WE OO WHERE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES POINT TUB .WAY WHEN .THSV CBA8K TO LAJ, WE CKASB TO FOLLOW.' BY ANDREW J. R 1112V. EBENSBURG, THURSDAY. MARCH 0, 1851. VOL. 7, NO. 21 'Ti rii r i :. ) iJuU From Graham's Magazine. . ITORlFi FRO 13 THE OLD DRAMATISTS. FORD. THE BROKEN HEART. BY ENSA lMjVAL. ' uOur cctcio is Sparta. He whose ha it of art Math drawn tins piece, calls it tTo Broke (Imr, ' What may be hero thought Fiction, when Time's yeuth Wanted l'iino riper years, was known a Truth; In which, if xvords huth clothed the subject right, ' You may partake a pity with delight." Axyclas, king of Laeonia, had but one child, a beautiful daughter, the Princess Calantha, heiress of his kingdom; next to this child, the young and brave Lord Ith ocles, sat nearest to his heart. This young nobleman merited the king's favor well, for he was a modie of courage and virtue. As his friend, Prophilus, said of him, in the firmament of honor in which his sovereign's love had placed him, he stood like a fixed stir, not moved with any thunder tf popular applause, or sud ien lightning of opinion. A war broke out with the neighboring lite of Mesaene. and King Amyclas, was threatened with the loss of his kingdom; but Ithocles, at the head of the army, trod under foot Messene's pride, and bowed her neck to Laeedemon's royalty. On his return the king greeted him with out stretched arms, calling him, delight of 8parta! treasure of his heart! his own Ithocles; and the Princess Calantha crowned him in open court with a garland wrought by her own royal hands. But the young man received these greetings with such graceful modesty, that not only charmed his friends, but won the lair Ca laotha's heart. "Let me blu6h," he said, when the beau tiful princess bestowed upon him the chaplet, "acknowledging how poorly I have served, what nothings 1 have done, compared with the horcrs heaped upon me; moreover, it is the duty of a subject to serve the state. But with him whom Heaven is pleased to style victorious, ap plause runs maddening, like the drunken priests in Bacchus' sacrifices, without rea sou voicing the leader as a demi-god; while every common soldier's blood, is as surrent coin in the hard purchase of vic tory, as his whose much more delicate condition hath sucked the milk of ease judgment it is true commands, but resolu tion executes. I do not mean, when say ing this before this royal presence, con tempt of such as can direct, but that all praise should not be given to one man's fortune, which has been strengthened by many hands." Whereupon he recommended his friend Prophilus and other officers to the king's favor. This noble generosity won all hearts, and over Ithocles future seemed beaming the bright sun rays of prosperity. But though Ithocles merited so well his royal master's favor and the noble mai den's love, already the retribution that fol lows evil was stalking fast behind him. Few faults had. the young Spartan, it was true, but revenge and pride had made him in the first flush of manhood commit a grievous wrong. His father, Thrasus, had had a deadly feud for many years with one of the king's counsellors, the old Lord Crotolon. Just before old Thrasus' death, this quarrel, at the king's request, was adjusted, and in order to render the bond of friendship stronger, Thrasus' only daughter, the young tender Penthea, was betrothed to Orgilus, the only son of Cro tolon. Soon after this betrothal, Thrasus died, and Ithocles, proud of youth, and till prouder of his power with the king, cherishing also a memory of the old dis content, broke off the marriage, and forced his sister to wed with another. This had resulted badly, and was secretly working trouble for the rash young man, and at a time, too, when calmed by maturity he was bitterly repenting the past, and stri ving to make amends by every work and thought of honorable good. Bassanes, the husband of Penthea, loved his wife with adoration, but knowing that her marriage with him had been one of constraint, and being moreover suspi cious by nature, became a prey to the fiercest jealousy, which, though lie vainly endeavored to hide, and bitterly repented every outbrust of passion, rendered his poor broken-hearted wife's existence mis erable. Of Orgilus. her lover, he was most especially jealous, though entirely without reason, lor Penthea was good and pure, and though her innocent young love had been fairly given to young Orgilus, after her marriage with Bassanes, she would have shrunk with horror at the thought of wronging him even by a look. Orgilus, though driver, almost to mad ness by his grievous disappointment, in order to secure peace for Penthea, had af. her marriage absented himself for hile from his home: but all in v3jn, Bassanes jealousy raged just as violently, and daily he saw his dearly loved Penthea bowed down under the weight of the cru ellest suspicions and constraints, without power to help her to soothe her grief. A tierce and burning hatred against Ithocles took possession of his heart, but la every way his feelings seemed to be exasperated. Ithocles' dear friend, Prophilus, loved Euphranea, the only sister of Orgilus, a young, beautiful girl, maid ol honor to the princess; and after the Mes3enian war. Prophilus, after being assured that his love was returned, demanded her in mar riage of her father. As he was the friend of the king's favorite, and his suit prefer red not only by Ithocles, but almost com manded by the king, Euphranea's father, old Crotolon, thought it madnes to refuse. fcuc!i a marriage, to his old courtier wis dom, seemed to open before his family, a path shining with honors flowing from royal favor. But Orgilus, his son; hated Prophilus because he was Ithocles' friend, and bitterly opposed his suit. At last, when his father represented that refusal would work ruin to his family, he yielded an unwilling consent, and with the secre tiveness peculiar to unsettled minds, veiled his hatred for Ithocles under a spacious show of friendship, and received with ap parent forgiveness Ithocles penitent, sin cere regrets for the past, in order that he might be able at some future time to avenge Penthea's sufferings, and his own great wrong. Accordingly the wedding of the young maid-of-honor took place. During the preparations the court was thrown into commotion by the arrival of a royal suitor for the hand of the princess. This caused zreat trouble to vounir Ithn- cles- He had already discovered that he ! loved the daughter of his royal master; which discovery had filled his breast with sorrow, for it seemed like ingratitude; but hourly he hung upon her words and lived only in her presence. She was a noble and beautiful woman; Heaven had bestow ed the highest gifts of mind and person upon her; and even in distant countries were accounts related of the great Culan tha's beauty, virtue, sweetness, and singu lar perfections. She loved Ithocles also, but was not conscious of her love until the suit of another betrayed it to her. This royal lover was her cousin Near- chus, prince ot Arffos. II is annliMiinn -- . for Calanlha's hand pleased old king Amy clas, for, as he said, it would be a marriage ol great benefit to both kingdoms, and as the Prince Nearchus was the next heir af ter Calantha to the throne of Laeonia, their union would be most suitable. "But," added the good old king, "Ca lantha shall decide. I have always vowed never to enforce her affection by my will. She shall marry no one unless her own choice confirms mine gladly." King Amyclas at his last visit to the Temple at Delphos, had received a scroll clothed in the mystic language of the ora cle, and alter hearing Prince Nearchus' suit, and seeing his daughter undecided, sent this scroll to the philosopher Tecnicus, who resided in the court, requiring from the sage an explanation of it. The oracle iuii iiius The plot in which the Vine takes root, Begins to dry from head to foot; The flock, boon withering, want of sap Doth cause to quail the budding grape; But from the neighboring Elm, a dew Shall drop, and feed the plot anew. Old Tecnicus studied this oracle with reverential awe, secluding himself still more from all the court. Then he came to Armostes, the king's confidential coun sellor, and uncle to Ithocles, and gave him a sealed box, containing the scroll and his explanation of it, which he desired should be given to the king, and announced with a countenance and tone of voice express ive of great grief, his immediate departure for Delphos. "Tell the king," he said in broken ac cents, "he must no more inquire after my aged head. Apollo wills it so. and I must go to Delphos, never more to see my king again a great prince commands me!" Then turning to Ithocles who was present, he said in a solemn, awe-struck voice, as if moved by prophetic fire, and scarcely conscious of his words "Ithocles, "When Youth is ripe, and Age from lime doth part, Tho Lifeless Trunk shall wed the Broken Heartl" Then with muttered, broken exclamations, as if apprehensive of some approaching trouble, he departed. - The box was carried to the king, who, when it was unsealed, read the following exposition of the philosopher: "The plot i Sparta, the dried Vine the king; The quailing grape bis daughter; but the thing Of most importance, not lo be revealed, la a near prince, the Elm; the rest concealed The poor old king, who felt himself fast failing, was sadly perplexed at the unsatis factory explanation, but his old counsellor soothed him with the assurance, that the Inncess Calantha's marriage with her cousin of Argos, would fulfill the oracle; he was that neighboring Elm, whose dew of love would strengthen the young grape his daughter, when her father's death would bow her down with grief. But though this aiarriage seemed so certain, and was so much desired, it was not to take place the Parcae had ordered other things, which though slowly and noise lessly approaching, would most surely come to pass! Young Ithocles drooped daily he saw so many advantages for the kingdom in this offer of the prince of Ar gos, that the marriage seemed unavoidable to htm. Again was his repentant heart filled with sorrow for the deep injustice he had done his sister, and his new friend Orgilus; his love for Calantha taught him the extent of the great and irretrievable wrong he had done them; and sick at heart, both for his own sorrows and theirs, he sent for the poor lady Penthea, and told her all his trouble. His sister, though sinking fast into the grave, under the weight of the burden imposed by him upon her life, forgave his wrong to her, and cheered him in his love for Calantha; promising him at parting, to invent some means to relieve his grief. She went to Calantha, and a beautiful scene took place between them; the poor, pale, suffering Penthea, whose face alrea dy bore the prints of Death's icy finger touch, demanded of her royal lady a pri vate audience, which was granted, for Calantha loved her for her own gentle sake, as well as for the love she bore se cretly tor Ithocles. When they were alone, Penthea said in broken accents. "My glass of life, sweet princess, hath few minutes remaining to run down; the sands are spent; for by an inward messen ger I feel the summons of departure, short and certain." Calantha tenderly caressed her, saying "You feed too much your melancholy, Penthea, the future will have much for you, cheer up and throw aside this heavy grief, who knows what happiness and greatness may vet be yours?" "Ulories of human greatness are but pleasing dreams and shadows soon decay ing," replied the already dying Penthea. "Sweet royal lady, on the stage of my mortality my youth hath acted some scenes of vanity, drawn out at length by varied pleasures, sweetened in the mixture, but tragical in issue. Beautv. nomn. with every sensuality our giddiness doth frame an idol, are inconsistent friends when any troubled passion makes assault upon the unguarded castle of the mind." "What mean these moral texts?'' Ca lantha asked; "what end do you propose, j uciir muy i "To place before you, royal madam," replied Penthea, "a perfect mirror, where in you may see how weary lam of this Iinierinr life. Noremedv rpmainc frir ma r j vi 11 is i but a winding sheet, a fold of lead, and t some untrod on corner of the earth. But before I go, ray princess, I have an hum ble suit, a favor to ask of you. Vouch safe to be my executrix, and take the trou ble on you to dispose some legacies as I bequeath them." The princess assured her with tears that she would do all that she required. "I have but three poor jewels to be queath," said Penthea, with a faint smile. "The first is my Youth; for though so old m griefs, in years I'm but a child; this I bestow upon all betrothed maids and hon est wives; the second jewel is my Fame, which I bequeath to Memory, and Time's old daughter, Truth." "Nay, you jest, dear Penthea," Calen tha replied, "and yet how handsomely you play with harmless sport of mere imagin ation. ou spoke of three jewels tell wenp,the h9t forin lrutI like your "Tlie third jewel, royal lady," answer ed 1 enthea more solemnly, "is dearly precious to me and you must use the best of yoar discretion to employ the gift as I direct. This third jewel should have been my own heart, but that was lost long, long ago; but instead of it I do solemnly bequeath to great Calantha in holiest rights of love, my only brother Ithocles, who loves you, lady, dearly. Look on him with an eye of pity; be a princess in sweet ness as in blood, give him his doom or raise him up to comfort.". Maiden shyness and surprise took pos session of Calantha. The prince of Ar gos suit had proved to her she loved an other, and that other was the brave Itho cles; but his sister's strange request pre sented m this sudden manner, filled her with embarrassment; then the thought of her father s possible objection presented itsalf before her, but she soothed and com forted the poor dying lady, who was aK ready sinking under exhaustion caused by the excitement of her conversation, and after parting tenderly with her, made her own ladies wait on her with all distinc tion to her home. . For days Calantha felt perplexed; she knew not how to act, for though each day convinced her that she loved Ithocles too urpll In wcwl instil. - . l i i -". uuitct, yei uouau ever since the arrival of the princo of Argos held him self aloof from her, giving her no chance to assure herself of his love. Penthea could no longer aid her, for she was stretched upon her dying bed, poor lady, and silently refused all food, as if her spirit had already left her. At last one morning Calantha was walk ing with the Prince Nearchus, surrounded by the court, among whom was Ithocles, silent and dispirited, sad at his sister's fate, and hopeless for his own. The prince with gallant courtliness begged his royal cousin to bestow upon him some mark of her favor. "This little spark," he said, playfully attempting to take a ring from her finger. "IN ay, that is a toy," replied the prin cess smilinsr "Love feasts on toys, dear lady," said Nearchus, "for Cupid is a child." "You shall not value, cousin, at a price what I count cheap," answered Calantha; then added with an assumed air of indiff erence, and a tone of voice a little louder that those around might hear "So cheap, that let him take it who dares to stoop for it, and give it at his next meeting to his mistress, who'll thank him forit, perhaps." Whereupon she drew the ring from her finger, and threw it on the ground before Ithocles, who, despite the angry, jealous glances of Nearchus, and murmured re monstrances of the courtiers, took it up, and kneeling, presented it to the princess. She was embarrassed for an instant, scarce knew what to say, but answered with a a light laugh, that it was pretty, wondrous pretty, his taking her for a mistress, but he might keep the ring since he had found it; and taking her cousin's arm passed on, leaving Ithocles almost blinded with the sudden light of Love's scarce risen sun. His friends remonstrated with him, and the prince returning, treated him with con tempt for his presumption as he termed it: but Ithocles bore it all with quiet grace; the fcrcr ( h;. nob!- la!y nra3 so sweet a happiness to him, he cared for nothing else, not even if destruction's gulf should yawn before him. Soon after the prin cess sent for him, saying that she wished him to render to her in private an account for taking up the ring; but well he knew her real reason, his own heart gave him wisdom, and gladly he hastened to the audience, which ended in that perfect un derstanding true love alone can give. Nearchus, when he. saw the state of Calantha's heart, nobly withdrew his claim, saying, that though at first he was angered, Ithocles was a man most nobly fashioned in honor and in person, and worthy of a noble lady's love, and when his friend, Amelus, in private asked him how he could brook to 3-ield up to an in ferior in rank, not only love but right, he answered "I tell you, Amelus, the sight of poor, life spent Penthea, and unhappy Orgilus, has proved to me that affections injured by tyranny, or rigor of compulsion, like tempest-threatened trees unfirmly rooted, ne'er spring to timely growth. I urge no claim that chance of birth may give me, on Ca lantha; willing love I ask no other would have value forme." The old king gladly bestowed his daughter on young Ithocles, for his desire to secure the happiness of his daughter and his favorite, far outweighed the fear he had felt after reading the mysterious warning of the oracle now he fondly thought the budding grape sheltered undei the warm shade of Love, would not quail when Death, which he felt fast approach ing, should take him from her. At the time the princess told her father of herlove for Ithocles, the old king, after joining their hands with loving consent, gave orders that a splendid banquet should be given in honor of the bride Euphranea, who had been wedded with Prophilus a short while before; and notwithstanding his increasing infirmities forbade his pres ence at the feast, he earnestly insisted that all merriment should go on without him. While they were making gorgeous pre parations for the feast, news came to Ith ocles, whose heart was filled with so much happiness, that his sister was dead; with out stopping to acquaint the princess who was with her loyal father, he hastened to Bassanes house; Orgilus accompanied him; for this half-frenzied young man still covered his cherished hatred with preten ded friendship. Together they stood be side the wasted form cf the dead Penthea the repentant brother and the wronged lover. The woful sight caused Orgilus' long pent up hatred to burst out, and drawing a dagger he plunged it into the heart of his enemy and killed him. "You dreamt of kingdoms, did you!" he exclaimed "how with- this nod to grace that subtle courtier how with that frown to make this' noble tremble, and so forth; while Penthea's groans and tortures her agonies; her miseries, and afflictions neer touched upon your thoughts! As for my injuries, that were beneath yoar royal pity. But yet they lived, proud man, to confound you, and behold your fate is come at fasti" The banqaet commenced, but all obser ved that Orgilus and Ithocles were absent. The old courtier, Crotolon, answered the" princess inquiries, saying hi3 son had told him he had gone to prepare seme new device of pleasure for the princess, and he supposed Lord Ithodes was with him, as they had been seen together. The dance commenced, but as Calantha finished the first movement, old Armos tes came out from the king's sick-cham bef, and with a countenance of wo, whis pered to the princess that her father had just breather his last breath. "On to the other movement of the dance," said Calantha, without heeding the sad news. As they finished the se cond change, poor Bassanes entered, and in low, tearful tones told the princess that his poor Penthea had just died of starva tion. "Lead onto the next measure," ex claimed the princess, and they did so; but while she danced, the fearful news was brought her of her loved Ithocles' cruel murder at his sister's death-bed. "How dull the music sounds," she said. "Strike up more sprightly strains." The courtiers all looked amazed at this apparently unnatural conduct of tho prin cess, and thought it strange such fearful tragedies should not arouse the woman in her. After the JatiCo wag over she received with stately pride the congratu lations of her courtiers, and the acknowl edgments of her queenly right; heard calmly the self-condemnation of Orgilus, replying to it that she would begin her reign with an act of justice; and ordered him to instant execution; then gave di rections for her coronation, which she re quested should be speedily attended to. The temple was prepared for the great ceremony forthwith; the altar clothed in white, with burning tapers of virgin wax. The people and the courtiers assembled there, awaiting the arrival of the new queen; but all started with surprise when they saw brought in, and placed on one side of the altar, a hearse bearing the dead Ithocles clothed in royal robes, with a glittering crown upon his head; then came the beautiful Calantha surrounded by her maidens, cold, pale and tearless, clothed in white and also crowned. She knelt before the altar for awhile; after concluding her devotions, she stood -up and said in a calm and quiet voice, that as it was necessary she would for the weal of her kitrgdom choose a husband, she should do so; and as her cousin of Argos 6tood next in right of succession to the throne, she would select him for her lord; but before wedding him she would first make some requests. The prince with tenderness begged her to name them. She then portioned out offices; asked that her father's old counsellor Armostes should be viceroy of Argos; and Crotolon, Orgilius' father, should govern Messene; and Bas sanes, poor Penthea's husband, be Sparta's marshal. Then she bestowed peusions and arranged some marriages of her maid's-of-honor, and lastly, requested that Prophilus should be speedily invested with all the honors, titles and preferments belonging to his dear friend and her neg lected husband. All murmured to each other that these requests sounded like a testament, rather than conditions of marriage, and Prince Nearchus asked of the princess half-re-proachlully, what meant the word "neg lected husband." Calantha looked sadly at him, and re plied 'Forgive me, Nearchus." Then turning toward the hearse on which the dead Ithocles was placed, took his cold hand, and removing from her own a ring, placed it on one of his fingers saying "Bear witness all, I put my mother's wedding-ring upon the finger of Ithocles; it was my father's last bequest. Thus I new-marry him whose wife 1 am. Death ehall not separate us. Oh ! my lords, I but deceived your eyes with antic gesture, when one news straight came huddling on another, of death! and death! and death! Still I danced forward, but it struck home and here and in an instant. Some women can with shrieks and outcries vow a pres ent end to all their sorrows, yet live to court new pleasures and outlive their troubles; but there are silent griefs which cut the heart-strings." She then gave orders for the voices at the altar to sing the dirge she had prepared. The music swelled out iu mournful har monies, and low, sweet voices chanted " Glories, pleasures, pomps, delights and ease. Can but please The outward senses, when the mind Is untroubled, or by peace refined. Crowns may flourish and decay Beauties shine, but fade away. Youth may revel, yet it must Lie down in a bed of dust Earthly honors flow and wants. Time alone dith change and last. Sorrows mingled with contents, prepiro tiesi tor care. Lovely caly reigns in death; though art Can find no comfort for a B&okbx Haar." While the chant continued, Calanthi bent over her lover's body and kissed hire; as the music ceased the courtiers seein that she remained leaning oyer the heirae. went toward her.and when they lifted hoc up, found her noble spirit had fled, though her beautiful lips smiled, as though the first step through the portal of Death had led to happiness. "O, wise Tecnicus '."exclaimed Anima tes, "thou didst utter prophecy! My king, the old philosopher's parting word to Ithocles are now made truth, for he said to this poor young lord when he et out for Delphos "When Youth ia ripe, and Age from time dth part. The Lifeless-Trunk shall wed th BaoKC HxAaT." From Slack's Ministry ,if the Beautiful, jas; published by A. fiarl, Philadelphia. - THE FOUNTAIN IN THE WOOD. A little way apart from a great city was a fountain in a wood. The water gushed from a lock and ran in a littio crystal stream to a mossy basin belowj the wild-flowers nodded their heads to ( catch its tiny spray; tall trees overarched it, ana tnrougti tlie interspaces of their moving leaves the sunlight came and danced with rainbow feet upon its spark Iiiig surface There was a young girl who managed every day to escape a little while from the turmoil of the city, and went like a pil grim to the fountain in the wood. The water was sparkling, the moss and fern looked very lovely in the gentle moisture which the fountain cast upon them, and the trees waved their branches and rustled their green leaves in happy concert with the summer breeze. The girl loved tho beauty of the scene and it grew upon her. Every day the fountain had a fresh tale to tell, and the whispering murmur of the leaves was ever new. By-and-by she came to know something of the language in which the fountain, the ferns, the mo sesj and the trees held converse. She listened very patiendy, full of wonder and of love. She heard them often regret that man would not learu their language, that . .... OO" , they might teil luni the beautiful things ; they had to say. At last the maiden ven- I ... I t . U .u. 1 1 i -. ; iuiuu iu icu uicui mat tue Knew tueir j tongue, and with what exquisite delight j she heard them talk. The fountain flowed faster, more sunbeams danced 011 its wa ters, the leaves sang a new song, and the f ferns and mosses grew greener before her ! eyes. They all toid her what joy thrilled 1 through them at her words. Human beings had passed them in abundance, they said, and as there was a tradition among the flowers that men once spoke, they hoped one day to hear them do so again. The maiden told them that all men spoke, at which they were astonisiied, but said that making articulate noises was not speaking, many such they had heard, but never tiil now real human speech; for that, they j said, could come alone from the mind and j heart. It was the voice of the bodv winch men usually talked with, and that they did not undersuud, but only the voice of the soul, which was rare lo hear. Then J there was great joy through all the wood, la. 1 . . I anu mere went torth a report that at length a maiueu was lound wnose soul could speak, and who knew the language of the flowers and the fountain. And the tree and the stream said one to another, "Even so did our old prophets teach, and now hath it been fulfilled." Then the maiden tried to tell her friends in the city what she had heard at the fountain, but could explain very little, for although they knew her words, they fell not her meaning. And certain young m;n came and begged her to take them to the wood that the v might hear the voices. So she took one after another, but nothing came of it, for to them the fountain and the trees were mute. Many thought the maiden mad, and laughed at her belief, but ihey could not take the sweet voices away from her. Now the maidens wished her to take them also, and she did, but with little bet ter success. A few thought they heard something, but knew not what, and on their return to theeity its bustle obliterated the small remembrance they had carried away. At length a young man begged the maiden to give him a trial, and she did so. They went hand in hand to the fountain, and he heard the language, altho not so well as the maiden; but she helped bim, and found that when both heard the words together they were more beautiful than ever. She let go his handand much of the beauty was gone: the fountain told them to join hands and lips also, and they did it. Then.arose 6 weeter sounds than they had ever heard, and soft voices en compassed them saying, "Henceforth be unueu: ior we spin ot irntn ana c&s icty I hath mad? you one.