The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-09-15

OOuub NOu OCu HdlbAoCAAOACuoDul8 IN
to immediate mortal combat; by
reason of the still unsettled feud
that had existed between the said
Baron Breckisnech and the late
Count Won Schwaltzschofensb
And unless this challenge we're i'm
mediately and promptly responded
to, he, the said valiant Baron Breek-
lsReeh, would straightway assault
tae castle, hang the Count from the
highest tower, cut off the heads Of
Cne seneschal and the warder there
Oh ana with those bloody trophies
adorn the bastions of the main gate
way. $50 mought it ber' conclud-
ed the herald, solemnlv.
The whole castle was now in dis
may and confusion. All looked to
the valor Of the Count for salvation.
and no time was lost in bringing his
armor and buckling it upon his
trembling limbs.
I-I am not well enough to fight"
gasped the Count, feebly. Where
upon his highness's medical advis-
ers were sommoned.
The Lord Count is perfectly well,
said the chief physician, feeling his
pulse.
Perfectly we'll" echoed the as
sistant physician, examining his.
tongue.
"But II can't fight" grasping
the huge sword as though it were q
charcoal rake.
"My lord must try" said the mas
ter-at-arms, sternly.
"The Lord Count is a coward,
said all the men-at-arms and retain
ers, in disgust; whilst the senechal
and warder rubbed their threats and
earnestly urged the Count on expe-
dition. But the Count wouldn't
hurry.
"I can't fight" he said. aMy
health won't allow it."
"You must fight" said the Baron
Blufenburg. "Your honor demands
it."
'1won't fight" said the Count des-
perately.
"Yo1 shall fight" said the Baron,
resolutely.
So the Baron took him by the
arm and led him toward the gates,
and when he raised, the master-at-
arms took his other arm, and the
seneschal and the warden pushed be-
hind; and so thay dragged and push
ed him out the gateway and across
the draw-bridge, until he stood face
to face with the valiant Baron
Breckisneeh, who advanced, sword in
hand, to the encounter.
The next moment Peter Bloch
felt a sharp burning pain in his
breast as the Baron's blade went
through Lin. He grew blind, and
dizzy, grasped wildly at his own
sword, and fell.
Consciousness returned slowly to
Peter Bloch.
He looked around and saw, to his
great surprise and JOY, that he was
in his own little cottage in the forest.
He smelled the fresh resinous OdOr
of the fir-trees, he heard the grunt-
ing of the pigs in the sty, and he
saw from an open window the char
coal-kilns and the cabbage garden;
and sweeter than these to his delight
ed eyes was the plump, rosy face Of
Katrina, who close beside him was
making a goat's-milk posset into
which her tears slowly fell.
"Acb, himmeI" said Katrina, kiss
ing him tenderly on either cheek;
''but he knows me now; he is wellr'
''HoR was itY' asked Peter, has
tily returningthe salute and staring
around.
"We found you lying senseless IN
der the fr-tree, WHARF / left you sit
ting when yOu refused your dinner"
answered Katrina soberly.
''Like the fool / was" muttered
Peter.
"And you have been 50 strange
ever since, main Peter; asking for a
little wine, and enquiring about the
Lady Hildegarde."
"Ahp' muttered Peter Bloch to
himself, "that was the Count Won
Schwaltzchofensburg. He was here
in my body whilst 1 occupied his, or
or have / been dreaming, I won
derY'
Show did it happen2" inquired Kat
rina, in her turn. "There was an
awful smell of birthstone about the
fr-tree, so old Gottlieb just now
thought it best to brand the mark of
the cross upon your breast, to pre-
serve you from the power of the Evil
One. Here is the mark, you see.
Did you feel the burn? 1t was that
which aroused you"
"And it was that which also saved
me-" said Peter. "That Baron Breck-
isnech, in his black armor, that was
the very man saw beneath the fir
tree this morning. / knew him be-
fore he etdown his visor and rushed
upon me. He thought to have me,
did he, body and soul? But the cross
saved me; acb Gott! the cross saved
me-"
Katrina thought him dreaming
still And whether or not it was
dream, Peter Bloch was never, to
his dying day, able to decide. Of
one thing only was he positively
sure-and that was that he was
much happier as Peter Bloch the
charcoal burner, with his wife Kat
rina, than he could ever have been
as the Count Won SchWaltzsohOfens-
burga and the husband of the Lady
Hildegarde. Probably Nature, Of
whom he had complained, knew this
when she chose for his soul acOrres-
ponding body and station in life.
She knows what is best for US, after
all.-ScribRsr's Magazine.
The bows are advised to get their