The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-12-13
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The Proud Lady of the Castle.

Last Of the mighty race at Windeck,
famed for brave men and lovely women,
was Adelheid, heiress of the castle and
broad lands that had been owned by her
ancestors, and, so far as beauty went, she
was worthy of her lineage, but of n proud
and naughty temper. So proud was she
that among all the mobiles of Brisgau she
could find none whom she thought worthy
to call her lord and year after year pass.
cd on, finding her still unwedded, and
every year some unfortunate lover or other
was turned from the castle with looks of
scorn and words Of ridcule.
Among those whom she had, after her
fashion, first attached to her by every art,
and aflerward repelled with bitter derision,
was young man of noble family, but
slender fortune, who had long been in her
service as page or squire, as the fashion Of
those days demanded
After years Of patient waiting aud hope,
the youth ventured to declare himself, and
was received by the lady with storm of
sarcasm that literally overwhelmed him.
Stung to the heart by her hard speeches,
and by the sense of his own folly and pre-.
sumption, which suddenly poured in upon
him like food he left his mistress pres.
ence only to write n word Of farewell to
his mother, whose only son he was, and
whom he tenderly loved, then threw him-
self into the Rhine.
A few days afterward woman, mad
dened with rage and sorrow, a widow
whose only son had died suicides death,
sought the Lady Adelheid in her castle on
the hill, accused her Of being the murder.
ess Of her boy, and heaped upon her head
the bitterest curses that her outraged
mothers heart could devise or her woman 5
tongue utter
"Unloved you shall live, she cried, "and
unregretted die. Even in the grave you
shall find no peace; even there my curse
shall follow you, and send you forth to
wander, restless, miserable ghost-rest-
less forever !"
"Ahp cried the Lady Adelheid, with
white face and scared eyes, all her haugh-
tiness flown, "do not utter such terrible
words Have you no mercy2"
The wretched mother smiled grimly.
"Yes, | will have mercy" she said. "Thus
shall your spirit wauder through these very
halls until you find lover as true, as hon
est, as pure hearted as my poor lost son,
willing to WOO the phantom for his bride.
Then only you shall rest in peace"
Under this curse, says the legend, tho
lady Of Windeck lived and died. She was
the last Of her race, and not many years
after her death the castle, uniuhabited and
deserted, fell into ruins Its new owners
had, indeed, made many attempts to in-
habit 1t, but had been absolutely driven
out of the place by the unearthly sounds
which disturbed the stiffness Of the night,
aud which scarcely allowed living soul
in the building SO much as to close an eye
from midnight to cock-erow. Doors would
open and shut mystcriously, footsteps re-
sound through the silent corridors, lights,
illumined by no visible hand, suddenly
burn in the windows, while over every mir
ror in the house the sbadowy form of a
woman, clothed in white, with long black
hair hanging below her shoulders, would
be secn-would pass-disappearing in one
place only to appear the next moment in
another.
It happened, however, that one day a
young hunter Of noble family, stranger
guest 10 one Of the neighboring castles, was
led, in the excitement Of the chase, up to
the very gate Of the deserted mansion.
The deer which he was pursuing rushed by
him into the very ruins, as though it were
taking sanctuary. The young man, by
name Kurt Won Stein, had heard some Gu
rious legends as connected with ruined
castle on the height, and possibly, half
from curiosity and half because be was
hot and tired with day Of specially poor
sport, he dismounted and led his horse,
tired like himself, through the brambles
and bushes that had overgrown the ruined
gateway, into the grass-grown court yard.
"a curious place TO be sure" said the
young man, seating himself for moments s
rest on fallen mass Of brick work over
laid with moss, and letting his horse mean
time Craze at his will from the rank growth
Of the court yard. "a very curious place.
Looks as if no one had been here for
hundred years. | wonder If this can be
the haunted castle my uncle was speaking
about only the other night? III so, /
wish to goodness the spirit-lady would
have the hospitality to welcome me to her
domains, and offer me a drink Of some.
thing this hot day" And as he took of
his hunting cap to air his heated brow, his
thoughts reverted lovingly to a certain
glass tankard ia his uncle's house, which,
when filled with yellow Strasburg beer,
was about as pleasant sight to Kurt Won
Stein as tho world could well Offer
Aiter a while the idea occurred 10 the
young man that as chance had brought
him to the castle, he might as well pay his
respects to the owner Of Il, whether shc
we're phantom or not
A turret stair, broken aud worn, was
close at hand to the spot which he had
chosen for a resting place. Twilight was
beginning to fall as be reached the castle;
now, suddenly, darkness seems to have
come, and as be mounted the winding tur.
ret stairs he noticed that lights we're 81
ready showing through many Of the win.
dcws Of what appeared to be less ruinoas
part Of the building than that by which
be had entered. 4a'l f
"That Is al right said Kurt 70 him.