The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-05-07

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and even insisting on the visit.
The next day, instead Of continuing
our delightful trip down the river, we
three were scurrying to Saalsburg,
urged by sudden and stupendous
whim on my part, and filled with
new interest in life.
I had made up my mind to buy the
castlel
The Hazards sat up with me nearly
the whole Of the night, trying to talk
me out Of the mad design, but all to
no purpose. I was determined to be the
sort of fool that Uncle Rilas referred
to when he SO frequently quoted the old
adage. My only argument in reply to
their entreaties was that I had to have
a quiet, inspirational place in which
to work and besides ! was quite sure
we could beat the impoverished owner
down considerably in the price, what.
ever it might turn out to be. While the
ancient caretaker admitted that it was
for sale, he couldn 7 give me the faint.
est notion what it was expected to
bring, except that it ought to bring
more from an American than from any
one else, and that he would be proud
and happy to remain in my service, he
and his wife and his prodigiously
capable sons, either of whom If put to
the test could break all the bones in
a bullock without half trying. More.
over, for such strong men, they ate very
little and seldom slept, they were 50
eager to slave in the interests Of the
master. We all agreed that they looked
strong enough, but as they were sleep.
ing with some intensity all the time
we were there, and making dreadful
noises in the courtyard, we could only
infer that they were making up for at
least a week Of insomnia.
had no difficulty whatever in strik-
ing q bargain with the abandoned
wretch who owned the Schloss. He
seemed very eager to submit to my de.
mand that he knock off thousand
pounds sterling, and we hunted up
notary and all the other officials
necessary to the transfer Of property.
At the end Of three days, I was the
sole owner and proprietor Of feudal
stronghold on the Danube, and the joy.
GUS Austrian was a little father on
his way to the dogs, a journey he had
been negotiating with great ardour
ever since coming into possession Of
an estate once valued at several mil.
lions. I am quite sure I have never
seen a spendthrift with more energy
than this fellow seems to have dis.
played in going through with his patri.
mony. He was on his uppers, so to
speak, when came to his rescue, sole.
ly because he couldn' t find a purchaser
or tenant for the castle, try as he
would. Afterwards I heard that he
had offered the place to q syndicate Of
Jews for one-third the price 1 paid,
but luckily for me the Hebraic instinct
was not so keen as mine. They let a
very good bargain get away from them.
I have not told my most intimate
friends what I paid for the castle, but
they are all generous enough to admit
that I could afford it, no matter what
it cost me. Their generosity stops there,
however. l have never had 50 many un.
kind things said to me in all my life
as have been said about this purely
personal lhatter.
Well, to make the story short, the
Hazards and I returned to Schloss
Rothhoefen in some haste, primarily for
the purpose Of inspecting it from dun.
geon to battlement. I forgot to men.
tion that, being very tired after the
climb up the steep, we got no further
on our first visit than the great baronial
hall, the dining-room and certain other
impressive apartments customsrily kept
open for the inspection Of visitors. An
interesting concession on the part Of
the late owner (the gentleman hurry.
ing to catch up with the dogs that had
got bit Of start on im)-msy here
be mentioned. he included all Of the
contents Of the castle for the price
paid, and the deed, or whatever you
call it, specifically set forth that !,
John Bellamy Smart, was the sole and
undisputed owner Of everything the
castle held. This made the harcain all