The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-06-25


the rear.
For some time, until I became ac-
customed to my mount, my attention
was fully occpied with keeping my
seat, and conversation was difficult,
but as gained some confidence / said
to Smith: "Who are these chaps with
the hop poles that are following us %
Hop polesv' cried my host with in
dignation in his voice. Those are
h1lces. Each lanre is over three hun
dred years old, and got them out Of
the cellars of my CASTLE I venture to
say that no modern weapon would have
lasted half that time, for they are as
sound as ever they were .
The road led up through a beautiful
valley On either hillside vines grew
nearly to the top. Although the road
rose slightly all the way from the
Rhine, being rather steep in places, we
did not get a view of the castle until
we had trotted something like three
miles. Then Smith pointed it out to
me on hill top, as we came in sight
of it round corner. It stood to the
right of the valley, completely COM
handing it, and I was amazed to see
its size and perfect state of preserva-
ton. A tall square tower, like cam
panile, rose from one corner, and at
the other was a stouter round tower,
much lower than the square campanile
at the other corner, while between the
towers was the long machicolated front
Of the main body Of the castle. The
unturreted body Of the building seem
to be in three varying heights and
looked as if. the walls had been erected
at different periods. [ mentioned this
to Smith and he said my suppostion.
was partly correct.
MY ancestors he remarked, ssmade5
things lively for number Of centuries
in this district. The castle was burned
once by the people of Cologne; three
times, think, by the stout burghers
of Mayence, and the justly incensed
populace Of the neighborhood used to
rise in their might every now and then
and massacre every member Of the
family who had not taken to the woods.
But they never succeeded in completely
annihilating my ancestors; always one
or two escaped, and they returned and
rebuilt the stronghold, generally try
ing to make it more secure than it had
been before. This gives a variegated
effect to the edifice that strikes me as
wonderfully picturesque
We presently came to a spot where
a by-rOad left the main thoroughfare
and took directly to the hills The
main road went onsup the valley, while
the by-road zig-zagged up through the
forest. Sometimes at the elbows of
this road we caught glimpses of the
castle, looming greater and greater
above us, until we came at last to an
arched gateway in the stone wall,
guarded by two men with lances i'll
their hands. Riding under the stone
arch we came into a large courtyard
somewhat roughly paved, and here at
PENDANTS sprang forward to take our
horses Smith and I, having dismount-s
ed, walked into the great castle.
Smith led me into a large room which
was evidently the dining hall Of the.
castle. At one end was a large fire.
place, constructed on such a gigantic
scale that it formed practically a room
in itself; in fact, there were stools and
benches beneath its ample canopy, and
at the back there burned a great fire
Of logs.
Dinner was served as soon as we ar
rived. Smith took the head af the ta-
bic and motioned me to a place at his
right hand. The table was a plain oak
one without covering of any sort
Smith sat on a three-legged stool a t the
head, and another had been provided
for me, while a third stood at his left
hand. All down the two lengths of the
table from these stools We're long
benches and when dinner was an
noHnced the men at arms came clatter-
ing in, as we'll as numerous retainerS
whom ] had not seen. The last one to