Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-03-12
THE LONE CASTLE OF THE SEA,
A Romantic Incident OF the Great In
undat1on of Holland. A. d. 142I.
From tbe San Francisoo Rullat;p

A Romantic Incident OF the Great In
undntIon of Holland. A. D. 142I.
From the San Francisco Bulletin.
| Hon. ]. W. Dwinelle, the counsel of
Laura Fair, closed his lecture on Holland,
at Oakland. Tuesday ght, with the fol.
lowing romantic and impressive story
founded upon an innndation of the sea in
| l42l, by which, IN one night, 100000 per-
sons and 72 villages were DESTROYED, of
which there are now no traces except
single stone tower, standing alone in the
waters, called the tower of Merwede.
On the morning of the Goth of Novem-
ber, in the year l42l, there was grand
i pageant at the castle of the Count of Mer-
wede. The King was holding his court at
Antwerp, and the nobility of the province
had assembled to go forth in a body TO
meet him. Foremost among them in
wealth aad power was the Count Van
! Merwede. For several days he had en-.
tertained his fellow mobiles as his guests,
while their retainers formed a large camp
about his castle. And now with banners
and trumpets, the count and his guests in
! splendid array issued forth from the por-
tails of the castle, and placed themselves
at the head of the gran1 cavalcade. All
seemed joyous and happy, but there were
| two persons there vino were not happy.
Rudolph Van Arteveldt was the Younger
son of a nobleman whose possessions ad-
joined those ofCouat Van Merwede, and
he loved Margaret Van Merwede, the
Counts only child. -r1-
CRUEL FATHER IN THE WAY.
Need 1say that there was stern and
| cruel father in the way? When Rudolph
declared to the Count the mutual leve that
existed between the Counts daughter and
himself, the Count could not resist his
scorn. He could not deny that Rudolph's
blood was as good as his own but tainted
him with his poverty. "What, a penni.
less boy ask In marriage the very richest
heiress in all the Netherlands What an
absurd proposition" And when Rudolph
pleaded that he would take his sword to
the wars and win riches and renown, the
stern old Couut had bidden him begone,
with much more emphasis than civility.
And Rudolph had taken himself away
from the rude paternal presence, with no
comfort except what he derived from a
plain ring of gold which Margaret gave
him when they parted, and the few words
of troth which she uttered. He had gone
to the sea shore, and there found a foster
brother dying, but who, before he died.
told him a secret of wondrous cave in
In Finland, on the sea coast, whose sandy
| floor was mine Of the richest and largest
masses chamber. Fitting outa small YES
sci, ne had sought and found this precious
deposit; had made four long voyages to
Venice, bringing her back rich diamonds
and CHAINS OF gold and precious gems of
the East. This very day he had presented
himself again to Count Van Merwede. and
told him what he had done "You refused
me the hand of your daughter four wears
ago because | was poor. am row rich.
er than the richest nobleman Ia the Meth.
erlands, and besides know The secret of a
mine of amber which is worth untold mil
lions. We love each other still give me
your daughter.n
A SECOND REPULSE.
Now Rudolph Van Arteyeldt under
stood how to deal with amber mines. and
probably could have managed diamond
mine very successfully-if it were not
salted-but evidently did not know how
10 deal with the stern parent Of his below
ed. Perhaps there is no invariable rule
Tor dealing with stern parents Perhaps
one should deal with them as With dear,
caprlcious, lovely woman-pretty much
! according to circumstances. But Rudolph
did not strike the responsive cord in the
old Counts heart. Perhaps he was offend
ed that Rudolph should speak of his sud-
den wealth In Dragging sort of way.
Perhaps he was afraid Of being patronized
by son-in-law. No matter how it was:
the old man TOOK ofense. What,O roared
he; What, do you suppose that would
give my daughter to fellow who is en-.
gagged In trade !? You have given up
your nobility, it seems, but shall not
give up mine" Rudolph thought he had
something to reflect upon, and perhaps he
also thought that he was not needed
there any more, for he retired; not, how
ever, without a
ONE SAD, SWEET INTERVIEW
with Margaret, for young lovers interview
ed each other in those days, occasionally.
As the sun went down Margaret looked
toward the south, and could just make out
the banners where her father and his
I friends were encamped for the night.
Then she looked to the west, where the
towers of bort stood out in clear, black
relief against the golden sky, and she
thought of her lover, whose ship lay at