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Seba Smith

The Legend of Grafensprung.

BERHARD II, Count of Wurtemberg, had two children, Ulric and Lida. Ulric in a battle had been forced by superior numbers to retreat. His father reproached him with not remaining upon the field of battle either alive or dead, and, after the manner of the rude barons of the middle ages, cut the cloth from the front of his usual seat at table, thus signifying to him that he had not earned his bread.

This subject has furnished a theme to Schiller for one of his ballads, and a subject to Ary Scheffer for one of his finest paintings. Ulric regained his reputation by throwing away his life upon another occasion when he had gained a victory. The father's life was then lonely and sad, so that, from being called Eberhard the Fighter, he was called Eberhard the Weeper, and this last is the name of another masterpiece by Scheffer. His daughter, Lida, however, still remained to him.