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BY nonmnr: WHIT m minDtivromi
A DVERTISEMENTS.
ADAMS COUNTY TEMPERANCE
CONVENTION,
A T the County Temperance Convention held
AT
in this place in March last, the following re
solutions were unanimously adopted:—
Resolued, That it is expedient that the several
Temperance Societies of this County meet, by n
delegation of six members from each society, ni
Gettysburgh, on the First Saturday of Mareh,an
nually, with a view to our mutual improvement,
and that in co-operation for the promotion of Tem
perance, there may be concord.
Resolved, That to said Convention each Society
shall report the number of members received the
past year—how many (if any) have been expelled
ns disorderly—and how many have withdrawn
with the permission of the society—and the whole
number in connection with the society.
It was also left to the "Temperance Society of
Gettysburgh and its vicinty" to select the place of
the next meeting of the Convention.
At a meeting of said Society, held on the 26th
ult. the following resolutions were passed—
Resolved, That the annual meeting of the Tem
perance Societies of Adams County be held in the '
Methodist Episcopal Church, in the Borough of
Gettysburgh, at 10 o'clock A. sr. on
Saturday the 4th of •IFlarch
next.
Resolved, That the Secretary cause notice to 1)
given in time, so that all the Temperance Sock
ties in the county may he represented in said Con
vention.
Resolved, That the Editors of the different pa
pers be requested to give publicity to said notice.
ROBERT W. MIDDLETON, S. ec'ry.
Gettysburgh. January 2, 1837. trii--4
PRIVATE SALE.
HE Subscriber intending to go to farm.
T
ing in the spring, will offer his
House & Lot
II • :•:;
for sale, in Middletown, Freder
;:
ick County, Md.
The House is a two story Brick Building,
well finished and there is also a log building
on the same lot, now occupied as a hatter
shop, also a small barn, together with a
Stable, Corn House, &c. There is also an
excellent pump of water in the yard. The
above property would suit any Mechanic, as
it is situated nearly in the center of the
town, but more particularly a Hatter, as
there will be none in the place, after I quit
the business. This will therefore, be an ox.
cellent opening for one.
If the above property is not sold by the
middle of February, it will then be for rent.
Any person desiring to purchase, will call
on the subscriber, now living on the above
described property.
BENJ. ROUTZAHN.
January 16,4.837. 4t-42
Call and See the Cheap
Hats, Caps
&Bonnets
Pr. Paxton
RE'CURNS his sincere thanks to his
Friends and the Public generally for
the encouragement he has received, and
informs them that he has now on hand, and
will constantly keep, at his old stand in
Chambersburgh street, nearly opposite the
Indian King Hotel,
A large and excellent assortment of
FUR & SILK HATS & BONNETS
. OF EVERY DESCRIPTION--CONSISTING OF
Men's Castor HATS;
" Roram de.
" Spanish body do.
"- Plain Russia do.
Silk Plush do.
Youths HATS, different fashions;
Old Men's Broad Brims and Low
Crowns, Fashioned.
.R/so—LADIES' FUR & SILK BON.
NETS,of the latest New York Fashions,
of the following colors, viz: black,brown,
drab, pink, white and green.
TOGETHER WITH
Second hand HATS, WOOL HATS;
Hair and Seal CAPS, &c. &c.
( - All of which he will sell Low for
CASH or COUNTRY PRODUCE. Call
and judge for yourselves.
AN APPRENTICE
Wanted to learn the above business, about
16 or 17 years of age.
W. W. PAXTON.
Gettyaborrrh. Nov. 2R, 1836. tf-35
POLISHING POWDER,
FOR Polishing Brass and other Metals that
require a high and durable Lustre. This
Powder will produce a Polish with less
labor than any other in use.
ITS EXCELLENCE Ir
CLEANSING ALL KINDS OF METAL
SUBJECT TO CORROSION,---Tll/4
BRILLIANCY OF ITS, POLISH,
AND THE EASE WIT!' WHICH IT Is APPLIED,
Render it an object to every family in point '
of ECONOMY. Its superior qualities have
gained for it a high reputation, and a most
decided preference over any preparatio n or
the kind ever offered to the Public. It is
Warranted not to contain AN ACID, or any
other corrosive ingredient.
For sale at the. Drug Store of
Dr. J. GILBERT, Gettysburg.
April 4, 1838 rf--1
BLANK
For Sale at the N
Office 4:DEEDS
-0 the Star drßanner
VE:3 (Ba.1:30m0,)
"With sweetest flowers enrich%
From various gardens cull'd with care."
FROM TIM ALBANY EVENING JOURNAL.
I'VE THROWN THE BOWL ASIDE!
I've thrown the bowl aside,
r‘
For me no more shall flow
Its ruddy stream or sparkling tide,
How bright soe'cr it glow;
I've seen extending wide
Its devastating sway,
Seen Reason yield its power to guide,—
I've cast the bowl away!
O ne'er tempt me again
To drain the cup of sin;
For ruin dire, disease and pain,
Taint all that foams within;
Neglected duties rise
In fearful, sad array,
Up to its brim. I will be wise,—
east.the bowl way!
I've seen the pride of all—
The wise, the good, the great—
Like summer leaves, all timeless fall,
And veil their high estate.
I've seen fair woman give,—
Her very charm away,—
Embrace the demon vile, and
I've cast the howl away!
My days of revelry
0 gladly I give apt'
They're but the masks of misery,
Which still jurks in the cup;
While Indolence and Want
And Poverty display
Themselves in every drunkard's haunt,
I've cast the bowl away!
A drunkard's gloomy grave
Shall ne'er be made tlir me; .
0 rather let the rushing wave
Engulph Inc in the sea!
And may it be my lot
To die 'neatli Reason's ray!
Remembered by the friends or not,
I've cast the bowl away!
My path henceforth is plain,
In honesty to live—
To shun Intemperance and its train,
By Industry to thrive;
No duty to forget,
And live to bless the day
When I was led without regret,
To cast the howl away!
vtaat L2T®oaufbbv.
The Widow's Ordeal;
OR, A JUDICIAL TRIAL BY COMBAT.
[BY WASHINGTON HIVING.]
The world is daily growing old and wise. Its
institutions vary with its years, and mark its grow
ing wisdom; and none more so than its modes of
investigating truth, and ascertaining guilt or inno
cence. In its nonage, when man was yet a falli
ble being, and doubted the accuracy of his own
intellect, appeals were made to heaven in dark
and doubtful cases of atrocious accusation.
The accused was required to plunge his band
in boiling oil or walk across read-hot ploughshares,
or to maintain his innocence hi armed flight and
listed field, in person or by champion. If he pass
ed these ordeals unscathed, he stood acquitted,
and the result was regarded as a verdict from on
hi7h. •
It is somewhat remarkable that, in the gallant
age of chivalry, the gentle sex should have been
most frequently the subjects of these rude trials
and perilous ordeals; and that too, when assailed
in their more delicate and vulnerable part—their
honor. .
In the present very old and enlightened age
of the world, when the human intellect is perfect
ly competent to the management of its own con
cerns, and needs no special interposition of heaven
in its affairs, the trial by jury has superceded those
superhuman ordeals; and the unanimity of twelve
discordant minds is necessary to constitute a ver
dict. Such a unanimity would at first sight, ap
pear also to require u miracle from heaven; but it
is produced by a simple device of human ingcn•tity.
The twelve jurors are looked up in their box, there
to fast until abstinence shall have so clarified their
intellects that the whole jarring parcel can discern
the truth, and concur in a unanimous decision.
One point is certain, that truth is ono and is im
mutable—until the jurors all agree, they cannot
all he right.
It is not our intention, however, to discuss this
great judicial point, or to question the avowed su
periority of the mode of investigating truth, adop
ted in this antiquated and very sagacious era._
It is our object merely to exhibit to the curious
reader, one of the most memorable cases Of judi
cious combat we find in the annals of Spain. It
occurred at the bright commencement of the reign,
and in the youthful, and, as yet, glorious days of
Roderick the (Jodi; who subsequently tarnished
his fume at home by his misdeeds, and, finally lost
his kingdom and his life on the banks of the Gnu.
dalete, in that disastrous battle, which gave up
Spain a conquest to the Moors. The following is
the story.
There was once upon a time, a certain duke of
Lorraine, who was acknowledged throughout his
domains to be one of the wisest princes that ever
lived. In fact, them was not any one measure
that ho adopted that did not astonish all his privy
counsellors and gentlemen in attendance; and ho
said so many witty things, and made such sen
sible speeches, that his high chamberlain had
his jaws dislocated from laughing with delight
at the one, and gaping with wonder nt the other.
This very witty and exceedingly wise potentate
lived for half a century in single blessedness, when
his courtiers began to think it a•great pity so wise
and wealthy a prince should not have a child after
his own likeness, to inherit his talents and domin
ions; so they urged him most respectfully to marry,
for the good of his estate, and the welfare of his
subjects.
He turned their advice over in his mind some
four or five years, & then sending emissaries to all
parts, he summoned to his court all the beautiful
maidens in the land who were ambitious of shar
ing a ducal crown. The court was soon crowded
with beauties of all atyles and complexions, from
among whom he chose one in the earliest budding
of her charms, and acknowledged by all the gen
tlSmen to ho imparalelled for grace and loveliness.
"I WISH NO OTHER HERALD, NO OTHER SPEAKER OF MIT LIVING ACTIONS, TO KEEP MINE HONOR PROM CORRUPTION."-SHAKE
(11I8WWIVZIWZOCOldit o zpa.. aztwfluArixo 22).war4aart au. acwv.
Having made his will, the good duke died and
was buried. Scarcely was he in his tomb, when
his nephew came to take possession, thinking, as
his uncle had died without issue, that the domain
would be devised to him of course. He was in a
furious passion, however, when the will was pro- i
duced, and the young widow was declared inheri
tor of the dukedom. As he was a violent high
minded man, and one of the sturdiest knights in
the land, fears were entertained that he might at
tempt to seize on the territories by force. He had
however, two bachelor uncles for bosom counsel
lors. These were two swaggering rakehelly old
cavaliers, who, having led loose and riotous lives.
prided themselves upon knowing the world, and
being deeply experienced in human nature. They
took their nephew aside. "Prithee man," said
they, "be of good cheer. The duchess is a young
and buxom widow. She has just buried our broth
er, who, God rest his soul! was somewhat, too
much given to praying and fasting, and keeping
his pretty wife always tied to his girdle. She is
now like a bird from a cage. Think you she will
keep her vow? Impossible! Take our words for
it—we know mankind, and above all, womankind.
She cannot hold out for such O length of time, it is
not in widowhood—we know it,and that's enough.
Keep a sharp look-out upon the widow, therefore,
and within the twelvemonth you watch her trip
ping—and then the dukedom is your own."
The nephew was pleased with his counsel, and
immediately placed spies round the duchess and
bribed several of her servants to keep a watch
upon her, so that she could not take a single step,
even from one apartment of her palace to another,
without being observed. Never was a young and
beautiful widow exposed to so terrible an ordeal.
The duchess was aware of the watch thus kept
upon her. Though confident of her own recti
tude,she knew that it was not enough for a woman
to be virtuous—she must be above the reach of
slander. For the whole term of her probation,
therefore, she proclaimed a strict nonintercourse
with the other sex. She had females for cabinet
ministers and the chamberlains, through whom she
transacted all her public and private concerns; and '
it is said, that never were the affairs of dukedom
so adroitly administered,
All males were rigorously excluded from the
palace; she never went out of its precincts, and
whenever she moved about its courts and gardens,
she surrounded herself with a body-guard of mai
dens of honor, commanded by dames renowned for
discretion. She slop in a bed without curtains,
placed in the centre of a room illuminated by innu
merable wax tapers. Four ancient spinsters, vir
tuous as Virginia, perfect dragons of watchfulness,
who only slept during the day time, kept vigils
throughout the night, seated in the four corners
of the room on stools without backs or arms, and
with seats cut in checkers of the hardest wood, to
keep them from dozing.
Thus wisely and 'warily did the young duchess
conduct herself for twelve long months, and slan
der almost bit their tongue off in despair at find
ing no room even for a surmise. Never was or
deal more burdensome, or more enduringly sus
tained.
The year passed away. The last, old day ar
rived, and a long, long day 'it Was. It was the
twenty-first of June, the longest day in the year.
It seemed as if it would never come to an end. A
thousand times did the duchess and her ladies watch
the sun from the windows of tho palace, as he slow
ly climbed the vault of heaven, and seemed still
More slowly to roll down. • They could not help
expressing their wonder, now and then, why the
duke should have tagged this aupernumery day to
•
The courtiers extolled the Duke to the skies for
making such a choice, and considered it another
proof of his great wisdom. "The Duke," said
they, "is waxing a little too old: the damsel, on
the other hand, is a little too young: if ono is lack
ing in years, the other has a superabundance; thus
a want on one side is ballanced by an excess on
the other, and the result is a well assorted mar-
The Duke, as is often the case with wise men,
who marry rather late, and take damsels rather
youthful to their bosoms, became dotingly fond of
his wife, and endulgcd her in all things. He was
considered, and by the ladies in particular, as a
pattern for husbands; and, in the end, from the
wonderful docility with which he submitted to be
reined and checked, acquired the amiable and
enviable appellation of duke Phillibert, the wife
ridden.
There was only one thing that disturbed the
conjugal felicity of this paragon of husbands;
though a considerable time elapsed after his mar
riage, he still remained without any prospect of
an heir. The good duke left no means untried
to propitiate heaven; he made vows and pilgri
mages, he fasted and he prayed, but all to no pur_
pose. The courtiers were all astonished at the
circumstance. They could not account for it.—
While the meanest peasant in the country had
sturdy brats by dozens, without putting up n
prayer, the duke wore himself to skin and bone
with penances and footings, yet seemed farther oil
from his object than ever.
At length the worthy prince fell dangerously ill,
and felt his cad approaching. He looked with
sorrowful eyes upon his young and tender spouse,
who hung over him with tears & sobbings, •Alas!"
said he, "tears are soon dried from youthful hearts:
In a little while I shall he no more, and in the
arms of - another husband thou will forget him
who has loved thee so tenderly."
"Never! never!• cried the duchess. "Never
will I cleave to another! Alas, that my lord should
think me capable of such inconsistency!"
The worthy and wife-ridden duke was soothed
by her assurance; for he could not endure the
thoughts of giving her up even after he should be
dead. Still he wished to have some pledge of her
enduring constancy.
"Far be it from me, my dearest wife," said he,
"to control thee through a kin g life. A year and a
day of strict fidelity will appease my troubled spi
rit. Promise me to remain faithful to my memory
for a year and a day. and I will die in peace."
The duchess made a solemn vow to that effect.
The uxorious feelings of the duke were not yet
satisfied. "Safe bind, safe find," thought he; so
he made a will, in which he bequeathed to her all
his domains, on condition of her remaining true to
him for a year and day after his decease,but should
it appear that, within that time,she had in any wise
lapsed from her fidelity, the inheritance should
go to his nephew, the lord of a neighboring terri
tory
the end of the year, as if three hundred and sixty
-five days were not sufficient to try and task the
fidelity of any woman. It is the last grain that
turns the scale—the last drop that overflows the
goblet—andthe last moment of delay that exhausts
! the patience. By the time the sun sunkbelow the
horizon the duchess was in a fidget that passed all
bounds, and, though several hours wore yet to pass
before the day regularly expired,she could not have
remained those hours in duranre to gain a royal
crown, much less a ducal coronet. So she gave
her orders, and her palfrey, magnificiently capari
soned was, brought into the court-yard of the cas
tle, with palfreys for all her ladies in attendance.
In this way she sallied forth just as the sun had
gone down. It was a mission of piety—a liilgrim
cavalcade to a convent at the foot of a neighboring
mountain, to return thanks to the blessed Vir
gin for Irving sustained her through this fearful
ordeal.
The - orisons performed, the duchess and her la
dies returned, ambling gently along the border of
the forest. It was about that mellow hour of twi
light when night and day arc mingled and all ob
jects indistinct. Suddenly some monstrous animal
sprang from out of a thicket,with fearful howlings.
The whole female body guard was thrown into con
fusion, and fled different ways. It was some time
before they rtcorcred from their panic, and gath
ered once more together; but the duchess was not
to be found. The greatest anxiety was felt for her
4afety. The hazy mist of twilight had prevented
their distinguishing perfectly the animal which hail
affrighted them. Some thought it a wolf, others
a bear, others the wild man of the woods. For
upwards of an hour did they beleaguer the forest,
without daring to venture in,and were on the point
of giving up the duchess as torn to pieces and de
voured, when to their great joy, they beheld her'
advancing in the gloom supported by a stately
cavalier.
He was a stranger knight whom nobody knew.
[t was impossible to distinguish his countenance
n the dark; but all the ladies agreed that he was
of a noble presence and captivating address. He
hnd rescued the duchess from the very fangs of the
monster, which, he assured the ladies, was neither
a wolf nor a hear nor yet a wild man of the woods,
lint a veritable fiery dragon, n species of monster
peculiarly hostile to beautiful females in the days
of chivalry, and which all the efforts of knight er
rantry had not been able to extirpate.
The ladies crossed themselves when they heard
of the dangers from which they had escaped, and
could not enough admire the gallantry of the cav
alier. , The duchess would fain have prevailed on
her deliverer to accompany her to her court; but
he had no time to spare, being a knight-errant,
who had many adventures oft 'hand and many dis
tressed damsels and afflicted widows to rescue and
relieve in various parts of the country. Taking a
respectable leave, therefore, ho pursued his way
[faring, nad the duches and her train returned to
the palace. Throughout the whole way,the ladies
were noweariea in chanting the praises of the
stranger knight; nay, many of them would will
ingly have incurred the danger of the dragon to
have enjoyed the happy deliverance of the duchess.
As to the latter, she rode pensively along, but said
nothing.
No sooner was the adventure of the wood made
public than a whirlwind was raised about the ears
of the beautiful duchess. The blustering nephew
of the deceased duke went about armed to the
teeth, with a swaggering uncle at each shoulder,
ready to buck him, and swore the duchess had for
feited her domain. It was in vain that alto called.
all the saints and angels, and her ladies in atten
dance into the bargain, to witness that she had
passed a year and a day of immaculate fidelity.—
One fatal hour remained to be accounted for—and
in the space of one little hour sins enough may he
conjured up by evil tongues, to blast the fame of a
whole life of virtue.
'rho two graceless uncles, who had seen the
world,were ever ready to bolster the matter through,
and, as they wore brawny, broad-shouldered war
riors, and veterans in brawl as well as debauch,
they had great sway with the multitude. If any
one pretended to assert the innocence of the duch
ess, they interrupted him with a loud ha! ha' of
derision. "A pretty story, truly," would they cry,
"about wolf and a dragon, and a young widow
rescued in the dark by a sturdy varlet, who dares
not show his face in the daylight. You may tell
that to those who do not know human nature; for
our parts, we know the sex, and that's enough."
If, however, the other repeated his assertion,
they would suddenly knit their brows, swell, look
big, rid put their hands upon their swords. As
few people like to fight in a cause that does not
touch their own interests, the nephew and uncles
were suffered to have their way, and swagger tut
contradicted.
The matter was at length referred to a tribunal
composed of all the dignitaries of the dukedom,
and many repeated consultations were held. The
character of the duchess throughout the year, was
as bright and spotless as the moon in a cloudless
night; ono fatal hour of darkness alone intervened
to eclipse its brightness. Finding human sagaci
ty incapable of dispelling the mystery, it was de
termined to leave the question to heaven; or, in
other words to decide it by the ordeal of the sword
—a sage tribunal in the age of chivalry. The ne
phew and two bully uncles were to maintain their
accusation in listed combat, and six months were
allowed to the duchess to provide herself with three
champions, to meet them in the field. Should she
fail in this, or should-her champions be vanquish
ed, her honor would be considered as stained, her
fidelity as forfeited, and her dukedom would go to
the nephew as a matter of right.
With this determination the duchess was fain
to comply. Proclamations were accordingly made,
and heralds sent to various parts; but , day after
day, week after week, and month after month j
elapsed without any champion appearing to assert
her loyalty throughout that dark-hour. The fair
widow was reduced to despair, when tidings reach.
ed her of a grand tournament to be held at Tole-
do, in celebration of the nuptials of Don-Roderick,
the last of the Gothic kings, with,the Morisco Prin.
cess Exilona. As a last resort, the duchess repair
ed to the Spainiah court, to implore the gallantry
of the assembled chivalry.
The ancient city of . Toledo was a scene of
gorgeous revelry on the event of the royal nuptials.
The young king, brave, ardent, and magnificent,
and his lovely bride, beaming with all the radiant
beauty of the cast, were hailed with shouts and
acclamations whenever they appeared. Their
nobles vied with each other in the luxury of their
attire, their splendid retinues and prancing steeds
—and the haughty dames of the court appeared in
a blaie of jewels.
In the midst of all this pageantry, the beautiful,
but afflicted ducl.eas of Loraine made her approach
to the throne. She_ was dressed in black, and
closely veiled: four (Neiman of the most staid
and severe aspect, and six beautiful demoiselles,
formed her female attendants. She was guarded
by several very ancient, withered, and gray-headed
cavaliers: and her train was borne by one of the
most deformed and diminutive dwarfs in exis
dace. •
Advancing to the foot of the throne, she knelt
down, and thrOwing up her veil, revealed a coun
tenance so beautiful that half the courtiers present
were ready to renounce their wives and mi tresses,
and devote themselves to her service; but when
she made known that she came in quest of cham
pions to defend her fatne every cavalier pressed
forward to offer his arm and sword, without in
quiring into the merits of the case; for it seemed
clear that so beauteous a lady could have done
nothing but what was right: and that, at any
rate, she ought to be championed in following
the bent of her humors, whether right or wrong.
Encouraged by such gallant zeal, the duchess
suffered herself to be raised from the ground and
related the whole story of her distress. When
she concluded, the king remained for some time
silent, charmed by the music of her voice. At
length: "As I hope for salvation, most beautiful
duchess," said he, "wore I not a sovereign king,
and bound in duty to my kingdom, I, myself would
put lance in rest to vindicate your cause: as it is,
I here give my Cull permission to my knights, and
.promise lists and a fair field, and that the contest
shall take place b , fore the walls of Toledo, in pres
ence of my assembled court.
As soon as the pleasure of the king was known,
there was a strife among the cavaliers present for
the honor of the contest. It was decided by lot,
and the successful candidate were objects of great
envy, for every one was ambitious of finding a fa
vor in the eyes of the beautiful widow.
Missives were sent, summoning the nephew and
his own uncles do Toledo, to maintain their accu
sation,.and a day was appointed for the combat.
When the day arrived, all Toledo was in comma,-
tion at an early hour. The lists had been prepared
in the usual place, just without the walls, at the
foot of the rugged rocks on which the city ie built,
and on that beautiful meadow along the Tagus,
known by the name of the king's garden. The
populace had already assembled, each one eager to
secure a favorable place. The balconies were soon
filled with the ladies of the court, clad in the rich
est attire and bands of youthful knights, splendid.
ly armed and de-orated with their ladies' devices,
were menacing their superbly caparisoned steeds
about the field. The king, at length came forth
in state, accompained by the queen Exilona.—
They took their seats in a raised balcony, under a
canopy of rich damask; and at sight of them the
people rent the air with acclamation.
The nephew and his uncles now rode into the
field, armed cap-apie, and followed by a train of
cavaliers of their own rovstering cast, great
swearers and carousers, arrant swashbucklers, that
went about with clanking armor and jingling
spurs. When the people of Toledo beheld the
vaunting and discourteous appearance of these
knights, they were more anxious than over for the
success ef the gentle duchess, hut nt the same time,
the sturdy and stalwart frames of these warriors,
showed that whoever won the victory from them,
must do it at the cost of many a bitter bloiv. •
As the nephew and his riotous crew rode in at
one side of the field, the fair widow appeared at
the other, with her suit of grave gray-headed cour
tiers, her ancient duennas and daisy demoiselles,
and the little dwarf toiling along under the weight
of her train. Every one made way for her as she
passed, and blessed her beautiful face, and prayed
for success to her cause. She took her seat in a
lower balcony, not far from the sovereigns; and
her pale face, set on' by her mourning weed, was
as the moon shining forth from among the clouds
of night.
Thu trumpets sounded for the combat. The
warriors were just entering the lists, when a stran
ger knight, armed in panoply, and followed 'by
two pages and esquire, came galloping into the
field, and riding up to the royal balcony, claimed
the combat as a matter of right.
.In me," cried he,.hehold the cavalier who had
the happiness to rescue the beautiful duchess from
the peril of the forest, and the misfortune to bring
on her this grievous calumny. It was but recent
ly in the course of my errantry., that tidings of her
wrongs have reached my ears, and I have urged
hither at all speed, to stand forth in her vindica.
tion "
No sooner did the duchess hear the accents of
the knight, than she recognized his voice, and join
ed her prayers with his that he might enter the
lists. The difficulty was to determine which of
the three companions already appointed shotild
yield his place, each insisting on the honor of the
combat. The stranger knight would have settled
the point by taking the whole contest on himself;
but this the other krughts would not permit. It
was at length determined as before, by lot, and
the cavalier who• lost the chance returned mur
mu ring and disconsolate
The trumpets again sounded—the lists were
opened. The arrogant nephew and his two draw-
cans uncles appeared so completely cased in stee
hat they and their steeds were like moving mss_
Res of iron. When they understood the stranger
knight to he the same that had rescued the duch
ess from her peril, they greeted him with mos
boisterous derision.
"0 ho, sir knight of the dragoons!" said they:
"you who pretend to champion fair widows in the
dark, come on, and vindicate your deeds of dark
ness in the open day."
The only rely of the cavalier was to put lance
in rest ; and brace himself fir the encounter.--
Needless it is to relate the particulars of a battle
which was like so many hundred combats that
have been said and sung in prose and verse. Who
is, there but must first have foreseen the event du
contest, where heaven had to decide in the guilt
or innocence of the most beautiful and immaculate
of widows!
The sagacious reader, deeply rend in this kind
of judicial combats, can imagine the ,encounter of
the graceless nephew and the stranger knight.—
He sees their concussion, man to man, and horse
to horse, in mid career, and in that Sir Graceless
[VOL. 7--NO. 46.
hurled to the ground and slain. He will not won
der that the assailants of the brawney uncles were
less successful in their rude encounter; but he will
picture to himself the stout stranger spurring to
their rescue in the very• critical momerit,he will see
him transfixing one with his lance and cleaving
the other to the chime with a back stroke of his
sword, thus leaving the trio of accusers dead upon
the field, and establishing the immaculate fidelity
of the duchess, and her title to the dukedom, be
yond the shadow of a doubt.
The air rang with acclamations; nothing was"
heard but praises of the beauty and virtue of the
duchess, and of the prowess of the stranger knight;
but the public joy was still more increased when
the champion raised his visor, and revealed the
countenance of the bravest cavaliers in Spain, re
nowned for his gallantry in the service of the sex,
who had long been absent in quest of 'similar ad
ventures.
That worthy knight, however, was severely
wounded in the battle, and remained for a long
time ill of his wounds. The lovely duchess,grate
ful for having twice owed her protection to his arm,
attended him daily during his illness. A tender
passion grew up between them, and she finally
rewarded his gallantry by giving him her hand.
The king would fain have had the knight es
tablish his title to such high advancement by far
ther deeds of arms; but his courtiers declared that
he had already merited the lady, by thus .vindicat
ing her fame and fortune in a deadly combat to
outrance; and the lady herself hinted that she was
perfectly satisfied of his prowess in arms, from the
proofs she received in his achievement.
Their nuptials, were celebrated with great mag
nificence. The present husband of the duchess;.
did not pray and fast like his predecessor. Philli
bed, the wife-ridden; yet he found greater favor
in the eyes of heaven, for their union was.blessed
with a numerous progeny; the daughters chaste
and beauteous as their mother; the sons as stout
and valiant as their sire, and all renowned,like
for relieving disconsolate damsels and desolate
widows.
Ax EXPERIMENT.—EIiery one can try the ex
periment lately mentioned by the author of Light
and Vision; and, as it is a very curious one, and
simple, we advise all those who would adissipate
dullness and give thew a shove," to try it. aThe
thoughts cannot change unless the eye-hall moves,"
says this writer; if, therefore, we wish to recall
any object, such as an apple, a child, a tree, or a
river, we cannot, even in thought, lOok from the
one to the other, as the eye would in reality when
these objects were present, without 'the visible
change in the eye.
If the eye-ball be held by the thumbs and finger
perfectly quiet for a few seconds at a time, we find
that we cannot recall to our thoughts the image of
any thing, however ready the will may be to assist
na. For example, let any ono Fecall to his mem
ory a tree full of fruit, and then press his finger
against the ball of.the eye, near the nose, and
whilst the eye thus for a moment is left still, no
imagine of the tree and fruit can be presented
to the mind. If we would revive in the mind
the relative position and appearance of houses
along in a row, as they are joined in a street,
we shall find that the eye-ball is obliged to
move just as it would if we were actually looking
at them.
The rationale of these phenomena, hitheito
unobserved, appear to be, according to the author
of this interesting work, that internal portions of
the optic nerve must move or our thoughts cannot
move, or that the motion of external . organs is re.
quisite for the contemplation internally of any one
external object. When there is no eye-ball the
optic never must move with every conception of
external objects. This, though unnoticed by the
writer, may, we think, appear very obvious by
observing the eye-balls of the blind during mental
operntions and particularly when reel lhng ideas
of certain external things.—N: Y. Sun.
Monzsr AssunaarcE.—A Scotch thief having
been proved in the Glassgow police court, lately;
to have stolen a herring barrel from a man in
Stockwell street, the principal accuser proceeded
to address the magistrate thus:—+•Decd, air, Bairn°,
the man at the bar is a great rogue. The stealing
of the barrel is naething to some of his tricks.—
He stole my sign-brod last week, and what does
your honour think he did wi't?" Magistrate---
"That would be hard for me to say," Witness—.
"Well, Sir, I'll tell ye. Ho brought it _into my
ain Shop, wi' my-ain name on't, and ofibred to sell
me't as he said, he thought it would be o' mair
use to me than ony body else."
Undeniable Reasons for the Choice of a Has
band.--.,What in the world could you see in Lord
A. to marry himl"
"Why I saw a house in town," said the pretty
Marchioness, "a box at the opera, and a lover in
perspective!"
A stranger having entered the apartment, where
the emperor Napoleon was shaving himself, when
in a little town in Italy, ho said, wagt to see
your great Emperor—what are you to.hitur The
Emperor replied./ share him!"
id do not approve of shades in painting," said
Queen Elizabeth to Daniel Myers. ..You must
strike off my likeness without shadows."
N. B.—Her Majesty, when she spoke thus, was
near sixty, and the "shadows," as she humanely
called them, were wrinkles, big enough to roll
Dutch cheeses in..
A NEW EDITORIAL ERA.-"The Radii,"
a new paper, inviting an exchange, was laid
on our table this morning. In opening this
sheet, we were really surprised to find that
its Editor and Proprietor is DEAF and Dunn!
We shall net attempt to describe the. etl3o•
Lions which this incident excited. Such a
triumph of philanthropy and education over
the severest inflictions of Proaidence, fills
the heart with gladness and' gratatude.--
Here we see one of a class whom, bereft of
two senses, were but a um years Si4CO show
dotted to hopeless ignorance end neglect,
now raised to an intellectual equality with
their more favored brethren! Blessed-••
thrice blessed, be the lot and ihe memory
of the man who sought out the mews iglu.
struction for the DEAF and flume...-Alis
ny Journal.