Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-04-18

Schaffhold wandered in the woods
the rest, of the evening. and turned
home late at night to think and dream
of Rubeta. With the morning,
resolution came. "She cannot be mine" !"
he said mournfully, "but l may at least
win name that she may not disdain to
hear" he quilted his fathers hut early,
and his steps involuntarily turned to-
ward the castle where the Dukes party
lodged. There was an unusual con-
course before the gates. A herald came
forth, mounted on white horse deco
rated with. gay trappings, preceded by a
trumpeter, and accompanied by several
knights. } Schaffho approached as
near as possible. The trumpet sounded,
and after it ceased, the herald made this
proclamation in loud voice:
"Our gracious Duke, Henry the First,
sends greeting to his lieges of the coun-
try of Neuberg, and having heard that
the whole valley is plagued by condor
tude, by which the lives of his subjects
are endangered, he doth hereby prom
Use to the brave man who shall kill this
bird and destroy it's nest, the hand of his
daughter, the Princess Rubeta, in mar
riage." iaa. llg
Bewildered and trembling with new
born life, struggling with fear, the young
herdsman listened to the words of the
herald. When he had ended, the trum-
pet again sounded.
The young Princess sat weeping in
her chamber. The Duchess, her mother,
stood regarding her almost sternly, and
reproved her for her want of submission
to the paternal will.
"Ah my mother" murmered Rubeta,
"must l then wed man whom 1 cannot
love, if he chance to slay the bird p
'tThe Dukes honor is pledged, my
child, and the man that shall do this act
in honor of thee and him, is not unworthy,
though he should be the lowly born, Of
thy land
The Princess shook her head and con-
tinued to weep. .a
"Ah !' exclaimed the duchess, scan it
be possible that thou lowest alreadyl"
The Princess covered her blushing
face with her hands. l. .
''His name! |" demanded the duchess,
"who has dared to aspire unknown?"
"None! none!" exclaimed Rubeta, "he
but saved my life --.
"Ha! the youth who killed the snake
while thou vast sleeping?"
1.-THE same"
"Why, it was but hind, peasant
out on thee, forward girl"
The Princess lifted up hereyes. "Was
not Piotus, the founder of my father
honored race, herdsman, too2
The Duchess frowned, and ordered
her daughter to attend her to her apart
ment. i
1t is needless to say, that the Dukes
proclamation caused great excitement
amongst the pages and knights of the
court. Each was eager to obtain the
prize. The country was secured by
huntsmen in every direction, and every
Granny of the rocks was scanned for the
eyrie of the condor.
"Thou, too, my son." said old Wolf
gang, "surely thou dost not dream to
contend in this pursuit which only may
be accomplished by a knight" as he saw
his son preparing for the chase, they
will chastise thee as an upstart."
"Father, 1 fear them not, for the
Dukes proclamation said not, whoever
of noble blood shall slay the condor. l
know not if this was meant or inadver-
tency, but upon this l am resolved
And Schaffho went forth with his
staff and ak to hunt the bird of prey.
All the morning he wandered in the for
est. At noon, wearied, but determined
not to yield to fatigue, he climbed the
loftiest tree he could find, and which
commanded view of the country. The
day had hitherto been beautiful, but
Schaffhold deserted dark spot in the
distant horizon which betokened the
coming storm:
Suddenly, dark speck, so distant
that it seemed but moat dashing over
the straining eye, caught his attention.
His heart bounded within his breast
The speck grew larger, he clasped his
hands i'll an ecstacy of joy. 1t was the
condor! Soaring height immeasura-
BILE, it still drew nearer. Schaff hold hid
himself in the foliage of the tree, and
watched the flight of the majestic bird.
Of the condor, it is said, that it will re-
main for days upon the wing, and never
light upon the earth, save for food. Ra-
pidly it came on, floating calmly in mid
air; his eyes followed its flight, which
was now directed toward lofty and in
accessible rock, on the summit of which
was an aged tree, which, doubtless, con-
tanned the nest of the condor.
Descending from his elevated situa-
ton, he cross the valley, and forced his
passage through the thick and inter
woven boughs and wood of the forest
But the storm which had threatened had
now begun, but on he pressed; he had
clambered the mountain to the foot of the
rock, the perilous ascent of which he
now commenced, entrusting his safe
guidance to Providence. Grasping the
shrubs growing on the foot of the rock
cutting footsteps as he slowly advanced
he reached the most dangerous part
The cliff projected over the abyss, and
upon its verge stood the lightning
scathed tree. He could see the dark
form of the bird above him. Her fiery
eyes flashed, and tapped her wings
at the intruder. The clamorous i'm
patience of her young for food
alone stayed her from making a swoop
at him when half way up the side; and
hitherto unseen cleft in the rock, which
ascended the sides, led him by a circuit.
Gus route to the summit; this peril sur.
mounted, he was now to strive for his
life with the fierce enemy whose realm
he had invaded. The condor sat perch.
ed on the nest, whetting her beak for the
encounter, her large keen eyes glaring