt, for have had horses
shot under me before, SO snatched my
pistols from their holsters, extrjcated
my feet from the stirrups, aud went
down quietly with him. Fortunately,
he lay stone dead, and did not kick. 1
lay motionless on his body, and waited
for further developments. Two men
with carbines in their hands emerged
from the thieket and came rapidly to-
ward me. When they were within tea
feet Of me arose and called upon them
to surrender, as was anxious to learn
tire cause Of this unprovoked attack,
there being nothing in my appearance,
l thought, to suggest the Idea of booty.
But the rascals, who evidently thought
me dead, were 80 terrified that they beat
hasty retreat toward the woods, so
WAS obliged to send q couple Of bullets
after them to stop them and, being an
Indifferent good shot, they did stop, and
unless some good Christian gives them
burial, they are likely to stop there for
some time.n
"Yon shot them both?" stammered
the landlord; and his teeth chartered,
and he grew very pale, all but the tip Of
lbs nose, which from the contrast With
the rest of his face, looked redder thaa
ever.
z" What would you have had me do?''
asked the soldier, In his usual careless
tone. "They might have fired with
better success at some other poor devil
of traveller, who might not have got
of go easily ~ did"
What could have possessed them to
have fired upon your" exclaimed the
landlord, and 1t almost appeared that he
was asking himself the question, aa
much as he did the soldier.
Precisely the question asked my.
self, returned the soldier, land since
you have mentioned the expected arri.
val of the young Baron of Ravensburg
think have clue to the whole af.
fair. Some outlaws, having heard o.
! L. n y. y r. Ia