Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-12-27

| provinces were sovereign princes, holding
| government in their own right
The kings of Christendom themselves were
| little else than robbers on large scale.
| 1t was dull, lowery day the seventeenth
| of August in the year of our Lord Fourteen
Hundred Fifty eight. at Alsdort which was
then within the Grand Duchy OF Luxem-
bourg and the summer residence OF the
grand Duke.
| On this dismal August day the Grand
| Duke John stood in the outer court OF his
castle, the gates of which were thrown wide
open, looking upon number OF children
who were al play upon the velvet sward
Three of them were children OF his own two
boys and a girl-and three others were child
rem of one OF his foresters, 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 young
est was Alfred, aged four. The children OF
the forester were two girls anda boy, and
very nearly of the same ages. respectively. AS
their titled mates The boys had been fCs-
ter-brothers, the wife of the forester having
| nursed them both.
On the present occasion the children were
engaged in sport, and the dukes face bright
| ened as their gleesome shouts and laughter
reached him. by and by the two foster
brothers. seeing him, ran towards him.
"Ha, my little heroes he cried, as the
| boys came up. "where Your quarter
| slaves ? haven't seen You exercise for long
time"
With Il whoop and bound the lads dashed
away, and very soon returned with the
| staves-two sticks oftough 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 thorough master.
John of Luxumbourg was not the only wit
nest of the boyish passage at arms. In the
doorway of lodge close ut hand stood
woman. the mother of Leon Picard, and she
called a companion TO witness.
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 son -
''Who, indeed y exclaimed Barbara Picard
If my own Leon had on the fine velvet and
the gold which the other Leon wears, he
would be every bit as grand.
Foolish woman, said a voice behind her,
outward apparel cannot make hero. Look
See your Icons weapon flying through the
air
She turned, and beheld the dukes secre-
tary, Zeta Bethtoni, who, besides attending
to his masters literary wants, acted as tutor
to the children.
As might be gathered from the exclamation
of the scribe the playful combat between the
two boys had resulted in perching victory
upon the banner of Luxembourg. The duke
regarded his son proudly, and then turned
with smiling face to the foresters son.
My little hero, he said, your effort Just
put forth shows to me that you worthy to
own a sword, and you shall have one and
you shall GO to Bittburg tomorrow and select
one for yourself and my own Leon and our
| good Bethton shall 90 with you. All here
comes Bethtoni. | see MistressPicard yon-
| der, and the other children are running to-
wards her. Do you two Join them"
Suddenly the tramp of horses was heard.
and Bethtoni rushed forward to close the
main barbicsn.
did you not see the advancing troop my
lord q re asked of the Duke
II saw few horsemen ride out from the
wood
And marked you not who led them =
a saw knight i'll black armor
"Oh, John of Luxembourg. if you knew all
that know you would be arming. Those
are tho Black Riders of Gravelot and he at
their head is Mailotin du Buc -
"Du Bacr' cried John, with a convulsive
start. The Black Riders The y have joined
the Count de Cbarolais..
"Aye,-and for that reason they are here
Can you not understand? The count means,
if possible, to possess himself OF Luxenl-
| bourg. received a hint to that effect from
a wayiaring monk not an hour since. and was
on my way to you with the intelligence but
now, little thinking the enemy were so near
The duke saw his danger and hastened
into the keep to arm himself
Tba Of 10
long been the terror of the whole country.
Originally marshalled bya Bohemian knight
grant, Sir Raoul de Langwolf, they had
grown from q score to troop OF full two
hundred, and not only did they attack castles
and villages for purpose OF plumber, but they
had more than once successfully turned their
arms against incorporated cities. Lately this
lawless force had accepted service under the
Count de Charoas, and John of Luxembourg
knew very well that they would not thus APP
pear upon his domain without direction from
their lord and master.
By the time the leader of the Black Riders
had reached the outer gate the approaches to
the castle had been secured, and its forces
mustered to the number of fve-and- sixty. OF
the enemy-if enemies they were-there were
full two hundred. all strong men and well
armed and when they had drawn up before
the outer bsrbican their herald sounded
blast upon his trumpet which call the grand
duke answered i'll person. His secretary and
the chief of his officers sought to dissuade
him from exposing himself but lie would not
listen
He mounted one of the smaller towers in
advance of the main tower OF the barbican
in one of the most exposed positions he could
have selected, and demanded to know upon
what Grand the troop had come.
I'VE hold not conference with your castle
walls between us, answered the black knight
whose voice, and whose whole bearing and
stalwart presence. John recognized as belong
ing to Raoul de Langwolf. Throw open
your gates and you shall quickly know our
pleasure II you put us to the labor OF
forcing our way it shall be worse for those
who else may not suffer.
At this juncture a second knight rode up |
and spoke with the Bohemian. He was cased |
in plate Lrmor. with his visor closed, but |
Zeta Bethtoni. who had come to his masters |
side recognized him.
''Har' the secretary cried, clutching the |
duke S arm. that is the fend incarnate. 1t |
is Burgundy's butcher. Maillotin du BAG lie |
would not be here ifCharles had not planned |
bloody work. ] fear my lord-Down Down -
But the note Of alarm came to late A |
tall broad shouldered archer had advanced |
with Alaillotin du Bac, who ct sign from
the latter. raised his heavy bow, with n long.
steel-barbed, finely feathered ARROW adjusted
to the string, and drew to the very arrows
head. john of Luxembourg stood with his
visor raised, and his whole face exposed. He
heard Bethtoni's cry. and saw the stout arch
err of the black baldric but he was too late to
avoid the fatal shaft. As an echo to the
warning came the vengeful twang OF the bow
string. and the steel point, with its following
barbs, entered the duke right eye. crashing
through the none OF the orbit, and burying
itself deep in the brain. He fell back dead
into Bethtonls arms.
The secretary bore the body down to the
pavement below where he was Just in season
to meet a score of the Black Riders who had
gained entrance.
1t was not enough that the grand duke
should die. Charles had decreed and ordered
that the whole household should be put to
the sword and his devoted henchman, Mail
lotin du Bac, was the man to obey. The
number of the grand dukes children was
known, aad Du Bac saw the terrible order ex-
ecuted. Where he had found the Prince Leon,
whom he at once recognized by his tell-tale
garb he had found another boy OF nearly the
same age and him he was about to Stay, in
spite OF the tears and prayers OF the poor
mother who chung to him. when the Black
Knight of Bohemia came up.
- W nat IL MI lllis be lAaHSNpl utuhlu- |
ed, as he approached.
oh good sir noble knight he is my
boy my own Leon oh spare him spare
him I
''Pshaw let the brat live. said tho Black
chief
But this little viper is as splteiul as a
tiger" returned Du Bac. BOUNDS he came
near knocking one OF my men over with II
club Look ut him. Look at his eyes. lie
don't ask for life. tell you he mnst die II
be lives, he will live to give us trouble
mo" persisted the Bohemian. John OF
Luxembourg and all his family are dead and
hat fills the measure. Here. my good woman.
take your boy. and when he is grown old
enough to bear arms. let him come to me,
and will give him service"
Maillotin du Bac chafed angrily, and would
nave cut the boy down had not the Black
night declared il to have become u personal
matter
Strike the poor toresters boy, said he