The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-24
rHERIDERsoFTHE GREENBALDRIC
AnonAScE OF rErDAL TIMES.

Tie traveller Of to-day would ind th
Country of which write vastly diferer
I'm appearance and In condition, from wins
1t was In those times long ago.
Louis NJ. was King Of France, but kin
only in name. The great feudal lords
the provinces were sovereign princes, hold
ing government In their own right.
The kings OF Christendom themselye
were little else than robbers on a larg
scale,
twas a dull, lowery day, the seven
teenth OF August, In the year OF our LorI
Fourteen Hundred Fifty-eight, at Ais
dorf, which was then within the GranC
Duchy Of Luxembourg, and the summe
residence OF the grand duke.
On this dismal August day the Crane
Duke John stood in the outer court OF hi
castle, the gates Of which were thrown
wide opon, looking upon o number o
children who were at play upon the vel
vety sward. Three OF them were children
Of his own-two boys and girl-and three
Others were children OF one OF his forest
ers, Galen Picard by name. OF the dukes
children Isabella was the Oldest, having
seen eight years. Leon was the next aged
six years; and the youngest was Alfred
aged four. The children OF the forester
were two girls and q boy, and very nearly
Of the same ages, respectively, as theii
titled mates, The boys had been foster
brothers, the wife OF the forester having
nursed them both. gg
On the present occasion the children
were engaged in sport, and the dukes face
frightened as their gleesone shouts and
laughter reached him. By and by the two
foster brothers, seeing him, ran toward:
him. -. = a.,4.tI,. q.
"Ha, my little heroesl'' he cried, as the
boys came up, where are your quarter
slaves? haven't seen you exercise for q
long time" uarrp9 rEar
With q whoop and o bound the lads
dashed away, and very soon returned with
the stayes-tWo sticks OF tough ash,
wrought very nearly into the form Of
broad-swords; and at signal from the
duke they took position, and went at the
sword exercise, showing very plainly, ere
dozen passes had been made, that they
had eagerly pursued the sport, and that
they had been blessed with the teaching
Of q thorough master.
John OF Luxembourg was not the only
witness of the boyish passage at arms. In
the doorway OF lodge close at hand stood
a woman, the mother OF Leon Picard, and
she called a companion to witness,
ai"Tell me, Mignon," the mother said,
are they not brave boys?"
Indeed they are Barbara, and were It
not for the clothes who could tell which
was the lords SOM"
"who, indeed" exclaimed Barbara ri
card. "Ifmy own Leon had on the fine
velvet and the gold which the other Leon
wears, he would be every bit as grand"
2 Foolish woman" said a voice behind
her, "outward apparel cannotmake hero.
Look. See your Icons weapon flying
through the air. %
She turned, aud beheld the Dukes sec
rotary, Zeta Bethtoni, who, besides attend
ing to Ills masters literary wants, acted as
tutor to the children.
As might be gathered from the exclama-
ton OF the scribe the playful combat be-
tween the two boys had resulted in perch
ing victory upon the banner Of Luxem-
bonrg The duke regarded his son proud
", and then turned with smiling face to
the forester's son. rs
my little hero" he said, "your effort
Just put forth shows TO me that YOU are
worthy to own a sword, and you shall
have one; and you shall go to Blttburg to-
morrow and select one for yourself; and
smyiown Leon and our good Bethtoni shall
go with you. All! here comes BethtOni.
see Mistress Picard Wonder, anil the 9TH
.er children are running towards her. Do
you two join them - =
I Suddenly the tramp OF horses WAS heard
and BethtOni rushed forward to close the
main barbican. fHaaT ...rHa
!. gDid you, not see the advancing troop,
my ,lord?"" he asked OF the duke. ria.
II saw few horsemen ride out from the
wood" .s,t. ..s,
And marked you not who led them?'
"Isaw aknightin. black armor." 'i.
sob, John OF Luxembourg, II you knew
all that / know you would be arming.
Those are the Black Riders OF Grayelot,
and he at their head Is Nfaillotin du Bac"
EIeDu BAG" cried John, with eonynl-
siye start. ''The Black Rilers! They
have Joined the Count de Carolais.'
"Aye,-aud for that reason they are
here! Can you not understand? The
count means, Il possible, to possess him
self OF Luxembourg. received hint
to that effect from q wayfaring monk not
M hour since, and was on my way to You
with theintelligence but now, little think
Ing the enemy wore so near"
The duke saw his danger, and hastenetl
into the keep TO arm himself.
1 The Black Riders OF Gravelot Castle had
long been the terror OF the whole coun-
try, Originally marshalled by Bohemi-
an knight-errant, Sir Raopl de Langwolf,
they had grown from 2 score 70 troop Of
full, two hundred, and not only did they
attack castles and Villages for purposes Of
plumber, but they had more than once
successfully turned their arms against in
corporated cities, Lately this lawless
force had accepted eryiceunder the Count
de ,Charolais, and John OF Luxembourg
knew very well that they would not thus
appear upon his domain without direction
from their lord and master.
By the time the leadpr OF the Black
Riders had reached the outer gate, the al'
proaches 70 the caste had been secured,
and its forces mustered TO the number OIL
Ifiye-and-sixty. OF the eneTny-it enemler
thay were-there were full two hundred,
all strong men, and well armed; and
when they had drawn up before the outer
barbican their herald sounded blast up,
on hiE trumpet, which call the grand
duke answered,i1 person. His secretary
and the chief Of his officers sought to dis
suade him from exposing himself, but he
would not listen. ...l,, .ss.a
rs He mounted one ofthe smaller towers IN
advance Of the main tower Of the barblCan
in one of the most exposed positions he
could have selected, and demanded to
know upon Whist GRAND the troop had
come. ss.sAl a. s.ott slf So gE.t Ir Z
1--we hold not conference with youl
castle walls between us" answered the
black knight, whose voice, and whose
whole bearing and stalwart presence, John
recognized as belonging 70 Raoul de Lang
wolf. '"Throw open your gates and you
shall quickly know our pleasure. II you
put US TO the labor Of forcing our way I
shalli beiw6fse or.those who. else may not
not sutfeEi VI 8ts4l ! 1Lts& -
At this junGture u second knight rode "
and spoke with the bohemian. He was
cased in plate amor, with his visor closed
| b1T TaFa Raihtnni who hal eOmA tn hi,