Telegram-herald., 1890-11-19
MOCKERY OF FATE.
The King That Took the Fair
Countess Away.

for many years been the greatest at
traction 20 young and old in tho sleepy
little town al its foot
Once year all the children in every
family that eoull boast OF some social
standing were invited 10 visit the old
Countess. who lived st the castle alono
with only two servants. One Of these
servants Mas an old housekeeper. year
younger than her mistress. who already
had celebrated her ninetieth birthday.
This old honsekeeper filled. since many
years back. the complicated position in
the Countess household OF lady's CON-
paniou. maid and steward. Her sixty
year-old daughter. who yet, In spite Of
her venerable ago and gray hairs, never.
neither by the Countess nor by tho old
mother. was spoken OF in other terms than
as that girl or lazy" performed all
minor duties round the establishment
Two veteran ST. Bernard dogs were tho
faithful and watchful boiyguard of tho
old Countess and her little staff; not
man In any capacity had been seen
round the castle for nearly twenty-five
years.
AS child, about fourteen, was 70. the
first and only time invited TO thoC Countess'
reception, along with my cousins. with
whom had spent few weeks OF my
holidays. To me this WAS an event OF
the greatest delight and anticipation. l
had read the pretty story about the en-
chanted Princess Tho slept hundred
years in her castle amid cobwebs and
century OF dust 10 awaken, one morn
ing, more beautiful and youthful than
ever. In my fancy tho mistress OF the
old lvy-clad castle on tho hillside was
nothing less than another enchanted
Princess, and all the stories / had heard
about her and her two dogs, which had
tho reputation OF not being like other
mortal dogs, and that they would live
on as long as stone was left Of the
spellbound castlc-all this made my
young heart lutter with Joy and expec-
tstion, when the great day finally ar
rived and we knocked at the gigantic
old gate OF the mansion.
A strange hazo Of romantic love from
the middle ago seemed to hover over
the huge pile Of stones. With creak-
ing noise tho heavy doors turned on
their hinges. and after some delay we
were ushered into large hall furnished
with all the grandeur of past centuries.
Near one OF tho narrow windows, on q
high-backed chair emblazoned with a
Dukes gilded crown. sat an old lady,
dressed after the fashion of nearly y
century ago. Her powdered hair was
frrh mn no n -fN~ Cd
forehead, her checks rouged, and, ac-
cording to tho fashion the old lady still
clung to. set of with few 'mouches
noirs," or black patches. She looked
exactly as an old picture, which sud-
denly had stepped down from its heavy
frame, TO come and bid US children a
smiling welcome. How strangely hand
some this old Countess did look; she was
not any t.ing OF what my young fancy
had dreamed about: sleeping Princess
untouched by tho rsvages of time.
Nothing could betray that ninety win
ters had passed over her head, although
she seemed TO carry the heavy burden
OF old age in way so graceful and sym
pathetic as very few people are able
TO do.
After all the children had made their
low courtesy after tho style OF Louis
XIV. and kissed the Countess slender,
wsxen hand, the old housekeeper. who
81 these occasions o; festivities acted as
master OF ceremonies, took us to tho
largo picture-galleries, where she
stopped before tho last OF all the many
family portraits that adorned the walls,
and with the greatest pride pointed out
70 the visitors this picture as my lady
At seventeen" And striking picture
it was; there youth. lovoliness and
grace combined created a perfect ideal
OF womanly beauty.
The old Countess looked to-day Just
the same In dress and in every thing.
except that youth and its loveliness had
gone forever.
Ny visit to the old castle made a
deep impression on my mind. and
longed 70 learn Why the Countess, once
so beautiful rich and high-born, bad
chosen 70 live like a hermit. in Sc
olusion and loneliness. instead OF N ar
ryinz some Duke or even Prince. She
did not tell us why. but I learned Il
ret. some years afterward when the old
Countess was dead and both the faithful
dogs and the old housekeeper had gone
- rest and the stones were crunbllnz
away faster than ever from The desolste
caste Of Frsihot
This Is the story The old nousekeeper
bad told on her destb-be5 about her al.
nired and beloved mistress, tbs
Co1n teas Of Freihof
AT the age q ffsee- cane into tbe
Countess service. az her maid. o. rs.hsr
coupsaion. She ras yesr older than
myssif. ths worshiPed chiii 81 hsr
wealthy psreats ard only heir 70 tAeir
enormous estates, many atles ard sis-
vased rank Ths brilliancT ~ hsr han.
-. Ser tsleua ard sbova a.. her kind
heart ard sr1isole disposition rad n ale
ser ths idoisxed favorite wish high and
lov Alrsadv. a. thls ssrlT az. she
rss actually besie4-a Nth saitorS sors
n nauser than ths yssr hAs days. They
r~preser sed 80 ver7 so-sr ~ sotvalry.
and shere wera nukes sad Princes a
ker teet Bst shs rsfased then al
N,t that she wss n arr vsT r-ca9. IA
fro-, is. she rss az humble sra 51o3sss
a. anv rirl = tie lsaa BIT ~ a. pTe-
rosals ~ tsst kind hsr ansrsr irTsri-
shly cane . Nil raitr