River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-03-14


by son.in-law. No matter how it was !;
the old man took ofense. +" What" roared
he What do you suppose that | would
give my daughter TO fellow who is en-.
gagged in trade ? You have given M
your nobility, 1t seems, but / shall not
give up lnine.' 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
ONE SAD, SWEET INTERVIEW
with Margaret, for young lovers interview
ed each other in those days, occasionally.
As the sun went down Margaret locked
toward the south, and could Just make out
the banners where her father and his
friends were encamped for the night.
Then she looked to the west, whore the
towers Of bort stood out in clear. black
relief against the golden sky, and she
thought OF her lover, whose ship lay at
anchor of the coast there. Then she said
her prayers, and prayed that Rudolph
D'ight be always true and good, and her
father better; and then she betook herself
TO bed, and went to sleep, and dreamed of
Rudolph. All good girls said their pray.
ers, and went to bed early, and dreamed
of Rudolph, in those good old times.
All the evening the wind had been blow.
ing harder and harder from the west.
When Rudolph reached bort, on his re-
turn from Merwede castle, it blew such
a gale that he could hardly get on board /:
one anchor after another had been put out
until they were all out. More and more
violently ragged the hurricane, until the
sea ran madly with the black waves and
the white foam, which the noble ship
roasted triumphantly, but which beat
like thunder upon the trembling shore
under clear, cloudless sky, aud beneath
the full noon.
SUDDENLY THERE WAS FEARFUL cry FROM
THE WATCH,
"The dyke has given way p Rudolph
/ sprang to the deck The shore line was
/ gone. The sea In wide smooth stream,
was sweeping in upon the low lands.
The boat IN which Rudolph had come on
board swung IN the tide at the ships
stern. Selling a few sailors cloaks which
lay near him, he tossed them into boat,
lowered himself by rope, and before a
question could be asked him, had cast her
loose and was sculling toward the very
center OF the flood pouring from the sea
into the land.
UNITED AMID DEsoLATIoN.
Margaret Van Merwede slept calmly in
her quiet chamber Once she awoke to
hear the roaring of the tempest and to
feel the old castle tremble beneath the
shock. But she crossed herself and went
to sleep again. Theu she dreamed that
she was looking out upon moonlit waters,
and that from them rose up the face of her
father, pale, stern, yet kindly, and that he
said to her: stake Rudolph for thy hus.
band he has won thee and then she
heard the voice Of Rudolph himself cry.
ing as if IN agony, Margaret, Mar
garetW She started from her sleep in
fright, and by the light of the taLer burn.
ing before the shrine of the Holy Virgin.
saw Rudolph's pale face at the easement.
Rudolph, Rudolph she exclaimed, "is
this the love that you bear me to come al
night to my Window BY the soul Of my
dear, dead mother, implore you to de-
part" He answered not. Was il Ru
dolph or his ghost HIS lips seemed to
struggle for utterance. Finally the words
come, Margaret, the sea has burst its
bounds. ely to the balcony above.p Even
as he spoke the waters came pouring in
A moment afterwards he received her in
his arms from the balcony above. Vainly
they listened There was no sound Of
life; naught but the bowling Of the wind
and the dashing Of the waves against their
frail bark, The next evening he reached
the ship with the sole survivor of the ca
tastrophe.
In the Dude Kerk at Amsterdam, Ru.
dolph and Margaret Van Arteveldt rest
in the same tomb, upon which their sculp.
tured effigies in marble lie side by side
And once year the Count Van Arteveldt
rows in his boat to the castle balcony,
mounts the stone staircase TO the summit
Of the tower, and waves his flag in token
Of continued lOrdship over the Lone Cas-.
tie OF the sea.