The Madison family visitor. (Madison, Ga.) 1847-1864, May 24, 1856, Image 1

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

VOLUME I. Select Poftrij. YOU AND ME. J wish, dear love, we had a world, A world that’s all our own, Not large enough for other iolk.*, But just for us alone. A fairy island far away In some bright southern sea, Where skies should shine, and earth should smile Only for you and me, dear love, Only for you and me! We’d have a pretty little cot, With swallows in the eaves, Where humming birds glance in and out Among the whispering leaves— A home of music, love and mirth, With brook, and bird, and bee, And birds should sing and bees should hum Ouly for you and me, dear love, Only for you and me! A woodbine with its clinging arms, Should twine about our door, And sweet wild roses on the air Their fragrant breath should pour; ; The sun should shine, the streams should sing, I The flowers bloom gorgeously; And all should shine and sing and bloom Only fur you and me, dear love, Only for you and me! [A living fountain near our home, Shun and make us music rare. I The sparkling of a shining spray fooling the fragrant air; We’d listen oft in summer eves Its singing melody, . jlvcjoicing that its waters leaped Only tor you and me dear love, Only fut y.»:i and me! Ami when our lives had flowed along To three score years and ten, Thr length of days the Father good Giveili the sons of men, — V ic* in our death, ns one in life, Our mingle 1 hearts should be, Y*»r Death should come, if conic he must, f At once to you and me, dear love, At once to you and me! The bosom thou hast leaned upon So trustingly in life, Shall be thy pillow, ev’n in death, My own beloved wife! JVWd rest within one peaceful grave Beside the inuriiiuring sen, A grave just \> i le and deep enough Only for you and me, dear love, Only for you and me! I KNOW A LITTLE FAIRY. 1 know a little fairy, With soft black shining hair; That lookcth so bewitching!}* As it shades her brow so fair; Her laugh is so delicious— So knowing, sweet am! clear— You’d never dream of thinking There was danger lurking near. Her dress is plain and simple, Giving roundness to her form— A touch of something gentle— A witching, winning charm ; i And when she sits down by you With a quiet, easy grace, You’d never dream of thinking There was danger in her face. Her voice is soft, melodious— And lute-’.ike in its tone; H And it often lingers in our car, & As we sit and muse alone, And her smile breuks out so gladly— So suunv, bright and clear You’d never dream of thinking There was danger lurking near. A Oh! be careful, ’Tis a very dang’rous part; Her lips distil the nectar v That doth enslave the heart; „ That soft mild glance, that sparkling eye, Sweet sunny smile—take care! You may never dream of thinking, But there’s danger lurking there! Select LE MAUVAIS PAS. A TALE OF TERROR. We lounged about the hotel of Lans s bourg during the hot hours of a sutn aer day, while men and horses were iking their rest; and so far as any ■lovements of animated nature were Concerned, it might have been midnight, hi the evening, however, the world seem ed to come alive, and preparations were made for our journey over Mount Cenis. With the additional guides, postillions, and cattle, we formed a respectable cav alcade. The moon shone brightly upon aur path, with a light so clear and soft, so silvery and so chastened, that it con trasted most pleasantly with the daz zling, scorching heat of the past day.— The atmosphere was as calm as nature’s rest could be; and the purity of the air gave and elasticity and freshness to our spirits that we could scarcely have imag ined. Fire-flies sported around us like 531 Soxxi ljent WcckUj Cticrmnj xintr f¥tisccUmiCOits Scmvnai, for tlje fjotne Circle, animated diamonds, and the side of the road was sometimes bespangled with glow worms. Under such circumstances, one feels what is the pleasure of mere animal life, where there is the height of corporeal enjoyment, without the aid of any stimulant but that which heaven’s pure breath affords. It appeared almost treason against the majesty of nature to disturb thesilencc which reigned through her dominions; and when we spoke, it was in a subdued tone. Wo walked on foot the greater part of tho ascent, up three long windings made in the face of the mountain. Then the extra horses were turned adrift, to find their own way back to the stables, and we entered the carriage to gallop down the Piedmontese side of the declivity. My nearest companion, an elderly Frenchman, who was usually very gar rulous, had been on this occasion much absorbed in thought, and had preserved silence for an extraordinary length of time, though the twitchingsof hiscoun tenancc and the shrugs of his shoulders plainly told that lie was holding an in teresting conversation with his own lieait and memory. At length I asked the cause of his inusings and frequent ejaculations. “ Ah, sir ! ” said he “ how j different arc the circumstances of this ' night from those I experienced thirty : voars ago, when I traversed this inoiiu- j tain. It was on a wintry day when the ; ground was covered with snow, which lay in some places to the depth of forty feet, and filled up many of the ravines, so that we were in constant danger of going over a precipice. The w ind blew the snow drift so fiercely as to blind our eyes, ami the guides were frequently at a loss to discover the right track. Six men were obliged to bold up the car riage with ropes fixed to the top, to pre vent its being blown over; and the pa tient horses, -poor brutes often turned their faces from the dreadful storm. — Wo were almost frozen with cold, al- | though we opened our portmanteaus, and put ou till our watdrobe. Heaven defend me from such another journey, and the horrible night that followed in that murderous inn ! ” Perceiving him to be much excited, I felt the more anx ious to know the strange events to which he alluded, and asked what could have tempted him to travel in such dismal weather, and what horrible circum stances occurred on the way. He then gave me the following narrative: 1 was then young, an officer in the ar inv, in the time when Napoleon carried on his last wars, and all this country was in a very troubled condition. At the period referred to, I was sent with an older officer to bear some despatches of importance- to Italy. lie was an Italian, who had once been in the service of Austria, but had been taken prisoner at Marengo, and had joined tho army of the Emperor. He was a clever person, in whom much confidence seemed to be placed, but so very wary and suspicious in his disposition, as sometimes to amuse and sometimes to frighten me. He seemed to make every allowance for my youth, and seldom checked my ardent spirits, for I was gay and thoughtless; but I was likewise brave and skilful in the use of arms, for which reason, I suppose, the captain took me with him on that journey. These mountains were greatly infested by robbers, chiefly dis banded soldiers of Italy, so that few persons could travel in safety. In a short time we shall pass by a place called Le Mauvais Pas, well known for the mur ders which have been there committed. A woody marsh lies cu the left hand of tho road, and the ruins of some build ings destroyed in the war on the right —I shall point them out to you—and among these the bandits lurked, and suddenly pounced upon a passer-by, or shot him before he was aware of his danger. A little further on, where two roads meet, you will see some large houses, which were once inns, and the , landlord was in communication with the robbers of Le Mauvais Pas, so that the j traveller who escaped from Scylla fell ii.- MADISON, GEORGIA, SATURDAY, MAY 24, 1856 to Charybdis. Well, sir, I have told you about tho dreadful weather in which wo were obliged to cross Mount Cenis, the passage of which occupied the whole day ; and as our orders were perempto ry, we pushed forward at all hazards till nearly midnight, when we reached tho door of the inn I have mentioned, where we were to pass the night. I suppose we escaped all previous dan gers by the latenoss of tho hour, as no gentlemen were expected to travel on these roads after dark. Glad we were when we arrived at the hotel; tho very thought of a warm fire and hot supper gave me life. We knock ed long and loud before the gate was opened, and the carriage passed into the court. The captain told our servant, who was also a soldier, to bring his little portmanteau and a small canteen of pro visions into the room where we were to sit; the other baggage was left in tho caleclie. 1 saw the landlord narrowly eve the portmanteau, but he said no thing, and hastened to got ready for our entertainment. A small stove was light ed at one end of a large room, the oilier end of which 1 could scarcely see; so that it was far from being comfortable, but it was not for us to complain after what wc had suffered in the cold. A thin candle was placed on a table, a cloth was spread, and some bouillon was soon served up. But the captain could not eat it, and ordered Giuseppe to bring J some compote out of the canteen, from which he made a savory soup. The host then brought us a fricassee but it also was rejected, and a cold fowl substi tuted for it. This rather displeased me, and I was beginning to intimate that I should prefer tlie hot dish, when a scowl of the captain’s made me shrink into insignificance, and 1 let hint do as he pleased. As he doggedly refused to eat anything furnished by the landlord, on the plea of a weak stomach, which I had never known him to complain of before, for lie was a great gourmand, I guess that he was afraid of poison, and secret ly execrated his suspicious temper, re joicing that 1 was not a jealous Italian. “ Have you any other guests here to night 2 ” asked tho captain, appearing to take no notice of the prying curiosity of the landlord, who in vain tried to as certain who and what we were. “ Only a priest on his way to Turin. Boor man, he has been stopped here for two days by the storm, as lie travels on foot.” “And what may be tbe reverend father's name?” asked my companion. “Fra Carlo Benevoluto,” replied the other. “Ah! that is a distinguished name. I think I have met with sonic of the padres of the name. “ Very likely,” said the innkeeper. “ There are others of the family in high orders: he had a brother killed at the battle of Marengo, as he went to admin ister the consolation of religion to some dying soldiers. They are a devout fam ily.” “Ha ! is Padre Carlo gone to bed ? Perhaps he would do us the honor to drink wine with us.” The host replied that he had retired to say his prayers aud count his rosary, which he did several times a day, holy man ! but he might not yet be gone to sleep. Presently tbe padre made his appear ance, with an air of meek devotion, crossed himself, and blessed us in the name of the Holy Virgin and his pat ron saint Carlo. The captain gave him one searching glance, so piercing as al most to decompose him ; but it passed over, and we entered into friendly con versation. A couple of bottles with facetious talk warmed us thoroughly, and we proposed retiring to rest. The captain was shown into a bed-chamber which he did not at all fancy. We had before conversed about the Italian inns, and he had cautioned me always to lock and barricade tbe door at night. Now, he was himself put into a room which had three doors besides the one by which wo entered from the stairs, and none of them could bo locked, as the chamber was a perfect thorough fare. He looked much discomposed, and asked which of the rooms I was to occupy. Tho land lord apologized for taking me a little way ott', as the neighboring beds were already occupied, and it was too late to make alterations. One of the adjoining rooms was taken by tho priest; another belonged to himself, and bis wifo was in bed ; and the other door led to a pas sage and small apartment to which his daughter and maid servant had gone, giving up their beds to tho company.— I was then conducted to a room on the other side of the padre’s, but had scarce ly got into bed, when the captain came in, bringing his little portmanteau and candle. He broke out into a furious in vective against tho vermin which were in his bed, which would render it impos sible for him to sleep there. As this misfortune was no uncommon tiling in these countries, it excited in mo no sur prise save that an old soldier should be daunted by igicli diminutive enemies.— Upon my instantly offering to resign my couch, and try if I could not sleep among those Lilliputian marauders, he imper atively declined, and said that he w ould repose in a chair beside me. He then examined the door, aud found that it had no fastening, and as it opened into the padre's chamber, it could not be bar ricaded on our side. He was terribly disconcerted, and walked about in con siderable emotion ; then setting the lighted candle cm a marble commode near the door, ho seated himself near me and beside a table, on which he placed two loaded pistols and a carbine, which he examined and cocked, aud laid my sword upon my bed. A number of curious thoughts passed through my brain, tickled with the idea of a hero of many fights being dislodg ed from his encampment by a few in sects; and my imagination suggested a glowing picture of this wonderful cam paign, which would form tho subject of ail excellent farce. And then his tim idity—to be afraid of a lonely landlord, with three women and a holy priest!— He would make another Don Quixote fighting with a wind mill or a flock of sheep. 1 so relished tho thought and the sight, that I was unwilling to yield to Morpheus, whose magic influence had become heavy; but was beginning to doze, when I thought I heard the screak ing of the door, and looking through the curtain I saw, or dreamed I saw, a faint shadow dimly reflected upon the wall. Turning to the captain, I perceiv ed him eyeing the door closely, with a pistol grasped in his hand, which he was just raising, when the door quietly closed, and all was silent. About an hour afterward, the same was repeated, and sleep vanished from my eyes. I dared not speak to the captain, who did not close his eyes for an instant, but kept them fixed with sentinel keenness upon the door, and his hand upon a pistol.— He called us early, ordered horses to be put to the carriage, and told Giuseppe to make coffee in the mode he liked it.— Giuseppe looked in an inquiring way, caught his eye, and immediately obeyed. The padre joined us, and very meek ly asked permission to occupy a seat in our caleche, which, to my surprise, was courteously granted, and he was invited to partake of our early repast. The captain kept him in constant conversa tion, and although he changed his seat once or twice, always managed to rise for something and sit opposite to him, and never to be beyond reach of his pistols. I was confounded, for they seemed to be playing a game at move ments. At length the word was given, “ Let us go!” and I was curious to see how the game would now be played, especially as some additional pieces had appeared an the board, in the shape of the landlord’s wife and daughter, and chambermaid, all big buxom dames, whose tall figures I much admired, but of whom my companion seemed as sus picious as of the holy father. He pass- ed no compliments, and appeared much chagrined. Yet ho managed things most adroitly, his object, as I thought being to let nobody walk behind us. — “ Signor, run and tell the postillion to mount the white horse, for the black one sometimes kicks. Signor, please take these clonks, and spread them on the seats of tho carriage. Girl, take the candle. Father Benevoluto, bo kind enough to take charge of this bottle of eau-de-vie, and put it into the far'pocket of tho carriage. Giuseppe, bring this portmanteau. Andiamo! ” said lie, pushing all of us before him as he fol lowed with his fire-arms. In a trice we were all at the carriage door. “Father, don’t get out again ; pray be seated.— O, signor, pray hold that black horse i Up, Giuseppe, and keep this carbine in your hand, and look about you for rob bers. It is a bad road. Ladies, addio ! Va! ” We wero off before we knew where we were, and the captain urged the pos tillion forward ; but we had not proceed ed a quarter of a mile when lie called out to stop ; and in a hurried tone, ad dressing Fra Carlo, said :“ Pardon me Father Benevoluto; I have left somo papers of importance ou my bed—do, pray, go and fetch them : wo await your return ;” and without stopping for his reply, opened the door and helped him to descend. I was just beginning to offer my own seivice, when a grinding oath, half emitted, silenced me. “Good father, do bo quick ; for I can trust no body with those papers on this vile road but yourself: no thief would rob a priest.” It was impossible to refuse; and Fra Carlo set oil at greater speed than I had deemed him capable of using. When lie was out of sight, my compan ion ordered the postillion to drive on quickly. lie replied that we were to wait for the padre; but tho captain thundered out: “Hark you! make no noise with your whip, but spur your horses to a gallop, and keep them gal loping till I bid you go slower. Tho moment you stop or crack your whip, f shall send a bullet through your head, Va ! ” Off we went, slap dash ; how long I know not, for I was overwhelmed with surprise, afraid that tho captain had become deranged, and that I might be the first victim of his violent temper.— At length lie called out: “Piano! piano !” and we instantly passed through St. Antonin, where we met a military patrol, to whom the captain showed his passport, and said that there were suspi cious characters on the road between this and Le Mauvais Pas. The officer bow ed low, and ordered his men to keep a sharp look out. As wo proceeded, lie smiled and exclaimed: “Now wo are safe and can take breath a little—thanks to the holy Virgin and all tho guardian saints for our deliverance ! ” I ventur ed to say, that though some tilings did look rather suspicious in the inn, 3’et L could not fix upon any thing really villainous, and should not have imagin ed any harm, unless I had perceived him to be so much on his guard ; that I did not much like the landlord, yet the women were haudsome, and I was much pleased with Fra Carlo; but tho priest and himself seemed to be playing a game at seats and places, and he had certainly checkmated him at last. “Yes,” said he; “it was a game for life. So Carlo Benevoluto has assumed the padre now! methinks lie will not long wear the cowl. That man was in my regiment when I was with the Aus trians, and he was condemned to death for theft and murder, but escaped through the artifices of his brother, a priest, who was shot at Marengo, as he deserved.— He has forgotten me; but I well re member him, and that gash on his fore head, which I gave him when I cut him down, but missed splitting his skull.— And yon bed—there has been foul play there. You are yet a young dog of war: but I can smell blood any where: I instantly smelled it, and traced it to the mattress, which I found all stained with gore. Had I fallen asleep, wc j should both have slept there our last sleep, as many, I fear, have done before; but we shall hear if Captain Bocci, who passed last week has arrived safely; if not, they shall all be broken on the wheel. Those handsome women ! I will wager a thousand scudi they were men in disguise: I never saw such women in Italy before. In such times as these, young man, you must be always watch ing if you value your life and love Mad emoiselle Fouchette; and remember that walls have ears and eyes too.” I intimated that I thought so when I saw him pointing a pistol at a shadow twice during the night. “ A shadow ! it was the shade of Fra Carlo, and such shad ows play with stilettoes : I saw one when his cloak was oft' as I passed through his room to come to you. Ghosts do not flinch from a leveled pistol as he did.” At this momdht tho Frenchman made me look, for we were approaching the dreadful spot. There, indeed, stood two ruinous houses, forming a large mass of building, with small grated windows and a high court, all shut up, and going to decay. He looked and shrugged his shoulders, and continued : “ The cursed bandits! they met with a deserved fate. The manner of their capture I have hoard only by report, for wo returned to France by another route. One evening, at dusk, two horsemen rode up to the inn ; but when the large gate was open ed, one of tho beasts became frisky, and refused to enter. This frightened tho other, and they capered about to the groat discomfort of tho landlord and his people, who could not como into the gateway or shut the door because of their antics. As they were becoming more quiet, a posse of gendarmerie dash ed in and took possession of the premi ses. A search was instituted, and the remains of 200 or 300 human bodies were found in tbe grounds, besides a great deal of concealed plunder. I need scarcely say that Italian justice did dread ful work with the murderers; and the inn has been shut up over since. No one will venture into it—it is haunted; but the Mauvais Pas is still a dangerous place for lone travelers.” A carbinier at this moment rode up, and asked our party if we had seen any person on the road, for a robbery had been committed a few days ago in that place. “SEEING DOUBLE,” OR TOO MANY WHISKEY PUNCHES. One particularly dark, damp, dull driz zly and disagreeable day in tbe latter part of November, a tall, gaunt, queer looking customer, dressed in a blue coat with yellow buttons, with “yaller’ striped pantaloons, and calf-skin termi nations, sat “solitary and alone” in a iittlo room, situated in a certain little tavern, in street, Philadelphia. Before him was a little round table on wboso marble top was “not a little” pitcher of smoking punch, “screecben hot,” and a wine glass. The solitary in dividual was York—notliiu’ elso dear child — and that was his second pitcher full—nigh his second empty. One min ute after, and you couldn’t —fact, you sec—have squeezed a drop out of either pitcher or glass, by a forty-two pounder hydraulic press. York rang the bell. The waiter pop ped his head in tho door. “ Ring, sa 2” “Os course I did. Is it clearing off?” “No, sa —damp, sa—fog so thick, sa, you could ladle it out ’th a spoon, sa. Have anything, sa 2” “ More punch, and strong.” “ Yes, sa—immediately, sa.” The waiter withdrew, and in a few seconds returned with a third pitcher of punch, and York was beginning to feel glorious, when, on raising tip his eyes, he saw his own figure in a pier glass, di rectly opposite. Ho rubbed his eyes again. “By thunder!” said he, “here’s some fellow sitting right before me; I’ll swear there’s impudence for you ! This is a priva’e room, sir, for my sole accommo dation.” NUMBER 21 He waited a minute, expecting an an swer, but his reflection only stared at him and held its peace. “ I was saying, sir, that this is my pri vate room—mine, sir?” cried York, fetching his voice an octave higher than it was before. No answer was made,' and ho rung the bell furiously. The waiter made his appearanoe again. “Ring, sa?” “ Yes, I did ring. Didn’t I ask for a private room ?” “ Yes, sa, this is a private room, sa." “Itis ? Why, there’s a fellow sittiug right opposite me now, on the other side of the table. Rot his impudence.” “ Table, sa ? fellow, sa ?” “ Yes, there is. Well, just never mind. Bring on some more punch and a couple of glasses.” In a very short time the fourth pitcher, with two glasses, made its appearance. York filled one of the glasses, and then shoved it over the table. “ Will you drink ?” said he, addressing the figure in the glass. “Oh, you won’t, eh? Well, I—l will.’’ and so he did. “Better drink, old fellow,” continued' he. “ Your liquor is getting oold, and' you look as if you was fond of the thing," No answer being returned, York fin ished the pitcher and rang the bell again.- In popped the waiter. “ Ring sa ? ” “To be sure I did. Didn’t you heart the b-b-bell ?” “ I did," replied the waiter. “ Didn’t I order a p-p-privato room f Eh?” “ Yes, sa, this is a private room sa.” “A pretty private room this is, withja f f-fellow sitting right opposite that won't takenglass of punch when it’s offered him,- and a r r-red nosed man at that. 0,- well, never mind, bring more punch and t-t-tumblers. I’ll try him again.” Presently pitcher number five with' glasses to match, was borne in with due' state. “ Better try some, old boy,” said York,- coaxingly, to his double. The reflex merely looked good natured, but said' nothing. “ Well,” continued York, with a sigh,- “if this isn’t the most infamous. Nev er mind, I’ll drink the punch.” And so he did, every bit of it. About five minutes sufficed to end the pitcher. York rang the bell super-furiously. The' waiter came again. “ Ring sa ? ” “Why certain. Why shouldn’t I? Where’s the man—who keeps the— place ? ” “ Boss, sa ? I’ll see ’irn, sa.” Shortly after, mine host, a quiet look ing little man, with a mottled, calico pattern face and a shining bald head made his appearance. “ W-w-what’s to pay ? ” demanded York, rising and assuming an air of dig nity. “ Five punches—five levies, sir.” “There’s the money, sir,” said York, forking over the coin. “And now I want to know why, when I call for a private room, you should put me in here with s-s-some-body else ?” “ There’s nobody here but you and 1,, sir ? ” said the landlord. “ Nobody ! Do you s-s-spose I can’t see? Do you think I’m drunk ? There, look there! two of ’em, by jingo!” “ Well, sir, I must confess I can’t see but us two.” “ You can’t, eh ? ” And York drag ged the landlord to the table. “ Look there, continued he, pointing to tho glass. “ Th-th there’s the rascals now. One of ’em’s enough like you to be your brother, and the other is the most Lord-forsaken, meanest looking while man I ever saw.” An Eastern paper proposes that in stead of Sharp’s rifles, they send some sharp Yankee girls to Kansas. Good t The chap that made the suggestion ban more hard sense than Parson Beecher.