, 1889-04-04
\ IpSLIC OF rHa THIETY YEARS
VAR.

There is that about suit Of sFmor
. coat OF mail tha. pleads fof con
aA9stion The mind OF the obser-
- zoes back @cress the centurias TO
Gns days when knights were bold and
Asxons held their sway; seeks TO dis
ever what manner of man wore the
Aszasss in the battle; asks how
ssns the dent in the rusty helmets.
ed the spear that gave the wearer
his Quietus burst that web OF steel at
g. throat to reach the vital spot. 1t
u the ghost of ehivalry. The active
H$sa puts a knight in the armor.
ssts hin on his war charger again
cd bids him forth to do or die tor
tSth and freedom. Even the ordi-
EsxJ observer loses himself in specu-
RtaHS ON the days represented by the
aSRoF.
In this city there is q coat of mail
AsA vas worn by the Prince OF
Ededlsnd, the great Wallenstein IN
&s Thirty Years War. It is the
Eeprty OF A Nahl, the artist, and
hus been in the possession of his
Azaily for many years. His grand
Ashsr, a noted painter of the old
szAeol, fancied the armor and offered
TAO owner a large sum OF money for
u The offer Of money was refused,
but Mr.. Eshl vas asked to paint a
rAture TO be given in exchange for
q and the coat of mail passed into
Ms hands. The present Mr.. Nahl
"a the relic with his Invaluable col
hE4ion Of paintings and carlos and
Esessht it to this country some years
sEo. It is complete web OF steel,
s4eh ring being caught three times.
Vash such artistic workmanship is
Gs mail wrought that in not one of
ths many thousand rings is the join
Dag noticeable. Around the edges
AsTo is fringe of brass rings, show
iss that the purchaser thought
something of his personal appear
sass. While trying to protect his life.
Z weighs thirty five pounds and is
saite elastic, fitting as well on boy
ss on full-grown man. At the
Asoat, where the collar joins the
breast, there is a hole, and the
Hnss are hacked and broken, gs if
zsme man of might had swung his
iegeling sword at the neck of his ad-
versary. The stroke must have been
fatal, the sword severed the net of
sssel and reached the throat thus
lsfs bare.
The coat was found in a we'll near
the town of Schmalkalden, around
whose gates the eagles of battle flew
during the great religious and po-
htieal war. It was worn by Wallen-
sssin while he was but the husband
sS the aged and wealthy Moravian
widow, and years before he had
sehieved that greatness that MADE
his assassination necessary. 1t pro-
sxsted the great time server from the
Gnster of the Turk, when he fought
sadsr Basta against the ''unspeaka-
klss" in Hungary; but was discarded
Con enc more suited to the high posi-
Hea of the Generalissimo of the i'm
Rsrial forces. 1t passed into the
hands Of one of his aids, and the
blew that hacked the collar may
kAvs been made by follower of the
Swedish hero and protector of Ger
man Professionalism, who thought to
bsat down the great and warlike
spostle, " allenstein. The latter
changed his master, his master, his
ssnvictions and religion as easily as
ks did this coat OF mail, and the last
sound he heard was the word "Trai-
eer," when the dagger of the Irish
Chsvalier Devereux struck him
&egn.
The wounds caused by the Thirty
Years War were almost healed when
tie coat of mail was found A skele-
toa was in it, but there was none to
Identify the warrior. whose bones
vsre buried near the spot where
Aey were found, beneath the shad-
evs of the castle of the Prussian
ssvn. The coat of mail was cleaned
ma polished, and after 200 years
fesnd its way to the New World,
vhere the great political and relig-
iezs convulsion has caused no ripple.
Vhs armor is III an excellent state of
preservation, and Mr.. Nahl has been
offered large sums for il, but will not
psrs with the interesting relic
Chronicle, San Francisco.