The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-10-19

basement completely finished, and 80 ia
rendered habitable that he determined
one fine summer night, to pass the few
hours of darkness within its walls. Al
yet, indeed, there was no chamber fur
nished, but the thought that possession
was nine points of the law, and that h,
was reposing within his own dwelling
made even the couch of moss appear like
a bed of down to him. Day had moi
dawned, however, ere he was suddenly
awakened from his profound slumber by
a tremendous Gathering over his head
and on all sides of him. He listened fol-
awhile, intending to curse the workmer
for troubling his repose. His choler
however, soon gave way to alarm, and he
could scarcely credit his senses when he
saw the beams and rafters of the upper
story tumbling and rattling about him
as If shaken by an earthquake. And
well might he have mistaken it for one,
for the earth trembled with the violence
of a general convulsion, and fearful
noises, like the roaring of raging bulls,
struck upon his astonished ear.
Now, although Sir Eppo nowadays
lacked courage, yet he thought it most
prudent, in the first instance, to provide
for his safety, and to inquire into the
cause OF the uproar afterward. In this
he showed his judgment, for the vaulted
ceiling above his head began to crack,
and the stones already threatened to fall
in and bury him in the ruins. Indeed,
he had no time to spare, for he had
scarcely leaped out of one of the windows
when part of the edifce fell in with a
laundering crash, and the old giant
who itappears had returned from Alsace
during the night-was seen above the
ruins battering the walls with his iron
mace, and laughing in bitter derision at
the terrified peasants, who fled in the
utmost CONSERVATION, without power to
look behind, much less to endeavor to
oppose the work of destruction.
When the sun rose above the mount
aims nothing was to be seen upon the
spot where the beautiful structure had
begun to rise save a desolate heap of
stones and rubbish. Here, however, the
giant again fixed his headquarters, and
continued as before to harass and oppress
the neighborhood in every possible way,
so that the whole surrounding country
was filed with alarm and despair, and
sorely deplored the few months of repose
they had enjoyed during the residence of
the knight who had quilted the valley,
but not without pledging his word to re-
turn in due time. The country people,
who saw him depart with much of the
money they had subscribed for building
the castle, placed little confidence in
this promise, and even regretted their
own credulity, and the more so rs sew
eral weeks elapsed without their receiv-
ing any tidings of him. They cOnse-
guently gave up all hopes of ever seeing
him again, and began to reconcile them
selves to their fate, resolving to make the
best of bad job, and forget that Eppo
had ever been their guest.
One day, as they were lamenting their
unhappy lot and complaining of Eppo's
infidelity, who should appear among
them but the knight himself, accom-
panied by half dozen servants, driving
before them several mules laden with
heavy sacks? The knight would by no
means tell them what was contained in
these sacks, ard strictly enjoined his
servants, who had all the air of black
smiths, to observe the most profound Sc
crecy concerning his intentions. In the
meantime he inquired when the giant
was wont to take his afternoon nap, and
how long it usually lasted. On being
informed that it was then exactly the
monsters hour of rest, and that in that
hot season of the year it was not likely to
be of very short duration, Eppo ordered
his companions to proceed with the ut
most speed, but in perfect silence, to his
demolished castle.
The knight scarcely knew whether to
weep or smile on reaching the we'll
known spot, and his heart throbbed
when he heard the awful snore of the
usurper, for such he denominated the
giant. Indeed, it was not without con-
siderable difficulty that he succeeded in
preventing his companions from taking
to their heels at the sound Of this unu-
sual music, which resembled the low bel |
lowing Of distant herd of wild bulls, |
with the droning tones of enor-
nous bagpipes.
The sleeper was lying upon his back |
in an open space inclosed by the remains |
of the walls, with no other shelter than |
few ellis of cosrse sail-cloth, which served |
to protect his face from the burning rays
Of the midday sun. Having recon-
n0itered the enemy's position, Eppo |
his orders to his follow
ers, and in one instant the sacks were
rings taken out and linked together
with the greatest caution and dispatch.
As good luck would have it, the giant
had drank nearly half an anker Of 10.
for his breakfast, and was
sleeping after his meal.
Thus everything succeeded to perfection,
30 when at last he opened his eyes he
found himself Gagged in heavy network
of iron, which was 30 firmly riveted on
all sides that he vainly strove to extri-
cate himself, and no less vainly filled the
air with his horrid blasphemies. Eppo
now rose upon the wall, and in his turn
laughed heartily. Seeing the monster
nearly exhausted with his efforts, he
blew a loud blast upon his horn, and
soon summoned all the neighboring
peasants to the spot, who were no less |
astonisSed than rejoiced to see their
dreaded foe impotently cursing and |
raving beneath the heavy iron web. No
body, however, ventured to approach
until, having taken all necessary precau-
b'Ouny uho Whoio pouy hOuuIed upon the /
walls and commenced hurling down
fragments of rock and stone upon their
prisoner. They then returned every one |
to his own, home, until the men who had |
been left to watch brought intelligence |
that he had breathed his last, over !
whelmed and crushed by the weight of |
stones.
In gratitude TO Eppo for their deliv-
cry, the honest people forthwith recon-
menced building the castle, which, when
yielded to none of the fort
resses of the neighboring barons, either
in beauty or strength, and was called
EPpstein in honor OF their liberator. In
order to- remind future generations of
the wonderful circumstance that had led |
to its erection, the bones of the giant
were fixed up over the grand portal, and
when they moldered away their effigy
was carved in stone, as an undeniable
testimony to the truth of the story.
WLnA AL~~ -. n A 4