The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-02-11
NUMBER 3.
TmE szAsx sRzDE.


that river OF legends, stood the half castle,
half~fortress Of Ehlenburg, which, with its
high and gloomy battlernents, seemed to
pierce the very clouds. It's dungeon and
keep were said to be the strongest in Ger
many and, indeed, 1t was so, for it could
be only accessible from one point, which
was narrow path, where bat one man
could walk at time. The owner and
governor Of this castellated fortress was
Sir John Verrinich, a naughty, overbearing
man, subject at times TO fits of the most
violent passion, which q: one time led him
to commit crime of the most horrid ma
ture, which formed The legend connected
with the ell ruins that now stand gazing
SlooEniiy, as i5 were, upon the passing
steamboats, bearing parties Of tourists mp
the Rhine
Sir John was widower, his wife hav>
ing died Of g broken heart, after giving
birth 70 a daughter, three years after mar-
riage. This daughter, the Lady Isadore,
though treated severely by her father,
grew up with all the beauty which enhan-
ces the fair sex within mans eve. She
had lover what young girl Of seventeen
has not He was captain Of the guards
belonging TO the castle. young man of
low birth, though gifted with fine edu-
cation and some personal beauty, which,
together with bis skill and prowess in the
time Of war, had won him the name of
/ ''Ihe Faichion." lie was, indeed, worthy
OF the mai3en's admiration. Marcel Van
Schrotler-fJr such was his rame-wilh
his laurels fresh on his brow, was invited
to court, and while there was and became
enamored of the LADY IsaJore, who was
then, with her father, attending court for
the first time. Sir John, pleased with
Marcel, offered him the captaincy in his
guards, and he, TO be near the lady of his
heart, accepted the Office, and WAS soon
| installed within the castle walls
The Lady Isadorc, after hearing her
father speak O { his feats Of arms, became
. interested in him, and having by accident
! met hin several times willie taking her
morning walk upon the paraPet, the inter-
est ripened into love, and they silently
betrothed themselves to each other and
were happy. So things stood, when, one
evening, Sir John invited Marcel to take
supper With them. The meal was spread
within the left wing of the castle, in a
lofty hall, the walls of which were decor
| ated with ancient suits Of arms, while the
! panels between were all hung with we'll
dressed head and horns of a sturdy deer
At bountifuI spread board were John
| Marcel and the Lady Isadore. The sup
! per was over and the wine circulated
| freely around. Ladies were not 50 chary
! of its use in those days. And the old
knight, made merry by the copious
| draughts of Rhenish he had used to wash
down his food, cracked his jokes, sang
and laughed as only an old man and
soldier can laugh. At last, perceiving
that the fire, which ere now was burning
cheerfuliy, had nearly disappeared, he
asked Marcel to rouse 1t up be, willing
to oblige, arose, but finding nothing where's
with to rake the ashes, drew his sword and
with If coaxed the stubborn fire to blaze.
At that moment he heard his name
called in tones of thunder by Sir John;
forgetting that be had been called, leaving
his sword still in the fire, he advanced
towards Sir John. There he stood,
clutching his daughter tightly By the arm,
his face distorted by passion.
''Sirrah, he cried, as Marcel approach
ed, ''dost thou love my daughter 90
Marcel did not reply, bat looked at
Lady Isadore. She, alas! poor girl,
having never seen him IN a merry mood
before, while Marcel was engaged in ar
ranging the fire, told her father Of bis love
for her, and asked him to give his consent
10 their marriage. The result was rs
mentioned above.
''Sirrab," shouted the cnraged lord,
''capst thou not speak? Answer me !
dost thou love my daughter 20
The young man. boldly eonfronting
him, replied:
''Sir, l love your daugh:er--wo arc be-
trothed''
All the fury that ever entered in tho
soul Of man was combined within SIR
Johns soul. He felt at his belt for the
dagger he usually wore he had lain it
aside when about sitting down to supper;
he looked around for some weapon with,
which TO kill Marcel his gaze rested Oh.
Narcel's sword, which rested In the fire,
the blade Of which was nearly a red line
IN another moment It was in his bands
In his blind fury he thought not of It's
heat, but rushed upon Marcel and was
about 10 plunge it into his body, when
Isadore threw herself before her lover and
received the fiery blade in her now pure
breast. Sir John gazed but for one mo-
ment on the scene, and then, with the
blood gushing from his mouth and nos
| trils, fell TO the tioor.
When the retainers entered, about an
hour after, they found father and daughter
dead, and Marcel gibbering maniac.
The servants removed him to a safe asy-
lum, where he shortly after died. The
bodies of the father aua daughter wero
buried among their ancestors IN the chapel,
and masses were said for the repose OF
their souls but yet they did not rest, foF
often at night they are seen, the daughter
pursuing the father, and making the mos /.
hideous lamentations, Such Is the legsz id
&C L,I,lnrI,,,rc. If rnt1 90 fllas., to1A.- ~.