The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-26


her chamber, and with fearful eyes
sought the oriel where she had last seen
Kuno, and then turned sadly away to
seek her couch again.. there to watch
and weep.
. The clock struck eleven. Instantly
the air was filled with the din of pick
axes, croWbars, sledge-hammers, and
stone-chisels. as if all the miners in
the world were at work, tearing the
entrails of the rock to pieces. Irmen-
garde's heart fluttered as if it would
burst through it's prison; but she dared
not approach the window. =, =.
The Lord of Falkenstein, awakened
by the uproar. descended into the great
hall, which he paced in an absolute
fury.
':The mad man," cried he, ''is pos.
itively at work he will do just enough
utterly to break up my pathways, and
we shall have no egress or ingress but
by basket and pulley
: He strobe to the window and opened
t.
This seemed to be the signal for let
ting loose the elements. The winds
blew from the four points of the
heavens as if the general doom was
near shaking the ancient beeches to
their very roots, and bending the lofty
heads of the other trees till they
creaked and groaned again. The win
dows and doors were blown open and
changed to again the lightning shot
in flood of splendor through the hall,
lighting up the armor for moment
only, but SO wildly that every device
upon every shield was seen more
clearly than at mondays.
The thunder crashed shouts of un-
earthly laughter were heard even
above it's reverberations. Irmengarde,
who had rushed in terror to the hall,
chung to her father, murmuring her
prayers, and making the holy sign.
The clock struck twelve. Presently
the thunder rolled more distantly, the
gusts were less violent, the shouts of
laughter more faint, the moon again
shone forth, and a calm, hardly inter-
rupted by the, balmy zephyr, reigned
throughout Nature.
The Lord of Falkenstein breathed
more freely, and endeavored to calm his
daughter.
'''Twas but the wild huntsman,
said he, sweeping by with his
doomed train.''
Irmengarde was pacifed; for she re-
the promise Of Kuno, and
love believeth all things. She went to
her bower, and slept the sleep of inno-
cence and hope.
Not so the father; he tossed upon
an anxious bed, without closing his
eyes, till the song of birds, and the
ruddy streaks of light told him that
the sun was rising.
Scarcely had the first rays gilded the
turrets, when the tramp of a steed was
heard. The Baron started up, and
from the window beheld on the draw
bridge, the gallant knight, mounted
on his good charger as if he had drop
ped from the skies.
':Well, Lord of Falkenstein, said
the youth gaily, *'your castle is not
very difficult of access now: I never
travelled !. more delightful road in my
life.''
els it possible Am awake - ex-
Claimed the baron as ne caught sight
of the broad, well-beaten way that
wound up the rock.
Kuno entered the hall, where stood
the trembling Irmengarde. The Bar
on led her to the joyous knight.
stake her, he said, 81 will keep
faith so go you. May you be happy,
my children
Right pleasant were the lives of Ku-
no and Irmengarde. And soon did the
halls echo with the merry voices of
their little ones, whose winning ways
charmed away all moroseness from
their grandsire's heart; and the Castle
of Falkenstein was long the abode of
the happy family and of their child
rem 8 children.
A poir of rol6fpoboc bod 1,,,;l@ 4bo;~.