The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-04-16

Dionuei spent the night In laying
plans for the deliverance of Richard.
He resolved to gain admittance into
the castle for his followers, through
his friendship for the lovely girl, who
had already made an impression on
his heart.
Within a day or two the newly
elected Emperor was to be crowned
at Frankfort. On the evening of the
coronation, he detected the landlord
Of the little inn near Triefels to give
to the garrison banquet, that
with proper ceremony they might
drink to the health of the new mon
arch. Meanwhile, one by one, his
own trusty knights stole through the
twilight Of the woods behind the
castle.
At late hour of evening the lit
tie side gate of fortress opened, as the
young girl cautiously stole out to
meet Blondel.
Then, for the first time, he unfold
ed to her the real object Of his meet
ing with her, entreating her to fly
back to England with the King
(whom he was about to liberate) and
himself; assuring her that every to-
ken OF love and gratitude should be
shown her II she would yield to his
wishes.
With cry of establishment and
pain, she exclaimed, ooh! 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 unperceiv-
ell, flOcked about her, and made their
way to the castellan's room, where
the tower keys were kept. The few
defenders of the fortress who were not
at the village feast were soon over
powered I; the old keeper was power.
less to do aught-but he cried out, as
the liberated Richard stood before
him: against this deed, contrary to
\ law of nations, protest and swear
that you shall not leave Germany in
safety !" The poor maiden threw
herself upon her knees and accused
herself as the cause of this terrible
disaster.
Meanwhile, the report of the attack
upon the castle had reached the inn
and the warriors rushed back i'm hOt
haste to find themselves barred out
side the walls, with threat made
that if they did not dispense, the cas-
tellan should lose his head and thu
castle be destroyed.
BlOndel and the King urged thu
maiden to return with them to Eng
land, but she could not forgive tn,
man who had used her heart for M
act of treason.
BlOndel left her, but not until sh,
had accepted a ring and chain o
, gold in token of his eternal remem
brance of her love and service toward
him.
We do not propose to follow tn,
fortunes Of Crur-de-LiOn after his es
} cape from Triefels; but to tell tn,
reader what tradition says of thu
minstrel BlOndel and the unhapp!
|, maiden.
Many, many years after the event
which we have described, and OF
another summer day, a grey-hairet
, cavalier rode over the same mountain
pass, where the king had been sOugh
and found.
"Here," murmured he, "here hav,
l felt in days gone by the highes
bliss and the deepest woe of my life =
Slowly he rode on till he had reached
the little inn.
AS he looked into the face of tn,
landlord, he discovered the feature
of the young shepherd-boy. With al
almost tender interest the two Zone o
whom was BlondeD talked of tn
past.
In tears the now old minstrel learn
, the sad fate of the castelar, and hi
niece. He was killed by some bidder
hand soon after the flight OF Richard
! was discovered The broken hearted
maiden entered convent near Baden
where hencefOrth her life and history
were lost to the world.
None can visit this ancient ruin o
Triefels without melancholy inter
est, as they recall tine dreiry prison
life of the great King Richard; thu
touching romance of the minstre
knight, Blondel, and the lovely, low
ing maiden over whose story centu
ries have now rolled.