The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-03-09

valid the forester, the Baron had issued a
sort of pronunciumento to the following eff
feet, causing the same to be proclaimed
abroad, with many circumstances Of scorn-
full pride and ceremony
"Whereas my daughter Katrina, untrue to
her bloodsaud lineage, has dared to bostow
her affections Sought after ly many noble
knights with honorable fervor, and deeds Of
'derring-do) upon basc-born hind, serf,
and miserable Stare, we hereby declare for
her punishment and his, that Oswald, known
as the Forester, shall in the presence OF my
vassals and neighbors be compelled to carry
Katrina in his arms, without any help, stimu
liant, or support, from the bottom to the top
Of Mount Kimmel; failing in which the said
Oswald shall be buried alive in the deepest
dungeon of my castle, there to perish niscr-
ably, as behooyes in the case of a vile bonds
man guilty Of SO damnaLle presumption.
s'But should the said Oswald succeed 10 his
undertaking, he shall be free to depart from
nv territories unmolcsted and not only this,
but he shall be free to bear Katrina with
him, par amour, if it SO pleaseth him, see
ing that the disgraced damosel is no longer
daughter of mine.'
This decree having been twice read by the
Baron's seneschal in loud voice, Oswald
came forward, pale, and yet with calm, de-
termined countenance, (for he alone of all
the crowd looked not upon the venture as ut
terly desperately. He took the half-fainting
Katrina very tenderly and slowly in his arms,
aud one who watched them closely might have
remarked as he did SO a quick tremulous
thrill shoot through his whole frame, which
on the next instant was Strengthened firmly
and proudly; while the head Of the girl,
with its glory of golden hair, sank like the
fewer of broken lily upon his shoulder
At this sight so natural and touching, low
murmur seemed to agit4te the throng, and
some of kindly spirit groaned and turned
their eyes momentarily away.
And the trial has fairly begun. Casping
his precious burden dcicatcly yet tightly to
his heart. Oswald with measured football es-
says the cruel height For more than a third
Of the way he labors upward, hardly pausing,
and apparently quite at ease and unwearicd
The Baron scowls and gnaws his lip.
breath as Of intense relief comes from the
silent, motinniess, expectant hundreds
Surely" thought they, eff thus far he has.
succeeded, the prize may yet be his" But
scarcely Las the thought struggled into form
when the forester is observed to stumble VIC
!ently. "ls he down? mo, no. but Gods
mercy, what an escape" They have grazcd
the edge of treacherous pit. partly CONCEAL
ed by grass and stones, with sheer descent
of three hundred jagged feet awful to look
upon.
Up .gain, and still onward! At length,
however, ii is fairly perceived that Oswald
suffers. His limbs drag heavily. His Shout
ders droop And the Baron's clark face re
taxing, he smiles witha grim irony, anticipa-
ting triumph, while here and there from out
the crowd may be caught the low sob of VIC
men.
Onward, upward still More heavily drag
the limbs, and tho pauses arc frequent and
agonizing
All, he can never accomplish it-ncvcr!
But see ! the brave youth-hero if ever hero
livcd-s shifting his burden, appears to pro-
gress more rapidly and freely, until with ono
eonvulsive, gigantic, overmastering effort
(the goal being fully in view, he totters up
the slope, falling it is true, but falling only
when be has reached the topmost point Of
the tremendous emincnce
What shout rent the air from those quiv
ering, all but maddened spectators !! Univer
sal sympathy is enlisted on the part of the
lovers. Old and young alike, regardless OF
danger, FASTENED up the mountain to cheer
and aid them,-one of Katrina's former sui
tors, gallant young noblemsn, beng cor
spicuous in the frontra
They reach the great knoll at the summit;
and there, rigdly locked in one another's
arms, lay the helpless pair, pallid, breathless
and quite--dead
OswaIds great heart broke in the very mo-
ment of victory and the fair, faithful crea-
ture he loved, persisted with and for him, her
hair covering in golden shower his neck
and brow. and her lips, as in their last des-
ponding kiss, pressed fondly on his own
Of Rober5t the Rude, our chronicle saith,
that while engaged upon the evening of this
day Of dolour III carousing at his own board
there entered to him anon knight with clos
ed visor, who presently stabbed him across
either shoulder. leaving the brutal Baron
corpse in his desecrated haFf
1t hath been supposed, by divers persons,
that his slayer was the same young knight
who displayed such tenderness for the lovers
-alben discarded sutton of Katrina's-on
the occasion Of their dcathly trial.
y.