The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-26

a phantom bugle. It was also declared that the bugle would sound at twilight Those of my readers who are familiar with Verdi's interpretation of Victor Hugos drama, ''Ermanl," will at once recognize this story l do not know whether Hugo was acquainted with the legend of Henterburg when he wrote his drama, but if he was he omitted the feature of the hour that the bugle was to be sounded. However, the occupant of the tower had decided to defy fate and adopted a most ingenious method to fur ther that determination. He would play upon busle from the advent to the passing of twilight and thus by his own strains drown the notes of the phantom instrument that he would never hear them. It had never been decided whether the phantom bugle had been blown. but certain it was that they had never been heard and thus the man in the tower had preserved his life up to, at least, the hour of my hearing his performance.
 Rothenburg is perched upon a high hill and as l approached it I was struck with the charming silhouette which the many towers of it's ancient walls trace upon the skyline. Surely in the days before the invention of eunpowder the city must have been impregnable. l was also inn pressed with the remarkable resemblance which the place bore to Jerusalem as viewed from beyond the walls. and later l learned that pilgrims of the middle ages had been similarly impressed. In- deed the extraordinary similarity had caused those simple pilgrims to found series of processions. typical of the march through the Via Dolorosa, which were for many years made annually through the city
 It would seem that Rothenburg has the same penchant for processions today and in this respect is a rival of Coven- try, with it's Lady Godiva parade. The procession is always held upon Whit monday, and it was on that day that en- tered Rothenburg, but I was too late to see the procession. I did, however, ob- tain an opportunity to view the play which is held in connection with the sea- sons festivities
 The performance was out of the usual presentations and I do not believe that my readers will weary of brief recital of local history. with which 1t is neces- sary to be acquainted in order to appre- ciate a description of the play The play is known as the Master Draught" Der Meistertrunk), and since 1881 has been presented each year on Whitmonday, ex- plotting an episode of the 30 years war In this memorable conflict Rothenburg had declared for Sweden, who earrisoned the city with horsemen and on Septem- Der %, 1881, the place was invested by the opposing army of imperial troops All or the armed citizens were hurried to the walls and so gallant was the defense that next day, in spite of the fact that a heavy battery of six guns had preached the walls and scaling ladders were being used, the citizens, who were constantly supplied with stones and munitions by the women and children caused the army to retire, leaving 500 men dead in the meats. About noon lilly appeared with 4O,OO0 troops and renewed the attack upon men who had been 30 hours continuously upon the walls. The great length of the mural defense rendered relays of men impossible Still the citizens resisted. The great powder mill caught fire and explod- ed, and it was not until the Swedish soldiers capitulated that the city was surrounded. Then followed a horrible scene. Flushed with victory and angered by the stubborn resistance the yictors de- termined upon general slaughter At the market place women and children clung to the hoofs of Tillys horse and begged for mercy. The city senators were condemned to death and Burgomaster Bezold was sent under guard to the ex- ecutioner. His faithful servant, Christo- pher Nader refused to do his duty and offered up his own life for that of his master. It was this incident that caused