Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-08-19
THE SECRET CHAMBER.
A Legend Of a Belgian Church
The UnerringHand of DeathSeeks
It's Victim--A Robbers Horrible
Death.

! Belgium, fail to visit the grotto
of Remouchamps. On the road
side, about half a mile beyond
: the grotto, may be seen the
} Church of Dieupart, the archi-
} lecture of which is superior to
!, that of most of the country
churches in that district. The
following legend is connected
with its erection about five hun
dred years ago: At that time
there stood upon a height, above
where the church is now seen, a
chateau, the lord Of which, at the
date of our story, was a bold
and wicked man, the terror of
the neighborhood. He had liv-
ed there for about fifteen years
with his wife, who had borne
him no offspring, and who had
come with him from some for
eign land, where he had spent
his youth, rumor said, in a most
disreputable manner. One day
there came to the gate of the
chateau a youthful AIinnesing-
er, one of those minstrels who
passed from town to town, from
castle to castle, delighting the
ears of their denizens with ro-
mantle ballads, sung to the ac-
compartment of the harp, and
receiving in return bed and
board for short time and where
withal to support them on their
journey to their next halting-
Iplace. He was admitted to the
presence of the lord and lady of |
the castle, and forthwith began
his lay. At the first stanza
deadly pallor overspread the
features Of the Baroness, and |
with trembling voice she deman-
ded whence he came, and from
whom he had learned that ballad. |
81 come from Treves," was
the reply, "and the ballad was
taught me by an aged man with
whom | dwelt, and who, when
was sufficiently we'll skilled in
the art of music, sent me forth,
and bade me sing it in every
town and castle which / should
ENTER"
THE sEIGNEUR OF MoNJARDIN,
Observing that his wife's emo
ton was becoming more and
more visible and intense, order
ed the minstrel to quit the
chamber, but to await in the
castle his further orders. When
he was gone the Baroness ex-
claimed:
"Those words! that air! me- ,
thought they were known but to
myself and to my fatherP'
"The minstrel is without doubt q
a spy" said the suspicious Bar '
on, "whose object it is to dis {
cover our abode and give infor- S
nation thereof to some enemies;
but he shall not return to give
intelligence to those who have c
sent him." g
"Oh! slay him not" said the c
Baroness; "add not the murder q
of this innocent youth to a list u
Of crimes already too long"
"Well, WE'LL" said the Baron, -
II shall not deprive him of life, j
but it were dangerous to give =
him his liberty; l will confne :,
him in one of the chambers of =
the castle" So saying he went /
forth to execute his design, but
the Minnesinger had disappear t.
ed and could not be found. A \
few days elapsed and the young c
minstrel again appeared at the o
castle. He was taken by the d
Baron toa secret chamber known
only to himself, in a remote
tower, far from the inhabited II
portion of the chateau. "
"Now," asked the Baron, "tell n
me wherefore thou hast come to k
his castle? / know well that "
thou art here OH some secret cr- le
-and, and if it be not revealed Il
,hy days are numbered"
But the minstrel gave no 9TH
er answer than that which he had u
given before. a
"Thou art obstinate, thonl Z
Tis we'll that thou shouldst y.
know the punishment that awaits y =
,hee. Neither food nor drink ~ ~
shall pass thy lips until thou u
shalt tell me all | desire to know.
The place whence thou comest, o,
he ballad thou hast sung, are s.
,okens that some hidden de- oI
sign brings thee here; 'tis my II
will that thou shalt disclose il. e
will return tomorrow and give "
.hec one more chance for thy life. "
If thou art still obstinate, | will
cave thee here to perish"
The Baron then departed, W
fastening the door as al
ne left the chamber. The next Il
lay found the brave minstrel as t,
determined as before to make W
10 further revelations, and so W
he cruel Baron left him to his Il
dreadful fate, informing his wife o.
hat he was merely keeping him it
n custody, as he was more than W
ever convinced that the Minstrel S;
IzAAoI ,.~s,oLsoP u.