The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-11-11
I Written for the Bolivar BULLETIN ]
Letter From Germany,
ON THE DANUBE.


If you have ever sailed by moonlight,
you will perhaps not disagree with me
in saying, uothing is more enchanting
if you are the least romantic.
Not long since party of gentlemen,
consisting of two others besides mys If,
weIe enjoying the glorious beauty of the
Danube which though not celebrated, has
picturesqe scenery that none can do
otherwise than admire.
Our little pleasure boat Aoated leisure
" along, and the peaceful ripples being
disturbed from their pleasant rep,se by
the steady splash Of the oar, seemed to
murmur faint words of sweetness ia our
ears.
could see the little fish glimmering
in the water Ike clusters of diamonds,
Gliding swiftly by in their playful ram
blss. Not many stars did we behold, for
hey lad hidden their Golden Lamps
ere the beautiful pale Empress O.
Night" rising 10 her spIs nlid glory, and
clothed in her silvery garments, had il
Illuminated the earth with the Light from
her soul.
On ono bank of the stream were pret-
ty little villages, now slumbering peace.
fully, then looking upon the other shore,
your eye wandered into romantic valleys
green with foliage. And farther down
as we sailed lofty mountains frowned a
welcome, casting their spectral like shad-
ows on the river, there to slumber until
the morning sun should chase away
the drowsV phantoms.
Directly upon our PROV 1 discerned a
draw-bridge spanning the river, and
reaching an old castle of FeudaI times,
(now long since abandoned) with its un-
scalable stone walls, partly standing and
laying in ruined heaps around it, and
the light of the moon when now and ther
a cloud passed over it, gave a ghastly
: aspect 60 everything around. 1t seemed
that we would suddenly see the fantastic
vision of some noble knight, clad 10 hi
armor of steel, that flashed in the moon
: beams as he walked to and fro, in th
long decayed pOrticOes; ever and anon
he would pause, as if listening for tn
football of some friend, whom he ever,
m mens expected; or meditating upol
the scenes of revelry and feasting, tina
i had once transpired within those deserte
walls.
A light breeze was blowing, yer
gently it disturbed tae still air and aide
\ our boat along; but soon the frail whit
arm of the clouds began tenderly to en-
brace the moon, warning US to retur;
lest a storm should arise and frighten a
). our moonlight dreams away. But "
p had gone so far, and the gatheridg cloud
" became more dark and threatening, rel
?T dered it impossible foc US to revert OF
course.
At last in this dilemma, we conclude
to make our way to the old castle an
y find shelter under its once hospital
roof; after seeing our little craft safe
- moored in a coy nook, we walked hu
: riedly toward the old dilapidated rui
= reaching it just in time to save Ourselv
from the now hard-beating rain.
The castle presented gloomy appea
- ance, which made me shudder as we e
tered It's high-arched doorway all VI
darkness and silence within, not a sour
was heard save the raging storm withO
and the frequent and lurid glare Of ligt
ming flashed across our vision as '
peered into the large and shadowy ha
n' l had fortunately at the beginning Of o.
voyage placed within my cigar case
81 few small tapers and matches for our
'ie gaTs, lighting one of these. my associat
SO proposed to explore the castle provided
en-, would remain in the hal / 60 if tia
saould lose their way 10 its intricate p.
cages l could answer when they callet
re readily consented to this plan, and
the sound Of their footsteps died awa
iers faint misgiving entered my heart
was not frightened, but there seemed
lsP- be an inexplicabls something that caus