Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-06-20

to awaken his brothers, When gleam OF Drllnanl
light suddenly crossed the windows Of the cottage.
His first idea was, that the Muhlchausers, his RI
walls in trade had encroached upon his boundaries,
and had come to steal his wood But moments
observation was sufficient to convince him that the
spectacle which was presented to his view, was a
supernatural phenomenon. 49, u
'sBe these men or demons" said he, II will go
and ask frebrand from them, to light my tire. =,
Saying these words, he took his wild boar lance and
advanced towards the phantoms.
He soon crossed the stream, climbed the hill,
and approached sufficiently near this eldn gather.
ing to discern all the peculiarities Of the demon Of
the Hartz. For the first time in his life, he shud-
dered with fear; but summoning up Immediately
the fire. At each step he took, the figures be-
came more wild and extravagant in their move
ments. In moment he was in the midst of them.
They received him with manifestations of applause,
and their tumultuous laughter stung his very ears.
"Who are you?' cried the giant, in voice Of
thunder, and frowning gloomiy
"Martin Waldeck, charcoal burner" he re-
piled; land who are you yourselfY'
'The king of chaos and Of mines" replied the
spectre; "but why have you dared to penetrate
our mysteries?"
IT came here to get fire-brand, in order to
| light my fire." Waldeck answered boldly. "What
are the mysteries which you celebrate here"
''The marriage of HerDaes and the black dra-
COON but take the fre-brand ifyou wish, and de-
part, for no mortal can witness our festivities with
impunity."
Martin then stuck the point of his lance in a
large log, and regained his hut, amid the noise OF
the mocEing laughter of the phantoms. In spite
of his terror, his first step was to reight the fur
mace, by means of the burning log, which he car
ried. Strange to say, in spite Of all the efforts
Il L. IL .llo&o Erot ALL
out without Endling the other wood. Martin was
excessively chagrined at this the fire still burned
on the hill, but those who had surrounded it had
disappeared. Waldeck thought that the spectre
was but trifing with him. He resolved to under
take new adventure, and set out on his way to
the hill. He arrived, and without encounterlng
any opposition he seized second log of wood,
and carried it off as he did the first but still with
out being able to kindle his fire. The ease with
which he obtained the first two brands, increased
his boldness, and he returned for the third time
not gone far, when he heard the voice Of the elfn
crying aloud to him, not, on any account to have
the temerity to venture back again. The efforts
which Martin made to light his furnace with his
last fire brand were just rs useless as the prece.
ding Exhausted with fatigue, he threw himself
on his bed of leaves, fully determined to inform
his brothers, the next day, Of his strange adven,
lures
Morning had scarcely appeared, when he was
awakened from profound sleep, by loud cries Of
joy and surprise. The first thing which Max and
George did on rising, was to look at the condition
of their furnace. While racking the cinders, they
found three metallic Jumps, which they knew to be
pure gold. Their joy was little diminished, how
ever, when Martin told them by what means he
had become master of it. The others could not
resist the temptation Of partaking in the prosperi
ty of their brother.
Martin Waldeck soon took the title of head Of
the family. He bought lands and woods, and had
splendid mansion erected, and he also obtained
letters Of nobility, to the great scandal and disgust
of the ancient mobiles. His courage in war enabled
him to brave, at all times the jealousy which his
sudden elevation and the arrogance OF his man
ners excited. But the evil inclinations which pow
erty had repressed, now developed themselves.
In fine, Wadleck rendered himself odious, not only
to the mobiles, but also to his interiors; who sup
ported with pain, the insolence of q man who hac
sprung from the very dregs of the people. The
manner in which he had been enriched was here
tofore profound secret but by some chance it hao
transpired, and already the clergy threatened him
as a sorcerer. Surrounded by enemies, and tor
mented on all sides, Martin Waldeck, or rather
Baron Waldeck, soon regretted his youthful pov
erty and contentment, for envy and hatred were
bandoned him at any. time; in fact, on the contra
ry, he appeared to court danger. But an unfore
seen event hastened his fall.
j The reigning Duke of Brunswick having invited
by proclamation, all the German noblesse to sol
emn tournament, Martin Waldeck, clothed in bril-
liant armor, accompanied by his two brothers, anc
attended by superb cortege, had the insolence t.
appear in the midst Of the cavaliers OF the pro
vince and demanded permission to enter the lists
This was looked on as the height Of presumption
A thousand voices cried out: I'VE will not le
this charcoal burner into our ranks"
Enfamed with passion, Martin drew his sword
and overthrew the herald alarms, who endeavoret
to prevent his entering the lists Swords were
raised on all sides to avcnge crime at the time
considered the most atrocious, except high trea
son. Wadleck defended himself to desperation
but he was made prisoner, and condemned, by tht
Judge of the tourney, to have-according to Gus
tom-his right arm cut off, to lose his titlesof no
bilty, and to be driven ignominiously from the
city. They despoiled him of his armor, and hav
ing undergone his punishment, he was delivered
up to the populace, who pursued him, heaplng me
naces, outrages and insults on his devoted head
He lost so much blood, and was in such miserable
condition, that it was necessary to place him in
cart and under him they put some straw. thus
the Waldecks fed.
Scarcely had they reached the frontiers Of theI
native country, when they perceived in hollow
I road situated between two mountains, an old man
: who advanced to meet them. But shortly after
the limbs and size of this man increased in bulk
his cloak fell from his shoulders, and his pilgrim
staff was metamorphosed into an enormous pine
In word, the Demon of the Hartz was presented
to their eye in all his frightful apparel When hi
was opposite to the cart in which the sick man lay
he asked of him, with an atrocious grin, if hi
fire brands had kindled his furnace. Martin wa
indignant at these words, but could scarcely rais'
, himself. He pointed to the spectre with mena
cling gesture; but he disappeared uttering q loue
mocking laugh, leaving the unfortunate Valdez
to struggle with death. Max and George, being
terrified, directed their course towards the tower
of neighboring convent, which elevated thei
tops above the dark pine forest by which the!
were surrounded. At that place they were charita
bly, received by a monk, with a long, venerable
beard, and in naked feet Martin lived just lonl
enough to make confession of his life, and to re
ceive ablution from the hands of the very priest
t whom long ago he had pelted with stones in tn
S village of fMargenbrodt. His three years OF pros
e perity mysterously corresponded with the thre
o visits which he had made to the elm hill:
e The body of Waldeck was inferred within tn
convent, and his two brothers assumed the habit