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

A STRANGE LEGEND OF BOHEMIA.

A STRANGE LEGEND OF BOHEMIA.
During the darkest period of the Dark
Ages. there lived in Bohemia a Baron,
hau shty, passionate, and prcjudiced, who, like
the giant Earl Doorm," compelled all crea-
lures to his will"
He belonged to class Of lusty tyrants,
we'll represented by the husband of the brave
Godiva, who loved nothing dearly as a fagon
of strong Rhenish wine, except perhaps the
baying Of bloodhounds as they tracked some
insurgent vassal to his last refuge in the for
est He possessed magnificent beard, flow
ing after the fashion Of dark cascade down
his breast and his thick INTENDED hair rus
tied angrily behind, while he strobe with un
even step and bent SHAGGY brow under the
se:.ers Of his rugged hall.
He possessed also-the great brute "a
daughter of exquisite loneliness, of whom the
arch-Gend himself could scarcely have been
more unworthy. Hers was the form of a
queen-tall, stately, graceful as the bees'"
tree in spring, but her face was all sensibili-
ty, its prevailing expression being an innocent
candor which blcnt-oh, how charmingly y
with look of sweet, tender, virginia. diff
dence
The young squires and bachelor knights of
the country worshipped Katrina. Those who
had yet their spurs to win would think Of her
deep eyes, so irexpressibly blue, upon the
eve of joust or tournament, and swear for her
sake and the dear hope of gaining her love, to
strike such doughty blows upon the morrow
that not Sir Tristrem, nor Sir Launcelot of
the Lake, could have stood against the force
and spirit put into them! And warriors of
acknowed ged fame came from far and wide,
from Brittany and Languedoc, from Spain
and Italy and Province, from Germany, and
even mist-encircled Scotland and the cold
Northern Isles, arrayed in steel armor inlaid
with gold, and bearing her colors on lance or
helm. Unnumbered where the mimic but
sometimes fatal conflicts fought, and mighty
was the proves displayed in Katrina's behalf.
Indeed, things went SO far at last, that the
very name of this peaceful and gentle girl.
who could scarcely brook sight of blood, were
it that only of hare or bird became the sig
nal for mortal strife between kinsfolk, and
even brethren.
Therefore, the Baron, her father, known as
Robert tie Rude, indulgng 10 many BIAS
phemous imprecations because of the trouble
given him by such eager suitors, selected
from them knight after his own soul-that
is to say, wine bibber aud glutton, with the
muscles of Anak whom he insisted, in his
usual stern, percmptory manner, that Katrina
should marry forthwith.
s'By the kings of Cologne, my pretty de-
moiselle," he grumbled through his huge
beard !; "a proper man and stalwart, with
store of guiders beside, and as fond of that
white face of thioe" lin sooth it was pale
while the Baron spoke) Gas black Bess yon-
der is Of her pups Gramercy, a right goodiy
match; SO get thee ready, girl, for it lacks
lst five days to Martinmas, and' (c!ucking
her with the grace of bear under the ching
"thou must be made an honest wife Of on that
blessed morn-no sooner, no later; tits my
will p
Alas, for Katrina Like many another un
fortunate maideus before her time and since,
she could not use her heart like q puppet nor
bend her inclinations thus suddenly to this
despotic command Without daring to utter
! one word of reply, she crept to her little tur-
ret chamber, and there wept exceeding bitter
! tears.
For Katrina, unknown to all had now for
two anxious years loved with the passionate
ardor of soft, yet profound spirit, one whose
| foot had never presumed to approach the
threshold even of the Baron's dwelling. This
was young forester, 1.-the, active, handsome,
aud somehow with good blood in his veins
who had once saved her life and the Baron's
| at the risk of his own, when the twain, d:ly-
ing home through the wintry forest, were set
upon By pack Of furnished wolves. Seant
enough. by ST. Peter, were the fathers
thanks but Katrina's heart sweled with
grateful emotion; and when next she met
Oswald accidentally in the woods still MAIN
ed and SCARED from his fearful encounter, all
| the woman was declared, and in voice trem
| ulous and slow, but divine he thought as the
voice of angels, she faltered her acknowledge
ments and passed in strange hutter OF aSi-
tation from view. Aye, but from his heart
never more!
| In lonesome walks under immemora trees,
| making twilight Of high noon-whea the
moon glanced shyly through the opening
glades or dewitt branches-by the pleasant
fountain which seemed in its flowing to muir
muir her name with reverence; verify IN the
midst Of the chase, with his arrow htted to
| the bow-string, he would pause and droop, and
his strong arm was lowered unconsciously to
his side. and glamour came over him
wherein he saw not the feet quarry which
bounded along the hill, but giistening eyes
aud pitiful pale forehead bent gently near
| his own.
Time went on, but did not cure his mad
ness To such cases it seldom does. What
vas worse, his infatuatiou was shared BY an
other. Had he not saved her life, and to
when should life thus rescued properly be-
long?
| The old story, reader, the old, old story :
Our high born maiden, proud too for all her
sweetness turned from gorgeous baronial in
signa from towns, courts, and castles, from a
score of equals by birth; above all, from the
winehibbing young knight with the thews of
Anak, to the humble forester whom her fanay
clothed with radiant and manly beauty she
had met no where else on earth.
| What MARVEL then that her fathers COM
mand should have overwhelmed her? And
since misfortunes come not singly it happen
ed by dolefal chance that tidings of these
stolen meetings, in the wood, were,
on the self-same night, brought by a
certain malignant spy to the Baron's
| cor HI VIII, onnvaued tbnro Shuddore.d #