The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-09-05

half dozen horsemen were quickly
beaten down by the superior force OF
the bandits. and Friedrich and his
brother would have Jared badly had
not the robber chief noticed the elder
boys SCARED cheek.
Art thou not Friedrich Of Thur
ingia, whose mother gave him such
brave kiss" asked the robber, re-
garding him earnestly.
Il am Friedrich of Thuringia, thy
rightful PRINCE answered the gal
liant boy. The enemies of Thy coun-
try pursue me. 1 crave thy protec-
ton"
Thou shalt have it to the death,
declared the man, who the moment
before had been ready to treat him as
an enemy. And he and his robber
band became from that moment the
young princes devoted adherents.
Another time the prince and his
brother were so closely pursued by
troop of the enemy that they We're
forced to take refuge in the hut OF
poor charcoal burner. There was no
time for concealment, but the wife OF
the charcoal burner, pitying their
plight, with great presence OF mind
emptied upon their heads and over
their persons a pot of charcoal dust,
and placing baskets in their hands
sent them out to bring in a load of
the product her husband manufac-
tured The enemy, seeing, as they
supposed, only two peasant lads en-
gagged in labor, dashed on in the di-
rection they believed the fugitives
had gone, and the hunted princes
managed to reach safe quarters at
last.
Meanwhile the high spirited Mar
garethe had not been idle. She had
many powerful friends throughout
Germany, and she enlisted their help
to recover her boys inheritance.
More than half the German princes
took her side, for the Emperor Adolph
was not liked. The cruel old Land
grave Albrecht was on the Emperor's
side, of course, and there was bat
tie fought between the two armies.
The two brothers were defeated, but
the Emperor could rot hold Thurin-
gia. His soldiers were so cruel that
everywhere the people rose in revolt,
and at the end of three years Adolph
was so unpopular that the very elect
ors who had chosen him deposed him
and elected Albrecht of Hapsburg
Empero: in his stead.
Peace was now declared, and
Friedrich and his brother returned
in great state to the Wartburg. from
which they had once fed as outcasts.
You can imagine how ths banners
waved an the trumpets sounded and
all the spiendor of the scene as that
feudal array wound up the steep mar
row path under the masses of moss
covered rock and across green ter
races shadowed with noble trees till
they passed the mighty drawbridge
into the castle itself, gay with its
banners, its garlands and shining
COdlS VI al 1tlS
The old Landgrave was dead. and
Friedrich We. lord of the Wartburg
and all the Thuringian land. He was
now youth of sixteen, tall and hand
some, but the scar where his mother
had bitten him always remained, and
he was known as Friedrich the Bit
ten. He grew up one of the mos:
perfect knights of his age and one OF
the bravest captains, huge, strong
warrior, whom it was not easy to
overcome.
A pretty story is told of him after
he had grown to manhood. There
was another war in Thuri1gia, and
one day tidings came to the Wart-
burg that the Emperor was coming
with large army. The young Land
grave had to flee with his wife and
newly borr chile. The enemy was
almost overtaking them when the in
FAINT began to cry violently for food.
What did the Landgrave do but stop
in the face of the pursuing foe, keep
them at Day till the child was fed
and pacified and then flee on again.
Such a prince had too much skill and
energy TO be robbed of his inherit
ance, and he drove the Austrian army
back at last and reigned manysyears
in peace and glory at his grand old
castle of the Wartburg.
His tomb is in the chapel of the
castle with those of the other Land
graves, and in the Riddersal (Knight's
Room is the suit of armor that he
wore in battle. 1t is of almost gigan-
tic size, or Friedrich was perhaps
the tallest and strongest nan Of his
age. If you ever visit the Wartburg
you must be sure to see that mighty
suit of mail once worn by the Land
grave with the bitten cheek.-Chris'
tian Union Herald.