Newspaper Page Text
VOLUME I. j
BY C. R. HANLEITER.
DOUBLING THE CAPE.
Business called me tlie other day to the
house of my friend, Mr. Bright. He had
stepped out, as his daughter, Miss L)ihby,
informed me; but was expected to return
in a few minutes. Miss Dibby received me
politely iu her drawing-room, and entertain
ed me agreeably. She was homely to be
sure; very homely. Her forehead and nose
bad tbejt been on opposite sides of her head
would .bare formed a parenthesis—that is to
say, her forehead swept round so, (, and her
nose wbipt up so, ), and stopt short—with
a little rising at tlie point. Ho mouth was
like a IVkip-poor-will's, and her neck was
just a ‘little shorter than an eight-by-ten pane
of glass—for I measured it by sighting with
one eye shut (slyly) as she sat by the win
dow. It was graced with an Adam’s-apple,
too, which didn’t help it much. But what of
all this! Wes it Dibhy’s fault that she was
not handsome ] By no means. Did I like
her any the less for that I Not I. I like
ugly girls—as a general rule—better than
handsome oues; first, because they are gen
erally more agreeable : secondly, because
they are less affected : thirdly, because they
are more sensible : fourthly, because they
are more industrious ; and fifthly, because—
I like them better any how. W’ithal I nev
er saw a pretty girl who did not to look
prettier than site was. I know when they’re
trying to look killing.
While I was there, in eame Mr. Norfatti,
M iss Dibhy’s music teacher. As he enter
ed lie made me a bow that was like the slow
shutting of a pair of nut-crackers. Mr. Nor
fatti was an Italian, and I’m glad of it; for
if be and Miss Dibby bad been both Geor
gians I should have removed to Texas right
away. He was about seven feet high, and
six inches thick in his biggest pails. His
nose and forehead seemed to be pulling
against each other for a wager —the first put
a-head violently—the last pulled back pet
tishly—and it seemed to be made of India
rubber, for it stretched itself clean away al
most. His hair, which was as black as my
boot, was short and frizzly. His eye occu
pied a deep scoop in his head, and his mouth
aud neck beat Dibby’s all hollow. But
Norfatti’s neck was covered with a stiff
black stock, from under which rose a sliirt
collar that embraced just half his face. Had
his head been a little smaller, and a little
whiter, it might have passed for a blue-point
oyster lying snugly in its open shell. His
coat-collar seemed to have fallen out with
his neck, (and I dou’t wonder at it,) and to
be making off for Italy. Around his neck
was a silken cord to which was uttached a
quizzing-glass that descended however,
no matter about the quizzing-glass, it is not
worth describing. Iliscoatfirst(aslliavesaid)
rushed out—then it turned in—then it went
out—then made a curve, and came in again.
His pantaloons were not remarkable in any
respect but for their length. I wish he had
worn knee-breeches, his legs would have
been delicious.
Miss Dibby asked me if it would disturb
me for her to take her music lesson in my
presence. I assured her it would not, as
any sound of the piano was agreeable to me.
She seated herself, and Norfatti took his po
sition at the back of her chair with a roll of
music in his left hand. With thia he beat
time, as I afterwards observed. I thought
Dabby performed well enough to do with
out a tutor, but she thought differently I sup
pose, and, therefore, she had one. She play
ed away divers pieces with which Noifatti
& jFaiuUs IlftosjLipcr: Betootett to Sericulture, JjHeefwtuics, duration, jForetau auU ©omrstic EtiteUiflewce, scc.
seemed to have nothing to do, except to
beat time as aforesaid and to utter two or
three words between each, which sounded
to me like “chum — chum — chum.” At last
they struck into a duett, which seemed to
inspire them, and which enkindled increas
ing animation with every line.
It represented a young lady just out of a
romp with her brother, caught by her lover
with a rumpled cape. The concluding lines
of every stanza were:
“ Mj whole face was suffused with a blush
When lie saw my rumpled, cape.”
These two lines were sung over and over
again, in every possible form of division ;
the tune now slow, now quick, then mid
dling, then quick, then slow—rising ldgher
and higher till it reached “ cape and here
it dwelt through two whole semibreves in a
kind of scream, at the topmost pitch of the
human voice, when it wound up with a
sprigjilly movement. Now, in the above
two lines there did not seem to me to lie
one word which required the least distor
tion of countenance in pronouncing it, and
yet the two singers managed to give their
faces some awful twist or stretch at every
one of them. Thus, for example, Dibby
pronounced the first word of the couplet
with a gape-fix of her mouth, the second
with a whistle-fix, and the third with a laugh
fix, Sec. Sec., while Norfatti agreed with her
(tutor as he was) in none of her fixes hut
the second. At the last word, Dibby open
ed her mouth as if she meant to catch a
whole shower of rain in it, while Norfatti
opened his like a long kerf in a tree —i. e.
so, In my judgment, neither opened
right for “ cape.” But no matter: thus
went the two lines:
“My who-o-o-o-01, my whole, my whole, whole
fa-a-ar.c, whole face, whole face was suffus
cd, was suffused, svffu, suffu, suffu-u-u-sed.
suffused with a blush, a blush, a blush, was
suffused with a blush, blush, blush, blush,
blush, my whole face was suffused with a
blush,
When he saw, when he sa-a-a-aw my rump
led. cape, my rumpled cape, rumpled, rump
led, rumpled cape, when he saw my rump,
he saw my rump, my rump, rump, rump,
my rumpled cape, my rumpled ca-a-a-pc,
ru-m-pled ca-a-a-a-ape, ca-ha-ha-ha-lta-ha
a-a-a-pc, when he saw my ru-humpled
cape /”
” Oh,” thought I, “if I had a Cruik
shanks here now just to sketch these beau
ties, while nouHLiNc the cape, what would
I not give?” That twist of Norfatti’s nose
alone is worth a sight of twenty mermaids.
But, as we have no Cruikshanks in Georgia,
the reader may be content with my imper
fect description. Mr. Bright came in just
as the duett was concluded and escorted me
to auother room. CROCKET.
Little did our correspondent “Crock
et” imagine when he sent us the above in
imitable sketch of Signor Norfatti’s mode
of “Doubling the Cape,” that we had a
Cruikedshank* who could, with his pencil
embody the writers very thought!, and with
bis graver give it “ form and substance,” so
far as such an achievement might be accom
plished on papor. He will doubtless feel
indebted to us for the expense to which we
have been in illustrating his sketch ; which
be will not fail to perceive is infinitely more
complete than it would have been without
the engraving.
MADISON, MORGAN COUNTY, GEORGIA,
P © E T 03 Y
“ Much yet remains unsung.”
LOVE AND LOGIC.
AT FRANCES SARGENT OSGOOD.
The gods one day sent renson out,
To look for love —their truant hoy !
They bade her seek him all about.
And lure him home with tempting toy !
She found him in a rosebud rocked.
She begged him to l>e track in season ;
But still the boy the maiden mocked ;
For—“ Love will never list to tcason !”
This Goddess held a jewel up,
With Heaven's own glory flashing thro* it;
“ Nay ! see my Rose's blushing cup!”
Said love —“ your gem is nothing to it!”
“ For shame, false boy; must force Ire tried ?
Is't thus you waste this precious season?”
“Take care! d'ye see this bow ?” he cried;
“ Ah! Love too oft has conquered reason!
“I see your aim! your rhetoric speeds
On proud Olympus ill without me ;
But happy Love no reason hceda!
Begone! and when they ask about ntc.
Just tell them, in my Rose’s heart
I’ve found so dear, so pure a'treasure,
I grudge them not Minerva's art,
Or laughing Hebe’s cup of pleasure!”
The maid had not a word to say—
She knew the rogue was talking in uson ;
But back to Ida bent her way;
For Love can better plead than Renson.
® H L I © T H ® Tt^L[E© o
A LEGEND OF THE SEVEN
TOWERS.
BY MISS P Attn OE.
On the declaration of war with Russia
made ly the Turks in 1786, Baron Bulha
koff, the Russian minister, despite his rep
resentation that the imprisonment of the
Muscovite ambassadors on such occasions
had been abolished by treaty, was, never
theless, sent to the Seven Towers by order
of Codza Youssouf Pasha, the grand vizier,
with the assurance that treaties were very
good things in time of peace, hut mere
waste-paper in the event of war. The dis
comfited ambassador was, however, treated
with great civility, and was even permitted
to select such members of the legation as
lie desired should bear him company during
the captivity; strict orders being given to
the commandant of the castle to accede to
every request of his prisoner which did not
tend to compromise his safety; and upon
his complaining of the accommodations of
the tower,‘he was moreover permitted to
erect a kiosk ot: the walls of the fortress,
whence he had a magnificent view of the
Sea of Marmora and its glittering islands,
and to construct a spacious and handsome
apartment within the tower itself.
The commandant was lodged beneath the
same roof as his prisoner. He had an only
daughter, so young, and so lovely, that she
might have taken her stand between the two
houri who wait at the portal of Paradise to
beckon the faithful across its threshold, with
out seeming less beautiful than they. Fif
teen springs had with their delicate breath
ings opened the petals of the roses since
the birth of Rechedi Hanoum, arid she had
far out-bloomed the brightest blossoms of
the fairest of seasons. Her voice, when it
was poured forth in song, came through the
lattices of her casement like the tones of a
distant mandolin sweeping over the waters
of the still sea —when you looked upon her,
it was as though you looked upon a rose ;
and when you listened, you seemed to listen
to the nightingale.
Rechedi Hanoum had never yet poured
the scented sherbet in the garden of flowers.
Her young heart was as free as the breeze
that came to her brow from the blue bosom
of the Propontis; and when she heard that
a Muscovite Giaour was about to become an
inmate of the Tojver, she only trembled,
for she knew that he was nn enemy to her
country.
Terror, however, was soon succeeded by
curiosity. Only a few weeks after the com
pulsory domestication of the ambassador of
the Seven Towers, his kiosk was comple
ted ; and from her closed casements the
young Hanoum could see all that passed iu
the vast apartment of the prisoner.
Her first glance at the dreaded infidel
was transient; hut soon she took another,
and a longer look ; and curiosity was, in its
turn, succeeded by sympathy. The Russian
prisoner was the handsomest man on whom
her eyes had ever rested, and it was not
thus that she had pictured to herself the
dreaded Muscovite. He was unhappy, too;
for in his solitary moments he paced the floor
with hurried and unequal steps, like one
who is grappling with some painful memo
ry ; and at times sat sadly, with his head
pillowed on his hand, and his fingois wreath
ed amid the wavy hair which encircled his
brow, looking so mournful, and, above all,
so fascinating, that the fair Rechedi at Inst
began to weep as she clung to her lattice,
with her gaze riveted upon him; and to
find more happiness in those tears, than in
all the simple pleasures that had hitherto
formed the charm of her existence.
Little did the young Hanoum suspect
that abe loved the Giaour. .She never dt eam
SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 18, 1843.
ed of passion; but, with all the generous
anxiety of innocence, unconscious that a
warmer feeling than that of mere pity urg
ed her to the effort, she began to muse upon
the means of diminishing the irksomeness
of a captivity which she was incapable of
terminating. The first, the most natural
impulse, led her to sweep her hands across
the choi ds of her zebeck ; and, as she re
marked the start of agreeable surprise with
which the sound was greeted by the court
ly prisoner, her young heart Iwunded with
joy, and the wild song gushed forth in a
burst of sweetness which chained the at
tention of the captive, and afforded to the
delighted girl the opportunity of a long,
Icing look, that more than repaid her for her
minstrelsy.
During the evening she watched to as
certain whether a repetition of her song
would be expected—and she did not watch
in vain; fur, more than once the Russian
noble leant from his casement, and seemed
to listen ; but he came not here alone; one
of his companions in captivity was beside
him ; and Rechedi Hanoum, although she
guessed not wherefore, had sudddnly be
come jealous of her minstrelsy, and would
not exhibit before a third person.
On the morrow, an equally graceful and
equally successful effort whiled the prisoner
for a time from his sorrows. A cluster of
roses, woven together with a tress of bright
dark hair, was flung from the casement of
the young beauty, at the moment when the
back of the stranger was turned towards
her. It fell at his feet, and was secured and
pressed to his lips with a respectful courte
sy, that quickened the pulses of the donor;
but not a glimpse of the fair girl accompan
ied the gift; and it seemed as though the
baron had suspected wherefore—for ere
long he was alone in his apartment; and,
when he had dismissed his attendants, he
once more advanced to the window, and
glanced anxiously towards the jealous lat
tices by which it was overlooked.
There was a slight motion perceptible be
hind the screen ; a white hand waved a
greeting; and the imprisoned noble bent
forward to obtain a nearer view of its fail
owner. For a moment Rechedi remained
motionless, terrified at the excess of her own
temerity; but there was a more powerful
feeling at heart than fear; and, iti the next,
she forced away her prison-bars for an in
stant, and, with the tell-tale hand pressed
upon her Irish m, stood revealed to her en
raptured neighbor.
From that day the young beauty allowed
herself to betray to the captive her interest
in his sorrows—she did more ; she admitted
that she shared them ; and ere long there
was notan hour throughout Ihe day in which
the thoughts of Rechedi Hanoun were not
dwelling on the handsome prisoner.
Thus were things situated during two
long years, when the death of the reigning
sultan, at the termination of that period, in
duced the ambassadors of England and
France to demand from his successor, Se
lim the Third, the liberty of the Russian
minister. The request was refused, for the
war was not yet terminated ; and the new
sovereign required no better pretext for dis
regarding the representations of the Euro
pean ambassadors, than the continuation of
hostilities between the two counties. But
Selim had other and more secret reasons
for thus peremtorily negativing their pray
er ; and it will be seen in the suite, that they
did not arise from personal dislike to the
captive Muscovite.
Like Haroun Ahascbid, of Arabian mem
ory, the new sultan, duiing the first weeks
of his reign, amused himself by nocturnal
wanderings about the streets of the city in
disguise, attended by the subsequently fa
mous Hussein, his first and favorite body
page ; and, immediately that he had refused
compliance with the demand of the ambas
sadors, he resolved on paying an incognito
visit to his prisoner at the Seven Towers.
As soon as twilight had fallen, like a mantle,
over the gilded glories of Stamboul, he oc
cordingly set forth ; and, having discovered
himself to the commandant, and enjoined
him to secrecy, he entered the ante-cham
ber of the baron, where he found one of his
suite, to whom he expressed his desire to
have an interview with the captive ambas
sabor.
The individual to whom the sultan had
addressed himself recognised him at once;
but, without Letraying that he did so, con
tented himself with expressing his regret
that he was unable to comply with the re
quest ofhis visiter, the orders of the sultan
being peremtory, that the baron should hold
no intercourse with any one beyond the
walls of the fortress.
On receiving this answer, Selim replied,
gaily, that the sultan need never be inform
ed of the circumstance ; and that, being a
near relation of the commandant, and hav
ing obtained his permission to have a few
minutes’ conversation with the prisoner, he
trusted that he should not encounter any ob
stacle, either on the part of the baron him
self, or on that ofhis friends.
The dragoman, with affected reluctance,
quitted the room, to ascertain, as he assert
ed, the determination of his excellency, but
in reality, to inform him of the imperial mas
querade ; and in five minutes more, the dis
guised sultan and his favorite were ushered
into the apartment of the ambassador.
After some inconsequent conversation,
Selim inquired how the baron had contrived
to divert the weary hours of his captivity;
and was answered, that he had endeavored
to lighten them by hooks, and by gazing out
upon the sea of Marmora from his kiosk.—
Bulhakoff sighed ss he made the reply, and
remembered how muph more they had been
brightened by the affection of the fair Re
chedi Hanoum; and he almost felt as though
lie were an ingrate, that he did not add her
smiles and her solicitude to the list ofhis
prison-blessings.
“ The same volume and the same kiosk
cannot please forever;” said the sultan with
a smile; “ and you would not doubtlessly,
be sorry to exchange vonr books against the
conversation of your fellow-men ; nor your
view of the blue Propontis for one more
novel. A prison is but a prison at bests
even though you may be locked up with all
the courtesy in the world. But your cap
tivity is not likely to endure much longer.
Shekiour Allah /—Praise lie to God—l am
intimately acquainted with the sultan’s fa
vorite ; and I know that, had not the med
dling ministers of England and France
sought to drive the new sovereign into an act
of justice, which he had resolved to perform
from inclination, you would have been, ere
this, at liberty. Do not therefore he induc
ed to lend yourself or your countenance to
any intrigue that they may make to liberate
you, and which will only tend to exasperate
his highness; but wait patiently for another
mouth, and at its expiration you will be set
free, and restored to your country.”
“ I trust that you may prove a true proph
et —” said the baron ; and his visiters short
ly afterwauls departed.
The days wore on ; the month was almost
at an end, and yet the captive noble had
never ventured to breathe to the fair girl
who loved him. the probability ofhis libera
tion. He shrank from the task almost with
trembling, for he felt that even to him the
parting would be a hitter one—even to him,
although he was about to recover liberty,
and country, and friends. What, then,
would it be to hel l to “ his caged bird,’’ as
he bad often fondly called her—who knew
no joy save in his presence—no liberty save
that of loving him! As the twilight fell
sadly over the sea, and the tall trees of the
prison gatden grew dark and gloomy in the
sinking light, he remembered how ardently
they had both watched for that still hour,
soon to be one of tenfold bitterness to the
forsaken Rechedi Hanoum; and tiiete were
moments in which he almost wished that she
had never loved him.
But the hour of trial came at last. Selitn
had redeemed his word, and Bulhakoff was
free. His companions in captivity would
fain have quitted the fortress within the
hour; but the liberated prisoner lingered.
He gave no reason for his delay ; he offer
ed no explanation of his motives; he sim
ply announced his resolution not to quit the
tower until the morrow ; and then he strut
himself in his chamber, and passed there
several of the most bitter hours ofhis cap
tivity.
Once more twilight lay long upon the wa
ters—the time of the tryst was come—the
last which the beautiful young Hanoum was
ever to keep with her lover. She had long
forgotten the possibility of his lilieration ;
and when she stole from her chamber to the
shadow of the tall cypresses that had so of
ten witnessed their meeting, her heart bound
ed like her step. But no fond smile wel
comed her coming—no reproach, more dear
than praise, murmured against hcrhaidiness
—Bulhakoff was leaning his head against
the tree beside which he stood, and the young
beauty had clasped within her own the chill
and listless baud that hung at his side, ore
with a painful start he awakened from his
reverie.
The interview was short; hut brief as was
its duration it had taught the wretched girl
that for her there was no future save one of
misery. She did not weep—her burning
eye-balls were too hot for tears. Site could
not weep, for the drops of anguish would
have dimmed the image of him whom site
had loved, and was al>out to lose. She made
no reply to the withering tidings he had
brought, for what bed words to do with such
a grief as hers? She was liko one who
dreamt a fearful dream ; and when she turn
ed away to regain her chamber, she walked
with a firm step, for her heart was broken ;
and she had nothing now left to do but to
veil from her lover the extent of her own an
guish, lest she should add to the bitterness
of his.
The morrow came. The baron turned
a long, soul-centred look towards the lattices
ofhis young love, and quitted her forever;
and, ere many weeks were spent, the same
group of cypresses which had overshadowed
the try sting-pi ace of RochediHanoun gloom
ed above her grave.
THE LEG.
In the autumn of 1782, the surgeon, Louis
Thevenet, of Calais, received an anonymous
letter, requiring his attendants on the fol
lowing day at a certain house not far from
the town, and requesting him to bring with
him the necessary instruments for amputa
ting a limb. Thevenet was, at that juried,
renowned far and wide for his skill, and it
was by no means uncommon for patients to
send for him from England, in ordei to he
guided by his judgment in cases of more
than ordinary importance. He had been
long attached to the army, and, though of
somewhat uncouth manner, was uuiversally
beloved on account of the kindness of his
disposition.
| NUMBER 51.
WM. T. THOMPSON, EDITOR.
Thevenet puzzled a long time over the
anonymous communication. Both lime and
place were indicated with the greatest ex
actness ; at such an hour, and at such a spot,
would lie lie expected ; but, aa before ob
served, the letter Imre no signature. “A
hoax, in all probability,” was the conclusion
he arrived at, and he resolved not to go.
Three days afterward he received a sim
ilar invitation, though couched in more press
ing terms, with the announcement that a
carriage Mould he at bis door at nine the
next morniug, to convey him to the appoint
ed spot.
Scarcely bad the clock finished striking
the hour of nine, on the following morning,
than a handsome open carriage drove to the
surgeon’s door; he made no further hesi
tation, but entered it. .As he got in, he in
quired of the coachman whither he was go
ing to drive him, and the man replied in the
English language, “I do not meddle with
things that are no business of mine.”
“ 0 lio! so I have to do with an English
man, you sui ly dog,” replied Tbevenet.
Tho coach arrived at length at the appoint
ed house. “ Who am Ito see—who lives
here—who is ill ?” asked Thevenet of iho
coachman, as he lefl the carriage. The
man repeated his former answer, and was
thanked sot his civility in terms very much
resembling those above quoted.
He was received at the door by a hand
some young man, about twenty-eight years
<dd, who conducted him up a staircase to a
large room. His accent betrayed him to lie
a native of Great Britain. Tbevenet ad
dressed him in English, and was replied to
with much politeness.
“ You desired my attendance,” said tho
surgeon.
“ I am very grateful for the trouble you
have taken to visit me. Pray rest yourself;
here are refreshments of all kinds, if you
wish anything licfore performing the opera
tion.
*’ First of all, sir, let me see and examiqe
the patient; possibly it may not be neces
sary to proceed to amputation.”
“ It will be necessary, Monsieur Theve
net. Let me entreat you to be seated. I
have the fullest confidence in you—listen to
me. Here is a purse containing a hundred
guineas, they ore yours when the operation
is ver, let the result be what it may. If,
on the contrary, you refuse to fulfil my
wishes—you see this loaded pistol—you ara
in my power, and, as sure as you are alive,
I shoot you dead on the spot.”
“ Sir, your pistol docs not in the least
alarm ;ne. What is it you require 1 Tell
me at once, without further preface, for
what purpose have I lieeu summond herel”
“You must cut off my right leg.”
“ With all my heart, sir, and your head
as well, if you please : but, if I am not mis
taken, your leg appears perfectly sound.—
You sprang up the staircase just now. with
all the agility of a rope-dancer. What is
the matter with your leg ?”
“Nothing whatsoever, only off it must
come.”
“ Sir, you are a fool!”
“ That, Monsieur Tbevenet, is no busi
ness of yours.”
“ What sin has that well-shapen leg of
youts committed 1”
“None; hut havrj. you made tip your
mind to take it off?”
“Sir, you area stranger to me, and I
should like to have proofs of your being of
sound mind.”
* Monsieur Tbevenet, will you grant roy
request ?”
“ First, sir, give me some sufficient rea
son for inflicting so wanton a mutilation on
you.”
“ I cannot disclose the truth to you at pre
sent, I may, perhaps, within a year; but I
will lay you any wager, sir, that you your
self will, at the expiration of the twelve
month, allow that my reasons for desiring to
lie freed of my leg were most satisfactory
and praiseworthy.”
“ I make no bet with you, unless you in
form me of your name, your lesidence, your
family, and profession.”
“ All this shall be duly communicated to
you, but not at present. Allow me to ask
if you consider me a man of honor 7”
“ A man of honor does not present a pis
tol at his surgeon’s head. 1 have duties to
perform even toward you. who are a total
stranger to me. Without it be strictly ne
cessary, I will not consent to mutilate you.
If you are bent on becoming tlie assassin of
an innocent father of a family—fire!”
“ ’Tia well. Monsieur Tbevenet,” ans Mat
ed the Englishman, taking up the pistol: “I
will not Ite your murderer, hut 1 trill still
compel you to remove my leg. What my
entreaties have failed to obtain; what nei
ther the hope of rewaul nor the fear o!
death have succeeded in extorting from you,
1 will owe to your passion.”
“ How so, sir?”
“ 1 will lodge a ball in my leg, here be
foie your very eyes.”
The young man sat down, aod deli berate
ly placed the muzzle immediately above his
knee. Monsieur Tbevenet rushed toward
him in hopes of preventiNg him from effect
ing bis mad design. “ Stir from your seat!”
exclaimed the Englishman : “ and 1 pull the
trigger. Answer me once more, will you
put me to the needless pain—will you,’ by
your refusal, compel me to increase the suf
ferings 1 have to endure?”
“ Sir, once more you are a fool, but be it