Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-07-24
INTHE BLACK FOREST,
The Beautiful Legend Connected
with One of its Remarkable
Lakes.

The SchluchSee Is the largest lake
IN the Black Forest and one of the
most picturesque. During the spring
and summer it is a great resort for In
valids from S.rasburg and Heidelberg,
attracted TO the neighborhood by the
bracing quality Of the air and the hne
wafer in this vicinity
The lake itself affords excellent bath
ing, which is said to be a great restor-
ative in cases OF chronic disability or
slow convalescence. The origin of this
curative power is explained by another
characteristic legend. which, although
it excites the ridicule of the physicians
of today, has nevertheless the merit OF
accounting for a fact otherwise mex
plicible, like its sister stories OF ths
Black Forest.
At the period of the Crusaders when
so many good Christians left their
homes and native land to go to the de-
liverance of the Holy City, there lived
in this country a brave warrior called
Conrad Won Feldberg, He accompan-
led Godfrey of Boulogne to the siege
of Jerusalem, where his stout lance had
laid many fierce Saracen in the dust.
Conrad was also the companion and
friend of Tancred, and Raymond Of
Toulouse. After he saw the crescent
go down before the cross, and had
kissed the holy sepulchre with his pious
lips, he prepared to return TO the land
of his fathers, where he was the pos-
s-ssor of a lordly castle in the Black
Forest. Here, too, a fair maiden, 10
his coming with an anxious
heart; and during Ter lovers long
absence it was her daily custom 10
ascend to the top OF a lofty tower,
whence she could see the spot where
they renewed their mutual vows on the
eve of his departure.
The brave crusader reached the
Rhine land in safety and arrived in the
valley of the Schluchsee. One evening,
as lie was passing through the forest,
he came to lake which he did not re-
member having seen before 1t was a
lovely and peaceful spot. Night was at
hand. The turf was cool and soft, and
Conrad, weary from his long journey,
could not res st the temptation to re-
pose. He commended his soul to God
and lay down on the green sward with
no thought of danger near.
At this era the Scluchsee was haun-
ted by fairies, who had many traits in
common with their neighbors, the
Willis, OF dancing spirits of the Mum
melsee. Soon a beautiful female arose
from the tranquil Wa ers Of the lake.
She saw the young Crusader sleeping in
the moonlight and gazed on his hand
some features with admiration. Thsn
she enveloped him in Ii II long sea green
tresses and began to chant a weird
melody that had power to cast spell
over any one who should hear it even
in slumber. While she sang her feet
moved lightly to a magic measure and
seemed to caress the smooth surface of
the lake.
In a few moments Conrad rose like
one in a dream and followed the fairy,
who extended her white arms toward
him.
Conrad felt the water glide beneath
his feet, yet he did not draw back.
Sill the fairy sang her strange melody
and still Conrad advanced. But just
as he held out her arms TO drag him
down into the enchanted lake, a con-
secrated relic that he had always worn
around his neck fell into the water. All
at once the lake vanished, and with it
the beautiful sprite who had risen from
its crystal depths,
The good crusader, saved by h S
pIety, returned home and espoused the
maiden of hrs f.lO