The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-08-28
THE CASTLE ON THE RHINE
by FRANCIS A. DURIvAGE.

BY FRANCIS A. DURIvAGE.
Ir one of those old feldal castles
which, perehed like eagle nests, upon
picturesque hills hat overhang
''Thc wide and winding Rhinc,''
and with their crumbling and ivy
grown towers, arrest the eyes of the
delighted traveller, as he views them
from the deck of the gliding steamer,
there dwelt, some years ago, the
Baron Won Rosenburg and his lady
Matinlde. The baron was very
proud man, and continually boasting
of his descent from t'long and noble
line of martial ancestors" gentlemen
who were wont, in the ''good old
times, to wear steel On head, back
and breast, and each Of whom sup
ported o score of retainers in his
fe,ldal castle. Where the money comes
from to support Il princely holsckeep-
ing, when the head of family has no
property or employment, is sometimes
n mystery nowadays; but no such
doubt attached to thc resources Of the
baron's ancestors. These gentlemen.
when short of provisions, would sally
forth at the head of their followers.
and capture the first drove of cattle
they encountered, without stopping to
inquire into the ownership. Some
times they made excursions on the
river, and levied contributions on the
little barks of traders, who often car
ried valuable cargoes from one Rhine
town to another.
But the privileges of the robbcr
knights and bandit mobiles were sadly
shorn by the progressive spirit Of
modern civilization. With total dis
regard of the immunitics of chivalry,
modern legislators declared that it was
as great crime for u baron to seize on
81 herd of cattle as for peasant to
steal 8, sheep. Hence the great fanai-
lies along the Rhine went into decay.
The castles were dismantlcd, many
noble names died cut, very few ra-
manned, the representatives of the
ancestral glory Of olden times.
Among them was the baron. He
had been a soldier and courtier in his
youth, had spent some time abroad,
and was about forty when he married
a lady of the same age, and settled
down in the old family castle of Ro-
surrounding valley, the simple inhabi-
tants of which, though exempt from
all obligations. yet i'll some sort re-
garded themselves as vassals of the
baron. They made him presents Of
. fish, accompanied him to the chase,
and lent him willing hand whenever
he required assistance at tho castle.
The baron, though he had the
wherewithal to live comfortably
enough, was yet poor representative
of the race he sprang from. His
army consisted of few farm-ser-
wants, his cavalry of a plough-boy on
81 carthorse, and his navy Of fishing
boat. But. Oh the whole, he was
happy He passed his days either in
trimming his vines OF hunting, and
his evenings in poring over mi]dewed
parchments or books Of lferaldry,
hunting up long pedigrees, and put
fng a monstrous meerschaum till the
atmosphere was as dense as the inte-
rior of q smoke house. The lady
Mathilde embroidered from morning
till night.
They had, however, common
source of grief. Fate had not blessed
them with children. The lady yearned
for the companionship Of daughter;
the baron mourned at the prospect of
the extinction of his name for the
want Of q male heir.
1t was while pondering on this sub
;ect one day, as they were strolling out
together, that the baron and his lady
came upon the cottage Of m old sol
dier, named Karl Mueller, who cult
waited a little vineyard not far from the
castle
The old man was seated on a bench
before his door smoking, and so deeply
plunged in rcvery that he was not