who have witnessed the agitation which the mishaps of a great man cause among his friends. Even the poor relations paused for a moment from the indefatigable labours of the trencher; when the aunt, who had at first been struck speechless, wrung her hands, and shrieked out, "The goblin! the goblin! she's carried away by the goblin!"
In a few words she related the fearful scene of the garden, and eoncluded that the spectre must have carried off his bride. Two of the domestics corroborated the opinion, for they had heard the clattering of a horse's hoofs down the mountain about midnight, and had no doubt that it was the speetre on his black charger, bearing her away to the tomb. All present were struck with the direful probability; for cvents of the kind are cxremely common in Germany, as many well-authenticated historics bear witncss.
What a lamentable situation was that of the poor baron! What a heart-rending dolcmma for a fond father, and a member of the great family of Katzenellenbogen! His only daughter had either been rapt away to the grave, or he was to have some wood-dcmon for a son-in-law, and perehance, a troop of goblin grandchildren. As usual, he was completely bewildered, and all the castle in an uproar. The men were ordered to take horsc, and scour every road and path and glen of the Odenwald. The baron himself had just drawn on his jack-boots, girded on his sword, and was about to mount his steed to sally forth on the doubtful quest, when he was brought to a pause by a new apparition. A lady was seen approaching the eastle, mounted on a palfrey, attended by a eavalicr on horseback. She galloped up to the gate, sprang from her horse, and falling at the baron's feet, embraced his knees. It was his lost daughter, and her companion-the Spectre Bridegroom! The baron was astounded. He looked at his daughter, then at the speetre, and almost doubted the evideneo of his
