Daily Republican., 1878-12-28
The Riders Of the Green Bal
dgic.
A ROMANCE OF THE FEuDAL TINES.

from what it was ia those times lon,
ago.
- Louis XII. was King OF France, bu
king only in name. The great feuda
lords OF the provinces were sovereig,
princes, holding government in theil
own right.
The kings OF Christendoin themselves
were little else than robbers on a larg.
scale.
|. was a dull, lowery day, the seven
teenth OF August, in the year of oui
Lord Fourteen Hundred Fifty eight, al
Alsdorf, which was then within tn.
Grand Duehy OF Luxembourg and the
summer residence Of the Grand Duke.
On this dismal August day the Duke
John stood in the outer court of his
castle, the gates Of which were thrown
wide open, looking upon a number ol
children who were at play upon the
velvety sward. Three OF them were
children of his own-two boys and a
girl--and three others were children OF
one OF his foresters, Galena Picard by
! AoH''' Va th' huht .
was the oldest, having seen eis hit years.
Leon was the next, aged six years, and
the youngest was Alfred aged four.
! The children Of the forester were two
girls and boy, and very nearly the
same ages respectively, as their titled
macs. The boys had been foster
brothers, the wife of the forester hav.
ing nursed them 9th.
| On the present occasion the children
were engaged IN sport, and the dukes
face frightened as their gleesome shouts
and laughter reached him. By and by
the two foster brothers, seeing him, ran
towarcs him.
"Ha, my little heroesn' he cried, as
the boys came up, "where are your
quarter slaves! haven't Seen you ex
ercse for long time. "
With whoop and u bound the lads
dashed away, and very soon returned
with the staves--two sticks Of tough
ash, wrought very nearly into the form
of broad swords; and at a signal from
the duke they took position, and went
IT the sword exercise, showing very
plainly, ere dozen passes had been
made, that they had eagerly pursued
the sport, and that they had been bless
rd with the teaching OF a thorough mas
ter.
John Of Luxembourg was not the on.
ly witness Of the boyish passage at
arms. In the doorway of a lodge close
at hand stood a woman, the mother of
Leon Picard and she called compau-
ion TO witness.
Tell me-, Mignon," the mother said,
fare they not brave boys?"
Indeed they are, Barbara, and
were it not for the clothes who could
tell which was the lords sont'
"Who, indeedn EXCLAIMED Barbara
Picard. "lf my own Leon had on Tia.
fine velvet and the gold which the 9th
er Leon wears, he would be every bit
as grand.
Foolish woman" said a voice be-
hind her, "outward apparel cannot
make hero. Look. see your Icons
weapon flying through the air."
she turned, and h-held the dukes
secretary, Zeta B"thtoni, who, besides
attel ding to his masters literary
vans acted as tutor to the children.
As might he gathered from the ex
clamation of the scribe, the playful |
combat between the two boys had re
suited in perching victory upon the
banner of Luxembourg. The duke re
garded his son proudly, and then turn
ed with smiling face upon the forester's
son.
my little hero" he said, "your ef
fort just put forth shows to me that
you are worthy to own sword, and
you shall have one and you shall go
to Bittburg to morrow and select one
for you. self and my own Leon and
our good Bethtoni shall 90 with you
All here comes Bethtoni. see Mis-
treSs Picard yonder, and the other
are running towards her. Do
you two join them.'
Suddenly the tramp of horses was
heard, and Bethtoni rushed forward to
close the main barbican.
"Did you not see the advancing
troop, my lordN he asked of the duke.
81 saw few horsemen ride out from I
he wood
"And marked you not who led .
hem ?"
81 saw a knight in black armor >
"Oh, john of Luxembourg, if you
inew all that | know you would be
lrlning. Those are the Black Riders Of
iravelot, and he at their head Is Mail
otin du Bac ~ $
"Du Bac - cried John, with con-
,ulsive start. The Black Riders They l
ave joined the Count de Charolais.' I
" Aye,--and for that reason they t
lre here! Can you not understand The I
,ount means, if possible, to possess t
mself of Luxembourg. received a l.
tint to that effect from a wayfaring v
,.onll not an hour since, and was on a
ny way to you with the intelligence
mt now, little thinking the enemy r
we're 50 near" $
he duke saw is danger, and hast d
i d into the ke p to arm himself t
The Black Riders of Grav-lot Castle !
ai been long tho terror of the whole II
ountry. Originally maIshalled by a a
Bohemian kr ghterrant, Sir Raoul de q
.angwof, they had grown from score }
o a troop offull two hundred, and not j
My did they attack castles and viii a
ages for purpose of plundcr but they y
ad more than once successfully turn
4 their arms against incorporated y
tiles. Lately this lawless force had /