Bradford reporter. (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, August 07, 1852, Image 1

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    f511.11:17.EN ZUIIIIO
TOWANDA:
clator be Morning, %ann.! 7, 1832.
Vurtrii.
ANGELS
Thta shadowy forms are hovering
In the air around us spread.
Amt we feel their hallowed presence
in the daily paths we tread ;
Their soft eyes art kindly glistening
Down :n many a gqlden beam ;
Thetis the hands that gently scatter
Heavenly roses on oar dream.
Eto best gems of thought they bring us
from their far and distant home ;
. 0;: h -they often make us shudder,
We arc better when the) come.
Nntl they weave sweet spells of music
O'er ,ur troubled hearts to guide,
AO 0,1,1 hearts almost sinking
Poo•n In life's cold, rapid tide.
Tlicr ,ustain and cheer, and comfort
When our spirits (all and Shrink,
Save us from the dark abysses
When we tremble on the brink ;
soft they chile when fiery passions
Would our hasty bosoms stir ;
kneels sadden, deeply sorrow,
When our human spirits err.
how they speak in soothing whispers,
1% hen in grief we bend and moan,
And ,oft they bear us messengers
From the sainted loved ones gone;
t They that still the fever burning
\• In ,/nr sickened, weary hearts—
Th•y unclasiohe crystal fountain
\\ hence the cooling tear-drop starts
Oh, th , •y bring us daily visions
it!' a world more pure and fair,
It tt,4, their sweet low voices whisper,
and love and home are there."
Thet;hat keep a deathless vigil
At the portals of the Soul—
The; ;hat (read the angry tempest
Nltun the waves of trouble roll.
ugh the veil of gloomy shadows
our fainting souls they bear,
.1% h,le their tuneiul songs of heaven
us in our passage there.
rch, huw high, how precious,
We mast lie in God's puro sight,
"(Ia• he ...end; us guardian angels
Irma hi. realms of fadeless light.
THE CTRCASSIIIIV CAPILIEVZI
A WILD TALE OF THE CATCAPV3
; the. Fllmmer of 1537, the plains . of Circassia
ar.,!Georgia n•~re fil;ed with a Russian host, whom
.t. , :timiciat. not contented with his already hounds
i,,geinpire, and not knowing the spirit with which
rnitd have to deal, had sent for. the- subjection
at le-e !tivorite countries. The whole army, which
:Jo hued no tests tltan thirty thousand, while ad
vucc,n_ by tittle( ett t roads and passes, leave the gar.
risci:.s in the conquered towns; and afterwards unite
a -:crte ktra.tty, as circumstances might require.
ate ot thetze detachments had, with considera
h,,;.tileuhy, penetrated to the village of Teherzi,
which, r. ell on .elevated ground, to be reached only
he baldest labor, over snow covered summits,
lav ta the tosilm ot the Caucasian chain, and so
r inii;etely so:rounded by-the loftiest mountains of
tr..; rdll2n 11.1. it had been deemed impregnable
Ntotertt.t. ith invincible . valor and perse ver
rye, had the Russian general, Boroff, fought his
way nii;ll at last, after a bloody stlugcle, the ene
my had yielded, retired to the mountain fastnesses,
and thus acknowledged the foe masters of the field
Had a been winter the Russian army could never
hare penetrated to this point, nor, having reached al
coni.l they have survived the intense cold and fear
er); ofprovitions. It was uow, however, hardly
the middle of summer, a season which, in the Can.
was, brings with it the most delightful weather that
can be imagined : the vale abounded in provisions
of ail kindc: which the inhabitants, not anticipating
such an ts‘ue to the battle, had no time to destroy ;
anti liorolT , though well aware of the necessity of a
`Pet;ly ac;ion,-lial determined to remain here a
rrw I..ns. to .ee to the wolded, and to refresh his
any. \o di had guttered` plush during the ardu
ous ratath It was Ids iiiiehtion to posh a little for
llier 00, where ;here was another Citemitiee villages
ins:ano n a garrison, of some size there, to keep the
sa , lni.lied in check, and to return—all of which
noped and eNpre:ekl to accomplish before the
ever stow should ....el in, or the cold become sul
ll'enly severe to impede the operation of his
voiy.
a'as on Ihe day after the battle, and General
lioroll W 35 seated in a rude lint which formed his
inr!ers lie was a man who had seen much ser
-I,ce and whose experience in military matters pe
cui,ary tcte , i tom lor the command of a military .
el2eilitiori like Lie present. He had given his or
hr the day. ; had with his own eyes seen to
P per deposal of his soldiers, and had returned
to varters, m company with Colonel Godin4i,
rtu.(2., brave, noble looking man, and one of his
c , tiicers
" may thanb the saints, Colonel, for escap
ullh " Yevetday," observed General Bereft ;
s. , tue of ou r brother officers have not Jared so
re ; poo r Troitz received a cut upon his cheek
I %at W::1 mar his beauty for life. By heaven -1 . those
14JUW.11'1 saV.l6O:l tight lions ; their swords are
, Leen . tiwir 1101Sed are strong and lithe.as the Ara-
AnaLS, and thoogh we conquer them, it is with little
"r u?adrafi:42,l., they are so fleet in escaping, and
h",'^ mountains to shelter them."
1 ""r I, 2'.oesA is ri2ht," answered the colonel;
' l ion;(' Ke ittagin them 'a lesson they will be
Kmetane In forgetting. They lost many a good
i trnrilrman, as the appearance of the field well tea-,
If your highness had but another, regiment
hem We would be more than a match for them."
u lho _anion we have left behind has some.
:lia,,..lllllLed our ranks," answered the general ;
A tverilteless ecion el, I think we can finish the enar
ytven with honor. It is a pity thatthe most beauti.. ,
women the world ca n boaiti shenhl4Mve for
tielce, and bloodthitsty: s l )ll 4 s ."' -
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" Nay ; general, you target the adage, " none but
the brave deserve the fair." put appmpos of beati
tiful women; your highness must know that there
was captured yesterday alter the rout, while betak
ing herself to the mountains with all the speed she
could use, a lovely Circassian, charming as Circe, ,
JO Majestic as they Queen of Sheba." ,
,(Godinski'
had been to the University of St. Petersburg, and
loved to shdra his leaining ) "She is yet undispo
sed pf, and I would ask her as my share of the
booty. She would make me a rare slave."
" You are modest, colonel," answered Boroff,
"to rate your value no higher than that it may be
rewarded by a slave. Nevertheless, take her; I
am too old for the delights of love, and I will - swear
no other has half so good a claim as you. Take
her, Godinski, but let her not keep you from your
duties—we cannot spare your services; and when
this, war is over you will have plenty of time for
dalliance."
"‘ Fear not, your highness, an hour spent with
this Venus will but give a keener relish to the plea.
sures of the field. With your permission, I will
even now retire, to bestow her in my quarters, that
she may be free from insult."
Occurrences like this were not unfrequent, the
general gave way in the present case, the honor of
the prisoner, whom he regarded as in all respects
a slave, without for a moment reflecting on the
consequences which might arise from this simple
act. It was the indulgence of such licentionsness
in the Russian suldrers and officers that had called
forth the fierce resistance they had met with\ from
these mountain tribes. Nowhere, perhaps, in the
phi world, is the honor of women prized more high
ly than in the Caucasus. Beautiful to a proverb,
yet it is not their beauty but their chastity on which
they set the highest value. Outraged by the licen
tious cruelty of the invading hosts, many a mourn
er had registered in heaven a solemn vow of ven
geance.
Scarcely had Goilinski left the general's hut, when
the door was again darkened, and Borofl, looking
up, beheld a tall majestic figure in the act of enter
ing. Ilia wild accoutrements, his singular dress,
his peculiar sword, made in his native wilds, pro
claimed him to be a native ; while his air of com
mand and step of dignity, told the Russian general
he was in presence of one by . . no means low in
rank. He was a man who looked to be some five
and-twenty years of age, and his countenance was
peculiarity prepossessing. The stranger slowly ad
vanced and extended his_tight hand in which he
bore a branch* ortso.
Boroff, at first, started at this sudden apparation ;
but *latently' recovered himsel r, on perceiving that
he was accompanied by two sold:ens, who announc
ed that he had presented at the outposts, and re
quested to confer with the general l
" Advance," said Borotl, rising./ "Who are you,
and upon what errand have you come ?"
" I am Alexander
" Alexander—the Lesghini chief—who has con•
tended with us, inch by inch, for the soil we hold?-
Alexander—the renegade Russian ?"
" Iluld !" cried the young man fiercely—" I am
Alexander, the Lesghini chief, whom by the fortune
of war you .have thus far conquered. I am Alex
ander, the banished Russian u ho is still hunted like
a beast. I have forsworn a land of tyranny. lam
no longer a Russian exile, but a Circassian chief 1"
" It seems to me lbu are bold to throw yourself
into our Wands, young man."
" I ktiow the honor of a Russian general," an
ewered Alexander " I come on an errand of
peace. When I have finished I expect to depart
as freely as I came ; if not there are swords in the
mountains, and the destruction of anhief will notbe
likely to dull Their keenness,"
" By the saints! Alexander, traitor or chief, what
ever you may call yourself, you have not misjudg
ed us.. I will pledge my word you shall return in
safety. And now for your business."
"Russian," answered the young man, advancing
nearer to the general, and speaking earnestly and
slowly, *von have felt the of a fragment of
the I,es:lth-bias you advanced hither. A lew of us
have taken the field to impede your march end de•
lay your advance. Iltisian, the tocsin has now
been sounded rirough the Caucasus, and thousands
are marching hither. Beware! push us not Ix' !
it is easy to advance, it is hard to warn."
"To what end is this?" interrupted the Russian
general impatiently. Am Iso young and inexpe
rienced that you have come forth to teach me my
euty ?"
• " Not so. The Lesgliini are a great tribe. I have
influence with them. It they cease to relidst, the
conquest of the Caucasus will be easy."
" And the upshot of all this is, that you will use
yetir influence to bring about this result, for a good
round sum," again interrupted general Boroft, con•
temptuously. "Away, young traitor! our blood
is the only coin with which we will buy your sub
mission." .
"Get,. Ilorof)," answered the Circassian, with a
dignified air, "twice yoivhave called we traitor,
and twice most . uncourteously interrupted ore. This
will I pass over ; and now listen to the close. I
hate your country—l hate every liussian—f hate
you. Nevertheless %TRW. smothe; this avertinn,
abandon my scheme of revenge, and leave you un.
molested, provided you will restore unhurt, and in
all honor, the daughter of a Circassian chief,' who
fell yesterday into your hands, He. is dead
Lesg,hini revere his memory, and to save from Rus
sian lust the daughter, whom in his dying, moments
fur left to their protection, they will disband their
loteei, leave the field; and place no further obsta
cles in the_ way oiliour.a4vatteer.", lie paused.
"And w h at if Ido not comply, Circassian 7 .,
"We swear a war - of death
. extermination, till dear
shall take from us all hope of vengeance!"
,Gee. Boron was silent a moment for reflection.—
The Lesghini was unquestionably the brat es.t. and.
finest powerful tribe etiltel:aueasus; their retiring
from ths.conque t st was : certainly a most desirable
•Pbjecllo4.,ts4ter gainsfl.)iy what ,seentc).f_a tritliag
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. O'MEARA GOODRICH.
CIIAPTER II
`! lIDS4ULDLESB O , F rmiurrcurzari FROM ANY careaTza."
consideration. Yet he had pledged his word—he
hagiven the alive to Col. Godinski. Could he re
tract I Could lie ask tor the Circatisian without
wounding his friend I Impossible !"
a I have considered your request," at length an-
swered Soroff, and must decline accepting your
proposal."
"One wore more, general Boroff, That Circas.
sian maid was my affianced brida. If you are a
husband, if you are a father, I conjure you by your
own daughter, abandon not Zairah to ilie fate which
awaits all of your female prisoners ! Free ber,
kill her, but disgrace her not I"
"Circassian," said the general, " you seem to be
a gallant fellow. I would accede to your request,
but to be plain with you, it is too late. ,lust as you
entered my door, Col. Godinski left it with my pro.
mise that this Circassian maid should be his slave.
A Russian general cannot break his word."
Not a muscle in the noble Circassian's lace chang
ed as he heard these words, the confirmation of his
worst fears. Mutely he gazed for an in,tant on the
speaker with an intensity before which the latter
trembled.
Then slowly raising his hand he drew from his
girdle a small dagger. Gen. Boron involuntarily
started back and seized a pistol which lay upon a
table. The precaution was useless. The chief
aimed not the blow at the Russian, but cast the
blade upon the floor of the apartment with a force
that imbecled it nearly to the hilt. Then turning in
the same silence, he walked in dignity from the
hut, found his way io his horse which was fastened
near, he mounted, and putting spurs to the noble
animal was soon seen in the far distance, making
his wq up the rugged mountain's side.
CHAPTER m
A week had elapsed since the occurrences nar.
rated in Our last chapter ; a week which had been
so well improved by the Plusrian leader, that ;le
had found his army much refreshed, and in a con•
dition to advance. Accordingly, as no time was to
be lost, he had determined on the following day to
take up his line of march. All the officers were in
high spirits at the anticipated change, for the time
hxd passed rather heave:it at their encampment.—
.one or two circumstances, indeed, had occurred to
vary the monotony, but a soldier loves not to rest
in the middle of a campaign, and even those who
bare suffered in previous engagements were anx
ious to press on.
It was early in the evening, and the officers were
sea ed around the table in Geri. Boma's hut. There
was not there, to be sure, the magnificence of good
cheer to which they • were accustomed, but they
strove by their hilarity to make up for this defl•
ciency. A good dish of boiled mutton was flanked
by sturgeonroes, and that excellent cheese which
can be found only in the Caucasus.
"How is Colonel Godinski, this evening e en
quired one at the lower end of the 'able. " Has
your highness heard'!"
" I returned from hts quarters at dark," answer
ed the General. "He is somewhat better although
in conbiderable danger.
" Gen. Buroff," said Capt. Troitz, whose face was
still covered with bandages, though his wound was
doing Well ; " you are aware that this is my first ap.
pearance at the table. 1 hate tliciefute missed all
opportunity of receit ing any accurate infutinat ion
concerning this accident of Col Gudinski, nothing
has reached me but a few reports which have ser
ved only to increase my curiosity. May I ask
how this wound was received."
" That, my dear Captain, is a great mystery to
us as to you. The second morning after oar battle
here, Col. Godinsk i was found by his servant, lying
upon the floor of trig apartment, weltering in bis
bloat On examination he was found to have a
severe stab in the neighborhood of the heart, which
our surgeon pronounced highly dangerous though
with due care be thinks it will not prove fatal.—
The Colonel has either has been in n state of un,
easiness or delirium ever since this disaster, so that
we have uaen cble to /earn riot} log (corn him res.
peeling its origin. ‘Vere this all, we might suppose
either that some assassin had been in the camp, or
that our friend had attempted to terminate his own
existence ; but as to the first supposition, the mur
derer would M all probability have rifled the Colo_
trekbody of its valuables, whereas his watch and
purse was found untouched ; arid as to the second,
no one who knew our friend's happy disposition,
would for a moment entertain the idea of his sui
cide. There is another fact that aflords a more
likely key to the mystery. A beautiful Circassian,
whom I have since learned was the daughter of a
Lesghini chief, and affianced to the renegade Al
exander, who leads the enemy, was, at Col. Godin.
stied request, assigned to him by me as his share
of die booty. The Colonel had her removed to his
toasters, and her disappearance on the following
morning leaves no doubt but that she committed
the acts'
• °Your highness omits to mention another fact,' ,
said an officer, who sat immediately o'l his left.—
A dagger was planted erect in the floor, by the
aide of his body, as it it had been oast there with
considerable toren.
‘, And this dagger,"continued Gen. Boroff, " was
ol..Caucassian manufacture, 'and the exact coun
terpart of one which Alexander himself, the Les.
chief, threw down in the same manner in
this very room : "
Alexam!er, the renegade, here your high
wets 31
" Yes," answereil the General,' "he came to
treat for the release of the fair maid, his bride that
was to be.; and when 1 declined, intimating that
she had already been disposed 01, he diew his dag.
ger, and inrte:ul ol aiming at me, as 1 supposed he
intended, the stupid fellow expressed his dissaus
fac inn by throwing it into the lindr."
" By die saints, gentlemen, there is more in this
than you suppose," exclaimed Truitz earnestly—
"l have Served longer in the "Caucassus, and I
know the habits of this tribe well. The hurling of
.t dagger 'in this . way is an expression of a depilly
defiatiec I have kilown dist i ll to follow up the eb- ,
ject of their revenge, when threatened thus, for a
year until at last an opportunity offered at corium
tutting it in the most terrible manner. Nay, if
them seemed to be no other way of effecting it they
would accomplish it, even if their own death were
the inevitable result. A Circassian considers him
self cursed forever if he forgets this vow of ven
geance."
" Nay, Trek," interrupted the General, " I'll
wager you make mote of this than the result Will
warrant."
" I trust I do, General," answered the Captain ;
" I have lived long in the Caucarents, and never
have I seer. this vow forgotten."
Scarce had he spoken, when the door opened,
and a seAtinel entered. " Pardon your highness,"
exclaimed be hastily, " but every height, as far
northward as the eye can reach, is ruddy with a
watchfire, and every moment as we look, we see
new flames springing up, and sending their crim
son glow to the very sky."
"A chain of signal fires, your highness," inter
rupted Troitz," which these mountaineers resort to
when engaged in some great enterprise which ren
ders communication necessary between different
parts of the country. It is even so," continued he
'approaching the door; " already I can count thirty,
and see, another flares up on yonder crag not three
miles from the camp. lam no false prophet, your
highness; the hour of their meditated vengeance is
at hand."
"To armr, then gentlemen," cried Boroff, hpr
rying to the door. "They shall find us prepared.
Tioiiz, I see there is no blazing signal behind us.
We must try to sever this burning chain, lest 'ye be
surrounded on all sides, and it fares badly with gar
rison we have left. Do you marshal the soldiers,
and have them ready for action at the shortest no
:ice. Scarcely a quarter-of a mile off, 1 have no
ticed a strange looking rock, so situated, and ol such
elevation, that a fire upon its tep would be visible
tor miles. They will not be likely to overlook such
a beacon ; while, if we possess it, we will be able
to cut off the communication, and prevent any az
lion on the part of those in our rear. !will forward,
gentlemen, to occupy this all important point."
'• Nay, General, it will be a work at some peril,
if these savages are in earliest," said a grey bead
ed Major ; " let me go, and do you remain to see
that all is riga' in the camp."
" Boroff will never send his soldiers where he
will not go himsell : " was the brave reply, as the
General hastened to place himself at the head of a
small detaebthent to effect the desired movement.
The rest of dap army was soon called from their
quarters and under alms; they knew not the reason
for these sudden orders, and could answer each
other's questions only by pointing to thp beacon
fires, which still fiercely sent up their oatinous light
to the heavens.
The General had, in his position, reconnoitered
the ground in the neighberhood of the carry, and
was well acqndrited with the situation of the crag
to which he had allotted. It might be termed the
summit of the hilly range on which the village of
Teherzi was situated. It was to be readied by a
rough np hill road which passed a few feet from
base. the rock itself was of a pyramidal shape,
and distinguished not so much by its flight, as by
es desolate and distinct position, which enabled it
to be seen, as separated from the surrounding moun
tains, at a considerable distance. A stony path ted
up the side; but the General thought it would not
be necessary to ascend to the top, but determined,
after having seen his men in undisputed possession,
to leave hall his little force in a suitable position, to
guard the eminence, and return with the remain
der.
The night was dark, for the moon had bid her
We, and the general won't) have been unable to
direct their maw.had he not been familiar with
the way. Ten minutes enabled them to reach the
base of the iock ; the General paused
,lor a moment,
but once more ordered them to advance, and clam,
ber up the rug. - ,ed side to a spot which he remem
bered to have seen, a few days betore, and which
he thought would enable them to act with great ef
fect, should the enemy attempt to carry the post.—
Rapidly and with as little noise as possible, they
reached the place.
I , We are sale," exclaimed the General, as he
gave the word to halt.
Ills words were lost in deep shout from the sol
Biers, and turning to the direction in which he saw
them gazing, he beheld a sheet of flames shooting
np from vortex of the rock, even more fiercely than
from the neighboring mini's, and swaying now on
this side, now on that, as .the breeze bore it to and
fro.
ctt the same moment ; he saw enkindled, far and
near to the Southward, the ominous signals of
destruction.
"St. Nicholas protected us!" cried General Bo
roll, as he looked with consternation on the scene
"We are too late ! But hold ; Ivan; your carbine;
there is one who shall rue this signarligliiingi"
He seized the soldier's fire•lock ; they looked in
the direction of his aim, and saw the figure in dear
relief against the flame, almost perpendicularly
above them, engaged apparently, in heaping fuel
WI the furious fire.. 4 flash--a shrill shriek—aud
the figure' fa
" So perish the enemieszt Russia!" cried Gan
Boroff, as he handed the soldier the musket. In
line, men ! face about ! forward !"
" Peri4l the tyrant cried a fierce voice, as
a figure hourider,l to the General's side; and before
a word could be spoken, or an arm intercept him,
his uplifted sword smote the doomed Russian, and
his .corpse fell heavily to the ground.
"pa Lesghini ! Revenge! Liberty !" fiercely
shouted the Circassian, as his arm dealt death.
strokes with each word. And* from the fern bushes
and stunted' trees that lined the hill side,.. Poured a
host of the wild • mountaineers, as madly Enid insp.
istably as the swollen torrent. -No wonder that cr.
en Russian veterans could not eland before them'.
Cotibunded by the 'guilder) ebeeiabce; awe, atriwk,
'by the fail of iheir General ; ignorant of ihe
and in a position where their skill and experience
availed them nothing they fell with fearful rapidity
before their infuriated foes.
" Remember your wives and daughters f No quar
ter to the spoilers!" thundered Alexander, for . jt
was he.
Bei be knew his men, and tarried not to see his
orders executed. . Hia quick eye , had alm caught
the figure on the snmmiN r he had hewed the shriek;
and seen the body fall—and well he knew who
needed there his help..
To scale the !tight was, for bis active Form but
work of a' moment.
" Zairah ! Zairah !" he cried, as he folded the
body in hie arms. " Awake, my own—it is Alex.
antler—your Alexander !"
The body was heavy—the muscles motionless—
the cold eye glared deathly on him.
" Zairah !" cried he again, in an intense, slower
tone, as it his very heart, an] not his tongue, were
speaking- 1 s Zairah—my beloved—speak to your
Alexander !"
There was a movent in the arm—a muscular an.
imation gaivered over the whole frame—life return.
ed to the fine eye—the corpse.like look departed—.
a sweet expression pervaded the face—and a low
voice murmured:—
"Thank Heaven ! my Alexander !"
There was a pause ; the chief saw too clear:y
that life bad almost ebbed ; he could not distress her
even to attempt to bind up the a ound. The mo•
ments of lite that were left were too precious.
"1 heard, on my retain to-day, beloved Zainih,
from the far distant moutdains, with a force to
avenge you; that you had escaped. f sought you—
Oh I it is sad tp trod you here—thus!"
"Weep not, Alexander 1 at is better thus!" mur
mered the maiden. Though innocent, undefiled,
I could never been thy wife—she who lies in the
chiefs bosom, must be above the suspicion of dis
haunt"
, •Zairah! my own I one question. The Rus
" Died by my dagger," almost screamed the dy•
ing git!, " when he attempted my disgrace !"
The effort exhausted her; the sank back.
" Alexander—farewell—our God will join tra—
in Paradise !"
Again ihe muscles contracted—the eye glared—
the corpse grew heavier as it leaned upon his bo
som—Zairah was dead.
One moment the chief indulged his agony. Then
he arose: the flame had subsided, but its light en
abled him to see, a few feet oil, a little thicket.—
Thither he bore the body ; a bed of moss support
ed it. One last embrace—he severed a netts with
his dagger—dipped it in blood—raised it to his lips
—and then to }leaven—cast over the unconscious
clay his soldier's cloak—and then bounded dos n
the hill-side. ,
"To the camp! to the camp !" arid, like lions
infuriated with the taste of blood, the mountaineers
rushed onward to the deyoted camp. Hundreds
joined them on their way, every thicket seemed to
lend a hand. Harshly did their shrill war cries
echo from the mountains arcibrill, end sound fikn elt
for the doomed Russians.
It hoots not to tell of the carnage of that night
Suffice it to say, that of three thousand
who lay encamped in Ttherzi, hardly a handful es
caped to describe the terror at !hat fatal onslaught.
Suffice it to say, that one Ar cry was the fiercest.
one saber a the most fatal, one arm the most untiring
the passion Revenge swayed the soul of Ale:an•
der.
That was a fearful night for the invading hosts;
besides the number cut to pieces in the field, the
attack had been general throughout the mountain
country; the signals had been religiously observed ;
and bur nossian aarrisons fell simultaneously be
fore the vengeful Circassian. -_The reverses of the
autocrat in this campaign are matter of cord; the
cause that led to them are not so well known
Two years.of subsequent warfare hardly sufficed
to reduce the Caucaeep efe4 ntaTtittal submis
sion.
The Lesghini sail; inhabit the wild mountain
country, and with hardly less bravery and fierce.
ness than marked at the period to which our story
refers. Few travellers dare penetrate this pictures
que 10114 for the Russians at Tellies, tells him,
Beware of the Lesgbini!" Nevertheless, those
who have made the venture, tell us this tribe is
mild and hospitable to men of all land., save one ;
but whenever a RuaLian is named they give wey
to an uncontrollable phrenzy. Unconquered and
unconqurable, they hate their invaders with an in
tensity of passion rarely equalled.
Alexander still lives, Vid his name is still a ter
ror to his toes. He has never spared Russian, and
the lame of his achievements has spread from sea
to sea. At the Russian settlement pf Vint, tar up
in the mountains, near the chief haunts of the Les
ghtni, I have seen a wh o le com p an y su dd en l y
grow silent, and look around in terror at the men
tion of his name.
HI [lean of American liromen.
The correspond Nit of the Independent who has
been entertaining the readers of that paper wi:h
the notes of his pedestrian tour in Europe, has re.
turned home, and give; in hie lam communipatkca
some
,of the " irepreftionc" which home made
upon his mintf, after so :tong a sojourn in foreign
countries. • .4hove all, the wont of national health,.
and particularly the almost universal ill health, pf
Americad Ladies, snuck him most forcibly. .0u
this subject he says, "4 sat down With a lady lately,
and ortt-of a wide circle of acquaintances, in ecerf
part of the country, we atternpled to .rcckon - the
healthy, and, wn could, not think of snore than three,
really healthy Women. What is the rale in Eu.:
rune, r eettla the-,*Sceptioir here, this ladies come .
before one here as more film, more . delicate—yes,
generally with more of, a certain ,graceful beau'Yi
than in England or.Germiny ; *but :with far less ro.
bust health: , 'There Eirp• sci-few lull healthy corn
plexto4 or vigorous, forted," 7thrie who are well,
are isril4inly weak,:whk, cpeteituriomv which!. the
that rude chock of gate or exposere.will chatter.--.
4nil thje does not deem confined to one '•lass. In
deed it is even more true of the village than oldie
city. The pale, worn looks of the mechanics'
wives, or the sickly faces which you Fee io so'
many a farmer's household, show i: sadly enough.
It is very seldom indeed one passes through a vil
lage here where the toddy complexion, the bright'
glance of health, the.full developed form meet the
eye, ay they du sit invariably in the European
vil
lages. This eubjeet is of such importance, that we
extract two or three other passages from the same
anicle. %Vitt' reference to the cause of the general
decay of health, the author observes: "There is'
no poultry of Europe, I believe, where women take
so little air as they do in this. in England, on many
a day, when no lady here Weald soil her shoes nor'
of docat, I have walked withWies miles anchorite(
through mud and snow, or heavy mi-t. In Berlin
there was never abright winter's afternoon in which
we dhl not make up a skating party on the mead; .
owe, where indeed, all the belles of the city were
collected, In Hungary, a horkeback scamper over
the plains, or a walk in the gardens, with the la
dies, was as common as the meals. And throrigh
out Southern Germany, Italy, Fiance, evert Whdre
there are do more vigorous exercises; an afternoon's
pronenatle in the parks or on the bastion, haecome
to be althost a necessary of life. It seethe' as rf the
people of those countries delighted in the sun-1410 i '
much more than we.
The ladies read, sew, eat in the open air, in - siV-
bens and gardens, far more than is ever the custom
here. Then in the lower class the women are oblig
ed to work much in the fields, in some respects
thing not to be approved, yet on the whole by no
means so degrading a custom as we often think in
America. It brings as one happy result at least,.
the full, cheerful heath which God designed to be
the natural accompaniment of life. There is an un•
natural delicacy among all our women about expo.,
sures. 11 people would only learn that rain and
frost and snow are not hall such poisons as the close
vitiated air which steams all day within heated
walls. An English lady with her stout boots and
shortened skirts makes no more of a mud or snow
walk than of the pleasantest ramble. The walk
becomes as much a necessity as a dinner, and there
is soon a teal pleasure in breasting the rough wea
ther." The same writer thinks we are a great but
not a happy people. We work too ha'rd, play too
little, and eat too fast. " The fami'y meal," he
says, " has a higher object than to fill our stomachs:
That could be done in a much easier wag. Ii is
meet to help on ft iendliness and sociality, to cher
ish kindly relations. • The mind is connected with* .
the body. We may wish transcetdantly to be
above it ; but the troth is, the moods depend much
on the nerves . . Digestion of good cheer and pfeas- .
ant, friendly talk seem to Lid one anOther..
Eu
rope the lather makes his meals the time for his
liveliest talks with the young people. They - all sit
long at the table. And the dinner and supper hour
are often the happieit hours in the day. As I t re
call my conversation With my friends in Europe I
am surprised how much of the highest and noblest
converse, interchange of thoughts which will in
spire an I strengthen ore for ditty many a day yet,
was over the table."- There are not wanting, we
think, indications of a change, for the better in the
habits of our ladies There are ladies in Sew fork
and a great many in Ramon to whom their daily
walk is as mach a necessity es their dinner, and
who prolong both nearly to the European extent:
4neceTOtt!
The following good anecdote, from the N. II
Telegraph is too good to be lo,q
Many years ago, there teas, in the eastern part
of Massachusetts, an old D. 1)., and tho Ugh he was
an eminently, Penevrifent Mart and a good chriitiani
yet, it must beConfessed, he loved a joke much
bet'er than the majority of inveterate jokeiti, ft
was before organs were mach in Use, and it SO tap:
petted that the choir of his church had recently pai r =
alttiaed adoable bass viol. Not far froni die Church
was a large town pastaie and. in ii a huge town
bull. One liof iabbath, in scimMer, the brill got
out of his pastine and came bellowinaulithe street'.
Aborit the church, there was a plenty Of initrod...
den grass, green and good, and Mr. Bull stoppetl'
to try its luality—peiChatiCe, ascericin if its Inca.,
!ion at all improved the flavor ; at any rate the
reverend doctor was in the midst of his sermon,
and " 800-woo-woo !" went the oull.
The clergyman paosetl, looking np at the flinging .
seals with a grave face, and said :
it 1 would thank the thuoiciaus not to !Ann &qr.
irrs , rumerits tlaritig seiviee time, enttioyi me very
mur•h."
The people all stared and thug !lie minister wet. i
800 woo•w•oo !" #ero its butt , as he pawed
ioatioilier greet, spur.
Tire parson paused again, and again addressed'
the choir :
" t really do wish the t,in g ers would not limn
their Matsu/items while J am preaching fur as l r
have already remarked, it anno)s me very much."
The- . people tittered ; for they knew by the
kling of his eye that he knew us well as any body
what the real state of the ease was. The miniNter
again Fent DP with his discourse but had lint
carded far belore another " BDOWOO-11 . 00 ! " came
from bir. null, when the parsoutawed onCe more,
gad exclaimed;, .
"I hate twice already requested the inur4ei:ins
.in the aollery not to mite their instritypenta during
sermon time. I now phrtienisrl . P request Mr. Le_
fatitior, that he wilt not Inn°. his bass viol,
while I am "ire :selling."
This was ton much: teralnor got
itated at the idea of speaking out in china, aid
sta,mmered nut
" tt isrl i t . me:e-e..3 Parson its :II iltAtat
bull !'?
" 0," said the parson,' 1a is ii.? Then the sestotir
will please drive away she bull "
The peoplivlarrilhed ; hnt withis loplc
at the succesi of his jokeille with le a'
weir.
tea