The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-02-21

THE STARTLING STORY He TOLD
THE KING OF PRUSSIA.

name of Blucher, the Prussian Field
Marshal, who helped the English to gain
the battle of Waterloo.
Butcher, disContented with everything
and everybody, left France during the
autumn of the same year he had entered
Paris. Angered by having been reduced
to inactivity, he retired to one of his nu-
merous Country-seats, where he soon be-
came prey to a profound melancholy,
the cause of which no one seemed to
know. He was also subject to attacks of
dropsy, and afflicted with Inflammation
of the lungs, the danger of which he con-
eidered more imminent than it really
was. He could not bear to remain in OBJ.
scurity, and solitude he regarded as bod
lily torment, and so great was the inquie-
tude which his state of health gave rise
to, that the King of Prussia departed for
Krieblowitz Immediately after hearing
that the old General had often expressed
desire to see his sovereign before his
death.
At the dead of the night the King ar
rived at the castle, and was at once con-
Quoted to the apartments occupied by
Blucher, who was then seventy-four
years old The royal visitor found him
self in a large, dark room, the old-fash'
iOned furniture of which added greatly
to the melancholy aspect of the place.
Divers arms and trophies of the chase
were hanging upon the walls. The old
General, enveloped in large bearskin,
was seated in an antique oaken chair,
and the only light by which his wan fea-
lures could be disCerned was that Of the
fire which burned on the hearth.
On perceiving the King, he made an
effort to rise to receive him, but the mon
arch told him to remain seated, and,
taking his hand in his own, he sat down
by his side. Blucher made sign to his
attendants that he desired to be alone
with the King, and every one retired
Then, raising himself up with evident
pain, from his half-reClining posture, he
broke the silence by saying:
"Sire, l besought you to undertake the
journey you have made to Krieblowitz,
knowing that you were near, assisting at
the annual review of the troops; but had
you been at Berlin, or even the furthest
extremity of Europe, rather than not see
you-dying and all as / AMI would
have set out to find you, for have a ter.
rible secret to reveal. But before l tell
it, look at me we'll. SCrutinize the ex'
preston Of my CountenanCe, the features
of my face-listen to the tone of my
voice, and pay attention to the order OF
my ideas Assure yourself that l am in
the full possession of my reason, and that
/ have not become mad. For, at times,
l ask myself if l am not an idiot, who
mistakes the dreams of the night for the
events of years gone by.
"But no." continued he, as he drew
from his breast gold bracelet, mo, all
is true, all is real, and l can doubt moth
ing. Listen to me, sire. When the
seven years war broke out, in 1855, my
father, who dwelt in his mansion at
Gross. Renzow, sent me and one of my
brothers to relation of ours, the Prin-
cess Kraswisk, who lived in the island
ofRugen. was then fourteen years old,
and, after having passed some time in
the old fortress without hearing any
news from my family, as Gross Renzow
and it's neighboring countries had be-
come the seat of war, joined regiment
of Hussars in the Swedish service. l
was taken prisoner at the battle Of
LuckoW, and the Prussian Government
urged me to enter its army. During a
whole year resisted all persuasion to
that effect, and at last | obtained my lib
erty by enlisting as a bugler in the Black
Hussars. l, however, managed to pro-
cure few months furlough, for sixteen
years had passed away since | last heard
from my family, but my mind was con-
stantly harassed with fearful thoughts as
to what had become of my mother and
sisters. l at last started for Gross-Ren-
zow, and on my way found all the coun-
try near MecklenbHrg in dreadfully
ravaged state. AS the carriage | was in
moved but slowly and with great diff
Guilty over the rocky road leading to my
ancestors domains l abandoned it, and
continued my route on horseback, ac-
companied by servant-man. This
happened fifty-nine years ago to-day, on
the 18th of August, and just about the
same hour as the hand of that CLOCK you
see there is pointing halfpast eleven
A tremendous storm had commenced;
the thunder rolled and crashed with re-
ports like the firing of a park of artillery,
the lightning flashed and the rain fell in
torrents. After having wandered for
long time in the forest, l arrived at the
door of the castle; and it was only then
that perceived that l was alone, and
that my servant had not followed me;
the tempest and the darkness had prob
ably caused him to stray away.
"Without dismounting, l knocked with
the handle of my whip at the iron-bound
door, bristling with large rivets. No one
answered my call; I knocked again three
different times with the same success
At last, becoming impatient, dismount-
ed. The door opened of its own accord.
saw no one who could have been the
means of giving me admittance. With
out paying any attention to this singular
incident, left my horse standing at the
door, and after having crossed the yard,
l ascended the stairs, and entered the in
terror of the mansion. There was nos
particle of light in the whole place-not
a sound fell upon my ears. l must con-
fess my heart seemed to cease its beat
ing, and a cold chill ran over my whole
body.
"'What follyP thought to myself
THE castle is uninhabited. My family
left it when did, and have not returned.
No matter. As 1 am here, in this de.
serted place, will try to pass the night
as comfortably as possible
".Thus, speaking to myself, I passed
through several apartments, and arrived
at my fathers bed room. A nearly ex-
tinguished fire was slumbering amid the !
ashes on the hearth. With the assist
anCe of its Pickering light I recognized |
my father, my mother, and my four sis
ters, seated in half circle before it,