New-York tribune., 1880-04-11
EPPELEIN Won GAILINGEN,

The scene of our present sketch is Iaid III
Germany the action of our romantic drama
which is based partly on living legend, partly
On the records of old chronicles and archives
nlays itself chiefly in and around Nurnberg
The date is the fourteenth century.
The state Of Germany in that age was an
archie. chaotic. The Church, the Kaisers, the
Firsten, nay even the Imperial Free Cities
whereof there were then some hundred and
six-were all in a rage of strain and storm,
struggling together, each force opposed to the
otber in a wild welter OF disordered conflict.
Ont of the collision of these warning elements
WAS pressed into life the order of Raubrltter,
or Robber- Knights men Of birth who elected
10 live, in lawless age, by saddle and by
sword; who sought gain by masterful spolla-
ton, and strove for glory by despltetul deeds
of arms. The Raubritter was natural product
OF his land and time. The younger and wilder
was-with Joyous eagerness, and without much
sense of shame or wrOng-they may almost be
called crusaders of crime; and indeed they very
often sublimated their wild life with strain
of knightly daring aud warrior enterprise.
MANY Of them were, naturally, mere coarse
common robbers, greedy and cruel; but there
were some who surrounded the perllous avOca-
tion with chivary, and ennobled 1t with IO-
nance. That one Of the Raubntter VINO Is ,;ll tile
gen-forms the subject of the present Narrative
1t is clear that Eppelein did not think ms
profession any disgrace. He was indignant at
and and Of Pope. He always held himself to be an
Honorable knight; he never broke ms
knightly word; he was furious against the
aslanderous tongues that called his followers
Staudenhechte and Schnapphahne-Np pikes-in-
the-wood" or snatch cocks"
Brayest among the brave, he had wisdom
that could guide his valOr to act In safety he
was capable of courtesy, generosity, cmvalry
he was always gentle TO women ne nau Keen
wit and humorous power OF strong sarcasm; area N
There was also "the grace land versatility OF
the man, He loved adventure, and cOurted
danger for its own fierce sake
Early in the fourteenth century, the good
knight, Arnold Won Gaiingen, was lord OF the
Castles of IlIesheim near Windsheim of Wald
near Gunzenhausen of Trameysl Tor Dramaus)
near Muggendorf, and of Gaihngen, his Stamm-
schloss, which latter was situated neat k0then,
burg on the Tauber. His wife was named
ApoIlonia. and he had two sons. one of whom
was q monk at Wurzburg, while the other p9r-
sued the Kriegshandel, OF trade OF war, III Tar
lands. The sOldier-s0n, following his trade OF
war, procured himself to be eifectually kiilea IN
some of those far lands; 50 that Arno!ds two
first-bOrn sons did not yield him an heir TO his
name, his honOrs and his castles. However, in
or about the year 1911, the Frau ApOllonla pro-
posed to make her husband once more Iathel iil III
girl it shall be nun 4; II a boy, he shall be a
monk" Father lsidorrs, the resident castle
chaplain, warmly approved the pioqs Iesoltl-
ton and Arnold hls wife being weak, dld not
dissent In deep Winter, III the Castle of Hes
helm, Apollonia was safely delivered of son.
They called his name Ap0llOnius, which means,
beng interpreted, EppSelein; and this infant
became Eppeein of Gailingen and his fathers
heir. The mother had bad time, and the in
FAINT was at first to all appearance, rather
weakly. He will make q good monk, they
thought; and when they said this in the chids
hearing, be (as chronicles recOrd) raised great
at the very idea Of becoming monk. When
Eppelein was chrlstened, he, so soon as he felt
the touch of water, uplifted a terrible shout that
frightened all that heard it; he nearly upset
the christening vessel, ana oshaYed SO violently
duct, however, Eppeleln resembled the infant
who afterward became the Emperor Wenzel,
and who, when baptized in the st. Sebadus
Church in Nurnberg c0mported himself In the
like uproariOus manner. Arn0ld remarked as
he watched his child's behavior I" | should
almost doubt whether this boy will ever make
m0nk.n
The little Eppelein soon npened into q strong
and sturdy boy. When lie was about six years
old, his great delight was TO take down from
the wall bis fathers sword, and to swing it
about. He tried 10 draw on his fathers heavy
riding boots aud spurs; and when Arnold rode
out on Black ADAM" the boy insisted upon
riding in front Of lis father on the great war
horse At ten, Eppelein could Tide Black
Adam" almost better than his father. The boy
never knew fear. He would catch wild, un-
broken colts by the name, swing himself ON to
them, and gallop fuliously round the meadows /;
nor could tile iiercest horse ever throw tie boy
He sat as ii he had been molten on to horse.
Arnold did not wish to pain his wife, and there
FIRE held his tongue before her, but lie was
often heard to mutter, as he watched Eppelein,
"They will never make monk or that boy"
Himself au Old Haudegen, the knight had a
secret joy iii his sons strength >aGd daring
and unrulineSS.
Frau Apollonia was weak and pious wo-
man Given such lady of 1t, and the castle is
like to be ruled by priest; as, indeed, was the
case with all Arnolds many castles, III which
the Father lsdOrus, while maintaining decent
show of respect for the good knight, was prac-
tically almost supreme. The education and
control OF the young Eppelein were cOnfided to
the priest but without good results oEppelein
soon detected that the father was selfish and
hypocrite; and the boy rose in revolt against
the priestly rule. Eppeleln would obey only
Arnold, who seldom Iutcrfered between priest
and scholar; but, with smile, let them fight it
out between them, though lsidOrus was always
complaining l0t the boy, and urging Arnold to
punish him: The quarreis between Isidorus
and Eppeein became feice and frequent; and
the lud played his reverend tutor many evil
tricks One day, after some mischisvous
lein q aheilloser Gesell," pulled the boys ears
receiving in return bow which nearly knocked
him down. How can you honor my father and
son by the ears B "A pretty monk you'll
make! p roared the enraged chaplain. Eppeein,
who generalized too rapidly, conceived an un-
Z happy dislike to the whole body OF the clergy.
3 IL monks or priests were coming to the castle,
he took away the plank, or tree by which they
had to cross the river; when they reached the
courtyard, he let loose all the great dogs OF the
castle, and fastened all the doors. Twice, when
Isidorus went to the cellar, for purposes no
doubt innocent In themselves and certainly
conducive to his comfort Eppelein locked him
h, and the father could only get let out by