The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-04-19

ing in a whisper to- the Jester, ON
whose fidelity, in sroh matters he
could rely, "Run to, the lord high
steward and tell him-dinter in half
an hour"
Some murmurings among. the
spectators followed the announce
ment of the imperial edict, for the
appetite for bloodshed of crowd
'grows by what it feeds on" Never
the!ess, the preparations. for riding
ut the'rlng were soon concluded-a
small circle of gold, just large enough
to contain the point of n lance, and
suspended on q slackened cord be-
tween two upright wands, being OIL
that was required-and the cham
pions, whom rigid etiquette had for
bldden so much rs to unhelm, were
once more warned to make ready for
the bloodless conflict.
How many wax candles Clothilde
promised her patron saint during
that interval, short as it, was, we
would hardly venture to surmise;
but it doubtless was q comfort to
reflect that the exercise demanded
neither strength nor endurance, only
true eye and steady hand; also
that Count Karl's proficiency in this
particular feat was unequalled.
Twice did each warrior, going at
fuii speed beneath the cord, carry
Oft the golden circlet fairly on the
point of his lance. Clothilde must
have tainted had it not been for tba
tension of extreme suspense. In
the third course one of them missed
the object by hairs breadth: the
other bore it deftly away once more.
and riding beneath the gallery, his
whole body swaying to and fro as if
he must have fallen from the saddle,
and laid it at the archduchess' feet.
The trumpets rang out n peal of
victory; the people shouted and
clapped hands. Mary of Burgundy
enunciated cold but decided ap-
proval, echoed in warmer tones by
ladies of her court; and,; though
everything seemed to swim before
Clothilde's eyes, she was Just. able,
when the grand marshal and his
assistant had unhelmed the con
queror, to make out the pale, ex-
hausted face of Count Karl of the
Fen.
The emperor rose to go to dinner.
y 81 had rather it had been the
Landgrave," said he; but recollect-
ing that the result was owing to one
of his consort's arrangements, he felt
at would be too late to dispute the
question, and looked on with an ap-
.proving smile, while the archduchess
threw her glove down to the success
fui champion, and the exhausted
count pressed the token rapturously
to his lips.
Otto of Ehenheim said very little
about his defeat. It was not the AL
satian's custom to express his opinion
in public on his own concerns; but in
pledging Kalbsbraten and the Chate-
laine fathom deep, during the festiyi-
ties. with which Clothilde's marriage
was celebrated, he did discharge one
sounding Saxon imprecation at the
artificer who had so cunningly imi-
tated the device on his oorslet, and
the poor armorer was certainly stab
bed. the following evening going
home from his work. In those days,
however,, such matters We're Of little
account.
So Karl and Clothilde were mar
ried almost before the wounds left by
the VOLTS teeth were fairly healed,
and as the nursery tales say, "lived
happily ever afterwards" s"-and had
many children, both sons and daugh-
ters, whom the latter were conspicu-
Gus for their beauty. and the former,
rs might be expected, were exceed
ingly skillful with the lance.
Gentle MS he was, brave gallant.
and loving, and truc-not in vain did
the daring Count WOO the emperor's
daughter; not in vain did he stoop
for the violet and aim ut, the ring.