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About The Albany register. (Albany, Or.) 1868-18?? | View Entire Issue (June 20, 1874)
L P Faker VOLUME VI. ALBANY, OREGON. JUNE 10, 1874. NO. 41. A Lrtrend of tb Rhine. The Iwantiful river Rhine, in tome ot it k windings, in nut unlike that portion of our Hudson which flows through the Highlands. Hut it differs vastly fr ni the bitter in that the grand old hills and immense rocks lying on either side are cov ered with ruins of wliat were otice massive towers, castles, atirl sirong. holds. These frowning lart lements, perched iimn jagged picks and teep mountain sses, were the homes of the warlike knights and barons of olden time, whose ives seemed spent in waring against each other. To all these ancient ruins throughout (iermauy, as well as on the Rhine, is attached some story or romance woven from history or tradition. A charming Cerman author has gathered into a little little volume many of these legends. One ot the most delightful of them is connected withtHkshard I., King of England, called Richard la'nr-de-Lion, because of his indomitable courage and bravery. Richard was born in Ox'ord,aud in 1189 succeeded his father. I lenry II. It is said that his haughty spirit and unbending wi 1 hastened the death ' the old king. Partly from remorse fbr past conduct, partly from mania1 taste, which early in life distinguished him, soon after his accession to the throne he al ied with Philip of France for a second' crusade against the famous Saladm, Emperor of Kgypt and 'yria. Sal. sdin had wrested Jerusaem from the hands of the Christian k'dght, Reginald de Chatillou, aisi slain many of his follower. News of this disaster reached England. Richard determined to gain pos session ot the holy city. I lie key to Syria was the fortress St Jean 4' Acre, which endured a siege ot two years before yielding to the combined forces of England and France. However, before the lion hearted monarch had time to take personal possession of Jerusalem, news reached 4im ol war at home. He concluded a truce with Va'adiu, and quickly embarked to quell the revolt in his own kingdom. On the coast of Italy he was ship wrecked. Nothing daunted by this new misfortune, he disguised himself as a pilgrim, hoping to pass through Germany unknown. By some means, however, he became known to Leopold, puke of Austria, who, to gratify a personal prejudice, caused him to be arrested and se cretly imprisoned. The name of this great monarch had been spread tar and near by pilgrims to the Holy Land; by 'hesongsoftrouha dors, and the plaudits of those who fought under him. 1 lis own knights worshipped him, and a number ot them banded together, determined, if he was stify living, to find his hiding-place and deliver him. On a lovely summer morning, a troop of horsemen Were passing through the country, r which ay a portion of the llatlz mountains. Three uohle-looking men rude tor ward, evidently the leaders of the troops which followed. The middle horseman was dressed as a minstrel, and on his face was an expression of deep pain and anxiety. Sud denly he stopped his horse to catch the notes of n shepherd, singing in the faNott Held. No sooner was the song finished; than he dashed toward the astonished singer. " My boy, sing that again; see, I have gold tor you !" M,Tia song I love!" said the boy, as he took the gold and recom meneed his music. " Now, tell me, lad," said the minstrel, "who taught you that tonff?n .JW t"w- i dare 'not tell, replied thj boy, as he g'anced with suspicion at the knight. " Ay ! Hut you must tell me ! Nohaim shall come to you! See, here is more gold tor you." " I have heard it sung in the castle of Triefels, near which I often feed my sheep." " 0 God " exclaimed the min. strel, bursting into tears, as lie knelt on the ground, " how wondrous are Thy ways!" Mis companions approached him with amazement, to hear him ex claim : " We have found him ! On to Triefels!" After the excitement of thir sup posed discovery had somewhat abated, they decided, tirst, to get a view of the fortress and then ma lure their (fans for getting within it The shepherd Ivy. who was to guide them hither, told them no strangers were avowed to cross the draw-bridge; and the keeper was imperious and unsociable Soon the towers of Triefe's glittered in the sun, and after a careful survey ot its surroundings, they moved away for further deliberation. " My friends," said the knight, " in my minstrel's dress, I must try alone to gain admittance to the cast'e. Meantime, this hoy will show yon lodgings in the hamlet below. It our noble king is impris oned here, we must release him." Thus saying, and with one servant to bear bis shield and harp, he rode to the bridge and demanded food and shelter for himself and servant. After much parley, he wa received, but very ungraciously. However, within those dreary walls he found a beautiful woman, the keepers niece, whose smile was like the iiM .m t ti il i.rl ah A MiiiitjtrV ilnt' ' After dinner, tlie minstrel satigj to the drowsy uncle and the charm ing niece. As the former after a while, seemed to sleep soundly, the knight began: " You seem to love music, fair lady! But, surely, you do not often hear it in this lonely castle." " No, only myself and one poor prisoner sing." " A prisoner?" " Yes ! and lie must he of gentle birth ! Hut I dare not say more lest my uncle wake. He will be angry if I talk of him." " Tell me one thing, dear maiden; can I hear the song of this lonely one, who en gs for freedom ? " Yes, if you listen to-night ! His melancholy songs bring the tears to my eyes often enough!" Just now the old keeper awoke, and, giving orders to lead the stranger to his apartment, he him self went out. When our knight entered his chamber, he went to the window and vainly strove, through the deepening twilight, to find the tower in which he supposed his dear king to be. Soon a melancholy voice was heard singing these words: " The golden stars wander over hill and valley, messengers of my longings and my grief. In this gloomy prison I pass my life and can only confide Iny woes to heav en." oh, my king!" sobbed the knight, at a pale face appeared at a lower window. " How can I tell yon how near yonr friends are? " The harp!" lie cried suddenly, and snatching it! up with trembling fingers, lie played a romance which he had composed tor the king. No sooner had he1 finished a few bars, than the voice in the tower caught up the air and finished it " Blondel ?" exclaimed the king. For answer, the minstrel agaiu seized his harp and sang : "Oh! Richard, oh! ray King, The world abandons thee, And no one now Is seeking Thy deliverance, but me. I'll save thy precious person, I will break thy cruel chain, I pledge myself lit (One Thy freedom to regain.''' Blondel spent the night in laying plans tor the deliverance of Richard.' lie resolved to gain admittance into the castle for his followers, through his friendship for the lovely girl, who had already made an impres sion on his heart. Within day or two the newly elected emieror was to be crowned at rranktort On the evening the coronation, he directed tjie land, lord of the little inn near Triefels to give to the garrison ot the castle a banquet, that with proper cere mony they might drink to the health of the new monarch. Mean while one by one, his own trusty knights stole through the twilight to the woimIs behind pie castle. At a late hour of the evening the little Mile gate ot the fortress opened, as the young maiden cautiously stole out to meet Blondel. Then, fi.r the first time, he tin- (bided to her the real object of his meeting will, her, entreating her to fly back to Eng and with the king (whom he was about to liberate) and himself; assuring her that overy token of love and gratitude shou d be shown her if she won d yield to his wishes- With a cry of astonishment and pain, she exclaimed, "Oh, traitor! oh, woe! my poor uncle !" As she turned to fly within the castle walls, the fid lowers of Blondel who, in the darkness, had approached uu pereeived, flocked about her and made their way to the castel'aiiV room, where tlie tower keys were kept. The few defenders of the fortress who were not at tlie village fete were soon overpowered; the old keeper was powerless to do aught but he cried mt, as the liberated I siehard stood lietore him : Against this deed, contrary to the law of nations, I protest ; and swear that you shall not leave Germany iu safety !" Tlie poor maiden threw herself upon her knees and accused herself as the cause of this terrible disaster. Meanwhile the report of the at tack upon the castle had reached the inn, and the warriors came back iu hot haste to find themselves bar red outside tlie walls, with a threat that if they did not disperse, the castellan should lose his head and the castle be destroyed. Blondel and the king urged the maiden to return with them to Eng land, but site could not forgive the man who had used her heart tor an act ot treason, Blondel left her, but not until she had accepted a ring and a chain of gold in token of bis eternal re membcrance ot her love and service toward him. We dd not propose to follow the fortunes of Cceur-de-Lion after his escape from Triftels1 but to tell the reader what tradition says of the minstrel Blondel and tlie unhappy maiden. Many, many years after the events which we have described, arid on another summer day, a gray-haired cavalier rode over the same moun tain pass, where the king had been sought and found. "Here, murmured be, "here have I felt, in days gone hyfl the highest bliss and the deepest woe of my life! ' Slowly he rode rjn till he reached the little inn. As he looked into , the face of the landlord, he discovered the features of the young shephenhboy. With an almost tender interest the two (one of whom was Blondel) talked of the past. Iu tears, the now old minstrel learnt the sad fate of the castellan and his niece. He was killed by some hidden hand soon after the flight of. Richard was discovered. The broken-hearted maiden entered a convent near Baden, where hence forth her life and history were lost to the world. I None can visit this ancient ttria of Triefe's without a melancholy interest, as tliey recall the prison lite of the great King Richard ; tlie touching romance ot the minstrel knight, Blondel, and the lovely, loving maiden over whose story centuries have now rolled. Wet tern Rural. Hiatal to Horsemen . If your horse is in the habit of kicking, use a low dash-hoard, and your horse will soon get over it. Keep your horse fat ; don't al low any one to get a lieu on him. When your horse tails to take up an oat, consider him a" fai'ed. To make your horses very fast, tie them with two ha tets. Never feed horse-cliesnuts to chesiiut horses, nor horse-sorrel to gorrel horses, but you. can give cream to a cream horse as you like, and the horse likes it. It is not iieceswry to employ a pitchfork t pitch cream to a cream horse, how ever. It may answer to stirrup yonr saddle, but don't stir np your horse at least a stirring hnrse in a crowd. It might cause a stir. Look carefully after the bits of your horse, or yon may soon be looking after the bits of your wag on. If you have th proper address yon may receive a ooup.e of Hues from a hone, but on no account "drop a line." However you may be attached to your horse, you must be sure that he is well attached to your carri. age. . . , If a horse is recommended to yon as being a horse ot good carriage, don't inter that he is a good carri age horse. When you tell a horse to "get up," look well at his "get up.'' Some horses get up within tlie bug gy, but like deep sorrow, "leave their traces there." ' ..m A horse is somewhat like a pbb. lie officer, when he is Installed, in this, that he "feels his oats" direct ly if there are any oats in the stall. Whatever stall you use for your horse in the stable, you should al ways use a head stall when you drive him. An unbridled horse is very much, like an unbridled longue-. Rearing colts is often very profit able, but rearing horses is not pro fitable, especially those that rear up in the rear atxl execute flank move, meute on the dashboard with shoe, fly accompaniments. They "foot up" a bill for repairing too rapidly- Harnessing a horse resembles kgetting married, in this, that the bridle comes first, but you don't feel the bridle rein, till you get into the harness and feel the check. Blind bridles are most common in both cases and very poor in either You may make a horse laugh by tickling your horse under the ribs, but it will always be in crowd of donkeys. When you go to ourch you oughtto shed tears of repentance tor yourself, if you dot have any shed for your horse, . .: A Dutchman oiwo made a good fortune by the mirk trade, sold out mod started tor the fatberkn.' His g dd was tied up in a bag. A mon key caught up the bag and climbed up t the masthead. The evil gen ius thru commenced throwing Ifat gold pieces, first one on the deck ai d the other into the sea. "Hinv mel I" exclaimed the Dutchman "how down de little follow know how to devite mouish. Dot vich come by de vater he trows into de vafer.and so much vich come by de milk he gives to me. R KcoyKRKn. Tlie many friends of Col LaDow, of Umatilla county, wilt he pleased to learn that that gentleman has so far recovered bis health as to be able to, be around. Tim fjvs!f amaiif. f a tuttitital aam paign in which the Col. took an ac tive and prominent part was the jm- mediate cause of his illness. The canvass being over and the strain on his mental faculties having been withdrawn, the Colonel at once re. gained his health jnd is himself again. Tlie speeches made by him j . . . . j. . . t.j ,. .... ... timing iite piogiwn oi me campaign - l i -j a i ik i a. i - . iioi omy surprised in menus onu extorted admiration-from hit oppo nents, some going so far as to com pare them with the best efforts of Webster and Clay. Be this as it may, there can be no doubt but that we oiouei, oy me aoie manner is which he conducted the canvass has added greatly to his reputation as orafbr and statesman. When h gets to Washington be will rank 4.fVHil4V V 'V Riuivr UVWHVVI HI VW gross, and we would advise Ban Butler to look to his laurels tor it La Dow he will find a "foemau worthy of his steel." Make way tor the coming man, Colonel George A. LaDow. Walia Walla States man, Separating the Goats. A" Western drover, driving a large drove of sheep to New York was, delayed on the road by stormy weather. Saturday night found him too tar from the city to make the much desiftd early entrance on Monday morning. He determined, therefore, to start on Sunday. As he passed a large, old fashioned meeting house, the doors of which stood wide open, a cosset sheep ran into tlie door and up to the altar, where he stood and looked as coolly as only a cosset sheep could look. The drover said to his assistant - "Jimmy, if you'll fetch that feller out I'll give you half dollar." Jimmy was bright and knew his nvw lesuuneui. aiuenng tne ed ifice he marched up and seized the stray quadruped. Tlie minister stop ped short in his discourse and said t "Young man, do you know what you Ire doing?" "Yes, sir," replied Jimmy, "I'm seperaUng the sheep . i, .... .ni i -' - k uubi me giiais; biki, pulling uie action to tlie word, he dragged him forth, from the congregation. , . , I ' Landlady (fiercely)-" You musnt occupy that bed with yonr boots on," Boarder "Never mind, they're an old pair. I guess the bed bogs can't hurt mtk I'll risk it anv how." Young wife "George, dear, yon have taken :i.l ma, have .yon notf, "M.vm,. my deart who ever heard ol taking aretttfBtafeotliel.lBWr