The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-10-16

The Emperor had fallen upon the resi-
dence Of his long-lost and still loved
daughter. Ludolf was successful
deer -stealer, and the fruits of the earth
furnished them with other food. Be-
sides, Ludolf had learned that the EN-
peror had quilted Frankfort soon after
the fight Of the Princess, and felt little
hesitation in visiting the market there,
to exchange deer and other skins for
necessaries, and sometimes for few OF
the Injuries to which Clorinda had been
accustomed, and which she had left for
him. Frugal in their habits and their
desires, they had lived happily without
wish for change.
The graceful girl had budded into the
glorious maturity of womanhood; and,
further changed by her rustic attire, the
Emperor did not know his child. She
knew him at a single glance, and there
came quick throbbing memories of the
past, wild hopes of the future.
The sole repast which their situation
permitted on the instant was some veni-
son, poached by Ludol in the Emper-
or's own forest. What limit is there to
woman's wit. when aided by woman's af-
fection2 Clorinda prepared the repast
with her own hands, serving up dish
which she remembered to have been a
| favorite with her father-of which, too,
| he had never eaten except when it was
prepared by his daughter hands. Scarce
" had he tasted the food ere the tears
began to fall, fast and bitterly, for her
whose memory neither time nor anger
could destroy, and he eagerly inquired
from whom his young hostess had learned
to prepare that dish.
The Princess and her husband fell at
| the old mans feet. The Emperor was
still father; his kind heart remembered
only that his daughter was before him
/ all was forgotten and forgiven; he named
| the place Selingenstadt, or the Abode of
Bliss lin double commemoration of his
| daughter and his dinnerl he carried the
happy family with him to his palace, ate
his fayorite meals as often as ne wished
to his dying day and built the Red
Tower as marriage gift for his daughter.
The lovers built church where their hut
had stood, and when they died they were
buried within its walls.
Such were the particulars which the
Herr Won Cothen communicated to me.
The next day made some inquiries re-
specting the story, which seemed obscure
in some parts; the old man stoutly and
sternly denied having uttered syllable
ON the subject, and appealed to his we'll
known taciturnity as evidence that he
did not belong to the class of story
tellers--a set of persons for whom he
had o most ayowed and resolate con-
tempt. He admitted, however, that I
had picked up the popular legend in
some way, but persisted in the denial
that he had been the narrator. L was
obliged to be content with his explana-
tion, although it did not give me very
exalted opinion of the veracity of mine
host.
Some months afterward, as I was look
ing at "Titian's Assumption of the Vir-
gin" in the Dresden Gallery, I met with
4 Augustus Saalfield whom had known at
Gottingen We spent the day together,
and told him, among other things, the
mistake in which Van Cothen had fallen
respecting the narration of the above
tale. 'Saal6eld smiled, and diss;pated
my wonder by informing me that the
worthy host of the Abode of Bliss was a
somnambulist, and the best story-teller
! within twenty leagues of Frank kfort-in
lis sleep.
| learned, at the same time, that this
legend took its origin from the fact that
Selingenstsdt witnessed the loves and
still preserves the remains of Eginhard
and Emma, the Secretary and daughter
of Charlemange. Tradition has made a
sad mistake in the names of all the
parties by taking Nero for Charlemange,
and the lovers for Ludolf and Clorinda.
The Red Tower (now sadly dilapidated)
was the residence of the lovers after
Charlemange saved the honor of his IA
vorite daughter by giving her hand to
his secretary. Eginhard built church
on the spot, and his bones and those oi
his beloved repose in messy antique
sarcophagus on monument beneath its
roof