South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-09-01

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still in spirit, in feeling, in everything bu
body, Peter Bloch, the charcoal-burner.
"Hurrahr' feebly shouted the Coun
Peter, endeavoring to rise. Whereat ther
was some staring among the retinue, mil
gled with the expressions of joy at hfs re
covery.
81 pray you, my Lord Count" said tn
seneschal of the castle, "condescend to &C
cept of my horse for the nonce, since
has pleased your highness's to run away
Teufel is high-spirited, but gentle"
Peter put up his right foot, encased i
pointed boot and gold spur, lifted the othe
awkwardly over the saddle, and .foun
himself seated with his back TO the horse
head.
my Lord Count has not yet re
covered himself" said the equerry
but one of the late Counts page
Uttered behind his plumed ca
as he held the stirrup whilst the Coun
reversed his position.
Now Peter had never in his life befor,
been on horseback.
He clutched the reins with one hand
the horses name with the other, and rolleC
unsteadily from side to side, in mortal ter
ror at every step of the high-paciDs
steed.
at is only that his honor is still dizzy
from his fall" said the mortified equerry
believing whst he asserted But the mas
ter-Ofthe- horse from the castle, looking
upon the Count with an experienced and
criticising eye, muttered to the master-at
arms his firm conviction that his highness
was ignorant of the noble art of horse.
manship-an opinion in which the
other agreed.
Reaching the castle, the Count was ad.
vised by the medical man to retire and
rest for an hour or so, in which time the
feast would be spread in the great ban
quoting hall, but Peter, who felt perfectly
well, and had, it will be remembered,
missed his dinner, could not help think
ing of the fat OK, and of all that he
bad heard, but had never seen,
and still less tasted, of the deli
cious wines and luxurious viands of
the castle larder. So he at once declared
himself hungry, and ordered that refresh
ments should be brought to him.
The steward, with his white badge and
baton of office, marching in front, ushered
in some half-dozen henchmen, bearing va
rious dishes: such as highly spiced game
pastry, eels done in wine, picked porpoise,
stewed truff1es, olives, and pie composed
of minced venison, mixed with apples,
raisins, wine, sugar, beef, spice, and wood
cock. The butler followed with wines of
various kinds. Peter ate long and drank
deeply-until he could eat and drink no
more. Not that he liked either the dishes
or the wines, for the first were utterly dis
tasteful to his palate, and the latter he
considered insipid and mawkish, and, if
the truth were told, not to compare with
good beer. But he was hungry-and be-
sides, were not these the luxuries of the
great and rich, for which he had often, in
secret, sighed? Wherefore, as we have
said, he ate and drank his fill, until, with
the last mOuthful of the mince-pie, dead
ly sickness came over him, and he was
with the assistance of the SER
wants, to effect hasty retreat from the
table. And then he fell heavily on his
bed and slept the sleep of him VINO had
drunken too freely.
The steward and the butler looked at
each other, and elevated the whites of
their little eyes and the pinks of their fat
hands. -
"My Lord Count is a glutton," wheezed
the steward.
my Lord Count is a drunkard," gasped
the butler. And all the henchmen and
pages agreed with those two.
As for the Lord Counts own followers,
they did not know what to think. Never
before had they known his temperate
highness to eat and drink like this.
In about two hours Peter Bloch-that
is, the Count Won Schwaltzschoffensbu
awoke, feeling dull and heavy.
" don't like this" muttered the Count.
Inever felt like this when l was Peter
Bloch" And he sighed.
What would my noble Lord Count
haye2' queried the page of-the chamber,
bowing low before him.
The Count scratched his head and re-
1ected. He had had enough to eat and
1rink-also, sleep sufficient; and he was at
4 loss what more to desire.
will it please my lord to take bath p
The Count Peter submitted. He wasn't
IN the habit of taking baths; and he now
thought 1t very unnecessary and disagreea-
Die, and when it was over made up his
mind to take no more. Then he yawned,
md wondered what else he could do. He
5elt very much inclined to step out and
AXE look at his pigs and cabbages-a
hing which had always afforded him a
certain pleasure and satisfaction. But he
with a half sigh, that there
we're no pigs and cabbages here.
Will 1t please my lords highness to
nave music?' suggested the attentive page,
his loru's s sir of ennui.
Peter Bloch did not care straw for
music, nor, in fact, know anything aboutit
beyond Katrina's hand organ, inherited
rom her father, on which, in the quiet
evenings when their work was done,
The was accustomed to grind ex-
raordinary sounds to marvellous tunes.
Peter rather liked this organ; it
Ioothed him and gave him a pleasant,
lTowsy, home-feeling; and now, when he
heard harp skillfully played upon by the
,astle minstrel in an adjoining apartment,
lie thought it greatly lacked the charm of |
Aatrina's hand-organ.
az don't care for music" uuoth the
Count, indiferently, "unless "a bright |
dea occurred to him" unless the Lady
iildegarde Adelberga Rosalinden will
1lay-"
But my Lord Count, at this hour-and
n privatel My lady is not accustomed to |
how herself at all times-neither to en-
ertain suitors, save on suitable occasions. |
pray you, my Lord Count, reflect"
But the Lord Count wouldn't reflect. |
AL that he knew was, that he was Count |
ION SchwaltZschofensb and that he |
as in his own castle, where every one was |
'ound to obey him; wherefore he sent his |
'age with message demanding the pres
nee of the Lady Hildegarde In fact, he |
remembered her beauty, and that she was
lis bethrothed; and his heart began to |
warm toward her, insomuch that he re-
used to listen to any excuse of the |
lady, so earnestly did he desire her pres
'nce, and to gaze upon the lOvli- |
less of which he had hitherto been ia
Tored with but a distant glimpse.
So the Lady Hildegarde Adelberga |
2osalinden came, flushed and naughty, |
ollowed by her maidens bearing a harpsi- |
'hord. Count Peter Bloch felt little in |
we of her msgnifcence, until rejecting
hat he was a rich and handsome Count,
nd the future lord of the naughty beauty,
lie gradually gathered courage to COM
nence love making. This he did in his
'wn way, as he had been accustomed with
Katrina He stole to a seat by the lady's |
ide, put his arm around her waist, pinched |
Ter cheek, and bestowed upon her rosy
ips resounding smack, designed to ex-
'ress admiration and respectful homage.
The Lady Hildegarde Adelberga sprang
o her feet with shrek, whereat every
'ody within hearing rushed into the