The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-11-28
COUNT T0N MULLER.
CHAPTER L

arms a,'l1ss B 3 si iths M Fafser 81 ths phati-
nate, hut afterward he did fealty to the
emperor and became one Of his bosom
friends. He had three stalwart sons
who have nothing. to do with this story
and one only daughter, the blue eyed
Erment-ude, little faiir haired child
10 years Old, who was the Light Of her
cid father' seyes, and whom he hoped to
marry Some day 20 some margrave or
electm.
Nov, IN those days there were wolves
in the Rhinelazd Not many indeed,
for his ancestors had pretty well hunted
them down, but in the cold winter days
shey would sometimes steal out OF the
Black forest and be seen prow1ng about
IN search Of prey.
The old castle Of the margrave, which
about a century afterward was battered
into ruins by q French army; stood in
those days ON q craggy hill overlooking
the fair plain ON which the city OF
Wolfsteinbeegnow stands. Surrounding
it was nothing but q noble stretch OF
woodland, where the great oaks and
pine fee@ale: iilliatoIs teestss here.
and there, diversified with broad open
glades, which the wild flowers in the
springtime turned into natural gardens
It was 81 one Of these glades, exactly
where the grand dukes new schloss is
now standing, and ON the bank OF the
little stream that has now been used to
form the artificial lake in the new park,
that in those days Fritz, the miller, bad
his rude hut and his water wheel Fritz
Muller, as he was called, was hale
and hearty man in the prime OF life,
and many and many time did the lit
tie lady from the castle wander down,
sometimes with her nurse, sometimes
alone, to gather the flowers on the
banks of the brook and watch the mill
wheel and herushing water that foamed
beneath it.
Now, the marGave, among his other
good and generous acts, had pubilshed
asolemn decree ON the subject Of wolves.
There were many knights within the
confines Of his territory who hunted the
wild boar and the deer, and it occurred
to him that If they would only be as
jealous In destroying wolves as ID bag
Ring bi9 game for their own tables it
would be far better for the poor people
whom he ruled Otto was q friend OF
the poor. And the edict which he pub
lshed about the wolves was to this eff
fect-that whose should slay a wolf
with his own hand should by that very
act become the owner Of the spot on
which he spilled its blood and Of one
SQUARE acre roundabout, to hold unto
himself and his heirs forever.
And now came great and terrible
event. It was a lovely November after
noon in what IS called in Germany as
well as England call hallows' sum-
mer,' % when Fritz, the miller, was busy
about his mill and moving carelessly TO
and fro among the piles of sacks that
Law by his cabin door. he had been
splitting wood for his winters fire, and
his cleaving AK was in his hand Sud-
denly he heard a wild scream, and his
blood ran cold, for the voice that pierced
his ears was surely that Of the little
LADY from the castle. He rushed to the
door. Flying toward him, with her arms
thrown forward and her long hair float
ing in the wind, was little Ermentrude,
and few yards behind her were three
full grown wolves in hot pursuit.
~ o,.1 fto
of thought. He was just in time. His
ak was still grasped in his right hand,
and he only just reached the child and
snatched her from the ground with his
left at the very moment when the
wolves were making a fierce spring at
her.
In their head1ong charge they swept
right past, and Fritz, seeing tree at
some little distance in front, made for
it and reached it before the wolves could
check their course and turn round again.
Fritz saw at a glance that there must
be a fight for life. The wolves were
splendid specimens OF their breed, and
he saw hunger and ferocity cleaning IN
their eyes. Planting himself with his
back to the tree and his little charge
pressed firmly against his left shoulder,
he brandished his ak above his head and
waited for the attack.
Headlong came on the wolves with
their usual impetuosity, but happily in
turning round they had scattered, and
one was before the other. The first that
made spring at the miller received his
deathblow right in the center OF his
forehead. The miller's nerves were
firm as steel, and he dealt the blows as
truly as if he had been cleaving a log Of
wood for his fire But the second wolf