River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-08-01

/ WIS hthiu SihBluB IutSe words :.
The golden stars wander over hill
and valley, messengers of my on9ings
and my grlefs. In this gloomy prison
| pass my life, and confide my woes to
| Heaven. "
Oh my king" sobbed the night.
as pale face appeared at a tower win
dow. "How can tell you how near nv
friends are Z"
The harpl" he cried suddenly,
and, snatching it up, with trembling
fingers, he played a romance he had
once composed for the king.
No sooner had he finished few bars
than the voice in the towers caught up
the air and finished it. /" Blondel" ex-
claimed the king For answer, the
minstrel again seized his harp and
sang:
On, Richard oh, my kincl
The world abdndons thee,
Aud no one now - seeking
The dellyerancc but me
III save thy pICcluus person,
will break thy cruel cham.
pledge myself IN song
Thy freedom to regain
Blondel spent the night in LAYING
plans for the dellverance of Richard
He resolved to gain admittance TO the
castle TOR his followers through his
friendship for the lovely girl, who had
already made an impression on his
heart.
Within day or two the newly.
elected emperor was to be crowned at
Frankfort. On the evening of the cor
onation, he directed the landlord of the
little inn near Trifels to give the car.
rison of the castle banquet, that with
proper ceremony they might drink to
the health of the new monarch. Mean
while, one by one, his own trusty
knights stole, through the twilight, to
the woods behind the castle.
AT a late hour of the evening the
little side-gate of the fortress opened.
as the young maiden cautiously stole
out to meet Blondel.
Then, for the first time, he unfolded
to her the real object of his meeting
with her. entreating her to fly back to
England with the king (whom he was
about to liberate) and himself, assuring
her that every token of love and grati-
tude should be shown her if she would
yield to his wish.
With cry of astonlshment and pain,
she exclaimed, "Oh, traitor! oh, woe
my poor uncle ~ As she turned to fly
within the castle walls. the followers
of Blondel-who, in the darkness, had
approached unperceiyed- -hocked about
her, and made their way to the castel-
lan's room, where the tower keys were
kept. The few defenders of the for.
tress who were not at the village feast
were soon overpowered. The old keep
er was powerless to do aught; but he
cried out, as the liberated Richard
stood before him: Against this
deed, contrary to the law of nations,
protest, and swear that you shall not
leave Germany in safety !" The poor
maiden threw herself upon her knees,
ard accused herself rs the cause of the
terrible disaster
Meanwhile, the report of the attack
upon the castle had reached the inn,
and the warriors came back IN hot
haste to find themselves barred out.
side the walls, with threat that if
they did not disperse the castelar,
should lose his head and the castle be
destroyed.
Blondel and the king urged the
maiden To return with them to Eng
land, but she could not forgive the
man who had used her heart for an act
of treason
Bloadel left her, but not till she had
accepted ring and chain of gold i'm to-
ken of his eternal remembrance of her
love and service towards him.
We do not propose to follow the for
tunes OF Cwur-de-Lion after his escape
from Triefels; but To tell our reader
what tradition says of the minstrel
Blondel and the unhappy maiden.
Many, many years after the events
which we have described, and ON an.
other summer day, gray-haired cava-
licr rode over the same mountain pass,
where the king had been sought and
found.
Here, murmurcd he, "here have
| felt in days gone Ivy the highest bliss
and the deepest woe of my life y
Slowly he rode on till he had reached
the little inn
As he looked into the face OF the
landlord he discovered the features OF
the young shcphcrd.boy. With an
almost tender interest the two tone of
whom was BlondcD talked of the past.
In tears the old minstrel learned
the sad fate of the castelar, and his
niece. He was killed hy some hidden
hand soon after the fight of Richard
was discovered. The broken. hearted
maiden entered convent near Baden.
where henceiorth her life and HISTORY
we're lost to tho world.
None can visit this ancient ruin of
Trieiels without melancholy interest