Newspaper Page Text
W FIOV/ERS COUiCTIGrt
THE SI K1DES KOLlLOqi'Y.
1!Y ICONOCLAST.
[Of the following poem written by a member of
the bar of New Orleans, the Times says: it. was writ-
terfon a wager that the popular theory of coward
ice as the cause of suicide was an error, and that
suicide might be heroic. Orthodoxy may not be
convinced that a “longing after immortality” is a
valid excuse for suicide, but we may admit that the
author has presented a very fair theory of the case.J
t>h God! for strength this quivering flesh to still,
My very limbs, to thwart me strive and hold
Their shivering muscles back, to balk my will!
* * * * 'Tis over now—
A!1 earthly fetters gone;
The immortal seeks communion with its God!
lint I go hence—the whither, knowing not;
I only /./iow, the ghostly “to be,”—is!
How then?—Can pious monk or saintly man,
The deep, dark problem of existence solve?
Can they e'en lull, by saintly fasting or
Beseeching prayers, the noiseless strangling tide
< if dark Oblivion, or stay fates' cruel shaft?
Oh, I with time have sniggled hard; have held
With tightningjgrip. the tieuds of fate at bay!
Have borne, with burning heart, the stamp of
shame
For sin not mine! yet, I have not quailed! tis not
That I'm overcome with earthly woe; nor that
My heart grows faint longings for rest, 'tis that
The mysteries of our creed tempt us beyond;
And beckon on—with tauntingjeers!—Tis that
I'd solve t his hauntingdoubt! My soul is sick
To clutch the dread realities that lie
Beyond this weary life—full face i o lace!
Strange hopes—e'en yearnings, vex my tortured
soul
I grope for God-light, in my darkened life
I seem to have lost—or lack—self complement.
The which we seek, but seeking, find not, till
We rest on shores supernal, and yield up
This restless atom of Divinity
Within, to seek high confluence with its source
Therefore, I go!
Let evener moulded lives,
With stagnant pulses stay'd—judge my rash mood!
From the cool shores of test eternal, the
, ' _ r ' before 1
trm a-str?pp e c2 f J?2‘l. trp<ai»SJiJJ>>i ua'darerX'
Breath; no pregnant croaking knees! The light
from
Out the fountains of eternal truth shall
Fall upon each brow; and crafty, lying
Hearts, supple tongues, and trait'rous smiles, with
which
Tho world marks greatness and condones deceit
Shall swift be parcell'd oil', and kept from those
Whose lives have been sincere!.
Thus, will the throbs
Of time be counted in eternity!
And God will show more mercy from his throne
Than they who mock, that I, wit h eager grasp,
Do now lay hold on death, to wrench from death
The secrets dread, that so enshroud our lives
And call us on to meet our final doom!
New Orleans, February, 1876.
THE SPY'S ESCAPE.
-Lin-
True Evento Death.
An Incident of the Cuban Revolu
tion.
BY M. E. B.
Don Migue! De Gastello sat in the veranda of his
pretty villa, moodily smoking a cigar. Neither the
perfume of the oleanders, abloom in great tower
ing masses of white and rose color, nor the plash of
the fountain, nor the notes of the gay mocking
birds charmed him from the melancholy that pos
sessed him. Life had seemed stale, flat and unprofit
able to Don Miguel since the disappointment that
had fallen like a frost upon all his flowers of hope.
No longer a boy, and loving with all the strength
and fervor of his Spanish nature, he could not as so
many do, throw off the chain that bound him, and
forget, in some new pursuit, the passion of his life.
He said bitterly to himself that he was a galley slave
for life. 4
The rapid stroke of horses’ hoofs startled him
from his sad reverie. Looking up he saw the object
of his thoughts. Riding the Black horse that dash
ed up to the gate, was Jsola Gonzalis—his lieautiful
enslaver. He knew the superb, elastic figure in its
dai k green riding habit, he knew the jetty shower
of curling hair that blew wildly around her, but the
glimpse he caught of the usually blooming face
showed it so pale that he started. He was amazed
too that she should come here alone to his bachelor
home—alone and riding at that mad pace and with
her whole appearance indicative of agitation and
disorder.
He threw his cigar among the bushes, sprang hur
riedly down the steps and in a few quick strides
reached her side and held ont his hand to her.
Though he was her rejected lover, he had promised
to be her friend, and his promise was never lightly
given.
She laid a trembling hand in his ami passed the
other hand across her brow as if striving to regain
calmness. At last she said:
•Don Miguel, you promised to help and befriend
me, and I know your truth. I trust in it more im
plicitly than in the oath of another man- I have
come to you now because I need help sorely.’
‘You, Donna Isola !’
:Yes, help for another—who is my—my friend.
You know the Government troops yesterday cap
tured n spy in their camp.’
•Yes, I heard of it a young American officer,
Lieutenant Surrey. He is to be shot to-day.’
‘Yes,' she gasped, pressing her hand to her heart,
‘he is to be shot in two hours unless you help me to
save him.’
•I—I or no other man on this island can save him.
He is as surely doomed as if he were already dead.’
‘Do not say so,’ she cried wildly. ‘Do not tell me
that. It is my own death knell. You promised to
help me remember: you promised to befriend me.
Don Miguel, do not fail me now. I have thought
of a plan to save him. It is desperate; it is full of
danger, but there is a chance- Will you help me ?’
•The man is my country’s enemy,’ said Don Mig
uel, sternly.
‘He is young, enthusiastic, he is sworn to the
HI! 0. fa,
mm
•What is he to vou, lady Isola !’
•He is my all she cried, clasping her hands,
while the blood mantled to her beautiful brow
‘My heart, my life belong to him. If he dies 1
cannot live. Don Miguel, in mercy ’
‘Say no more." interrupted the tall Spaniard—
pale to his lips. ‘I will help you. lady Isola. though
it cost me mv life and—what is dearer still m\
honor. The 'promise of a Gastello is never Jiglitly
given. And now let me hear your plan. Mill you
dismount and coine in, and let me give you a glass
of wine .' You are very pale”
‘No. no, I want nothing, and we have little time.
But ten minutes will ] tr you in possession of my plan.
1 will ride here in the shade of this mimosa tree and
tell you what I have thought of. There is great
risk in it, and but a chance—a slight chance; but I
cannot afford to lose it.’
Half an hour afterwards, the lady Isola, accom
panied by Don Miguel and his trusty servant, both
best speed at the outset, while the men before them
more wisely kept to one steady gate and reserved
the strength of their animals. But the pursuers
gained at first; they came near enough to nre and
A grand fight upon Shrove Tuesday in which op
posing parties are pelted with quantities of flour,
is one of the San Jo.-e (California) games. Seven-
tv-flve and a hundred dollars worth of flour are
their bullets whizzed close to the heads of the three j often thus thrown away in one day by the laboring
men, who rode in breathless silence uttering no , cla^s who frequently lack bread. Then on that
word. Don Miguel hail put young Surrey between same night, tliere is the C’ascarone ball, of whic >
him and his staunch servitor'as a protection. At the chief feature is a wild, romping game at pelt-
last he said to his man: _ ing with Cascarones or painted egg shells, which
‘If they press us closer, I will turn and fire on ‘ is thus described by Mary HalleckFoote:
them while you ride on. It will give you a few The room was long and airy, with rows of little
moments more of time.’ windows on either side, like port holes. The walls
‘And will cost you your life, my lord.’ ’ and ceiling were covered with thin muslin, nailed
‘No matter.’ ' " ' over the unplastered boards, and whitewashed;
As he spoke, the whizzing sound of a bullet was . there were Mexican and American flags hung
heard.
(1 take place an mations of strong surprise from two among them, ; a guitar, a flute, and one
]. who recognized in the pale, stern face the features ing the waltzes one could hear but a single united
about, and colored prints of various patriots, in
uniform, who had distinguished themselves in the
last Mexican war for independence. The side
walls were lined with benches, and here sat the
dusky ranks of dowagers, each with two or three
little children under her wing, a cigarette at her
lips, and a bag of cascarones in her lap, from
which her own particular senorita was supplied
with ammunition for the fray. In the course of
the evening, most of the little ones fell asleep, and
made very pretty pictures, reclining in restful
abandon, against the weird old crones beside them.
The music was excellent of its kind—two violins,
or two brass pieces. Dur-
It struck Don Miguel between the shoul
ders with a deep thud and he reeled in his saddle.
•Ride on: don't mind me,’he cried. ‘Ride to the
shore, put him on the boat, help row him to the
vessel: see him safe on board. I promised remember,
armed with puns, rode awav from the villa Castello, And tell her I kept mv promise,
each pale and with the calmness of desperate, solve The last words came in convulsive gasps, and as
in their faces. On their way to the camp of the in- he uttered them, Don Miguel fell backward irom
surgents. they heard that which drove a cry of de- , his. horse, and his loyal-hearted retainer burst into
spair from Isola's lips and caused the party to a wild cry of grief. But he did not slacken rein;
quicken their pace to a gallop. Owing to a sudden- the three horses—one riderless—still kept side bv
lv received order to move to another position, the side, while with their pursuers there was a halt
general commanding this division of the army, had ; when they came up to the dead man, and excla-
ordered that the execution should ' ’
hour before the time first appointed. _. - , , _ _ . , - ,
* * * * * * * * * of Don Miguel de Castello—who was known as one ; shuffle, as if all the dancers m the room moved with
It was the hour fixed for the execution of the Am- . of the most loyal supporters of the Spanish cause, one pair of feet. Full dress for the young men was
erican spv. A company of soldiers were drawn up i Why then had he assisted a rebel spy to escape ; a short velveteen coat, black trowsers. white vest,
into a hollow square, in the center of which stood | When the pursuit was again in full blast, the aud a bright silk scarf, knotted with particularly
the prisoner bound and blindfold while those de- pursued were out of sight. Aud they retained happy effect over the shoulders, outside the coat,
tailed to shoot him stood apart leaning on their their advantage, improving it steadily as the horses Some of the young men wore tiie uniform of the
guns In the camp, all was bustle and con- ’ of the soldiers flagged from being too tightly push- ; flour-fighters—red flannel -flirts, black trowsers
fusion attendant upon the unexpected order that ed at first. ! with red stripe down the sides, and a silver star on
had just been received to break up camp and march ; At last the coast was gained: the horsemen drew j the breast. The crowd was too great, and the mo-
quicklv to a point designated by the Chief Com- . rein at a little inlet, where, hid among rustling i tion too rapid and incessant, for any attempt at
mandant For this reason, the execution of the spy ! palms, rocked a boat, with a couple of stout men studv of individuals. One received an impression
had to be hurried up and the General had just rid'- , waiting on the oar seat. The American Lieuten- j of extreme vivacity of speech and manner—bright
den down from the camp with nervous excitement ant was placed in the boat, his companion took the ribbons, scarfs and serapas—waving heads and
in his stern handsome face, and waited, impatient- helm, strong oars cut the water, and before the hands, swaying lines of figures joined in the dance,
ly reining in his champing steed, until the signal, pursuing horsemen came in sight, the boat was out circling lines of figures, winding and separating
should be given for firing upon the doomed man, ; of reach of their bullets, heading steadily for the into couples, waltzing away in a maze of color,
who stood so calmly still, so proudly erect waiting vessel that hovered out two miles away across the music, laughter, and tobacco smoke. The ceiling
his fate * blue gulf water. ■ was dim with smoke from the cigarettes of the
Suddenly there was a wild commotion in the low- ! The vessel was reached in safety, and not till he dowagers, and the cigars of the loungers on the
er line of soldiers, forming the hollow square, the I was on the deck did the young lieutenant learn the j piazza, who leaned in at the open windows. When
line was broken, a woman riding a foaming steed circumstances of his rescue. Then the thought of the dance flagged, cries of ‘Fu«, viva.'’ sounded
dashed into the square—a woman beautiful as Aph- , the danger in which his betrothed had thrown her- ; from all parts of the room, and gave new life to
rodite Venus with eves shining like stars in her self for him ran him nearly wild and took away all the music.
marble face with red lips parted as in terror, with 1 joy at his release. . Among the company was a young South Amer-
great waves’ of midnight hair streaming around her j ‘If 1 had known it, I would not have left with ican, with a high, aquiline profile, and a crest of
splendid figure. Straight she rushed through the you,’ he said, bitterly. ‘I would have turned back j bushy curls, rising from his receding forehead, like
astounded soldiers, and filing herself from her horse j and given myself up.’ _ the sculptured manes of the horses on a Greek bass-
erving- * ’ ' ‘Do you think I would have permitted it!’ said relief. I noticed him, first, because of his height
‘Save me- protect rue! I am the daughter of the old retainer. ‘After my master's orders to see ! and sinewy grace, afterward, because he was the
Alphonso Gonzalis. I am pursued. I have ridden you safe on board this vessel. I would have died in ] partner of such a pretty girl—a tall, slight, dark
in this hot haste to bring you news that may save j trying to fulfill them. I would have seized you | beauty, with the most joyous unconsciousness of
vou from being cut to pieces. A rebel force'landed j and carried you before me and my soldiers till I j expressibn and movement, like a child or a beauti-
last night at the bav five miles from here They ■ was shot down. But do not take it so hard about ful animal. It was worth coming to the ball to see
are marching here in all haste to surround and sur- the donna Isola. They will not hurt her. She is ; these two dancing together: it was the very spirit
pri«e vou ’ 6 the daughter of Alphonso Gonzales. If his known i 0 f revelry, without conscience or care. I found
The general was thunderstruck; it seemed incred- j loyalty does not save her, bis money will. But my | the canker in the rose, afterward when I learned
ible thft this could be so yet he remembered there , master, mv master: nothing can ever give me back , that my joyous girl had been a wife for two years
„ mar mis cornu . h , i , i lov _ | mv master! i at least, and that while she was dancing at the cas-
v ere nimois that a susp ■ “ , ^ tr1 he He was right. The Donna Isola suffered no | carone ball, her young husband was in prison,
ermg just off the coa^ , t RUtifu] hi „ h _ j harm from her brave effort to save her rebel lover. | awaiting bis trial for stabbing a friend in a Christ-
eould not doubt thesinceit. v ofrthe“8^ I 8he returned in safety to her father’s house, her ! raas brawl at the Guadelope.
her rich hair stream- joy at Surrey’s escape clouded by her knowledge j The war of cascarones did not fairly begin until
attitude of w ild exefi - d tter eV es glitter- ! that the true hearted man who had loved her so i the danza del ijuerro, at midnight, but there were
ing m the wind, hei a Gonzalis—knew him to i dearly had died in fulfilling his promise to her. To i scattering shots and sallies, and skirmishes in all
W sSm adherent P to the C^orerWent ca^ A make her happy in the love of another, he had ; directions. The cascarones were crushed over the
doubi ( f h rdaughter’sTovaltv did not enter his given his own life,
mind Ho threw himself from his horse and came!. Y ears after when she was the bride of the Aner-
tcCher side-the soldiers pressed around her;she was lean, and had her home on American sod, they re
toe rcnwure of everv eve both from her beauty turned to Cuba to superintend the erection of a
and the exciting news she had brought. None mA- j splendid shaft of pure white marble beside the
ticed the^wo horsemen who had followed close in ! costly monument under which rested the mortal
her wake Two m^ mounted on powerful horses, j remains of Miguel de Castello. This shaft bore the
who while the Lady Isola drew all around her, had i device of two clasped hands beautifully carved,
dashed up to where'the prisoner stood, forgotten n«d under them the words. True e\en to death,
for the instant, and near him the horse from which
the lady had leaped. To swoop down and seize the
bound prisoner and set him upon this horse, hoarse
ly bidding him to ride for his life, was the work of
an instant for the stalwart and active Don Miguel.
Then the three horses wheeled with their rulers
and were away like the wind. For life, for jife
they rode ’ Three swifter steeds never spurned the
soil of Cuba, but they had need for all their mettle,
A celebrated preacher said the dress of a Chris
tian should be “ the girdle of truth, the breastplate
of righteousness, the helmet of salvation and the
sword of the spirit.” Unfortunately it is very dif
ficult to find these toilet articles now-a-days: but
perhaps the mantle of charity will cover all.
heads of the senoritas, but the young men were
soundly clapped on the head, and the shells were
well rubbed into their thick black manes. The girls
generally hunted in couples or packs, and set upon
their chosen victim with shrieks of glee: then a
charge of voting men to the rescue would scatter
them in all directions. The prettiest girls got the
most salutes, and looked all the prettier with the
tinsel powder sparkling on their dark braids. There
were some wild young romps, whose audacious
charges upon friend and foe, cost them at last their
feminine prerogative:—they were pursued and sur
rounded and bombarded and battered with shells,
until what hair they had left could hardly have
been worth combing'out in the morning. The Mex
icans save egg-shells all the year for this ball; im
provident as butterflies, they are capable of great
forethought where pleasure is the object.
The Winter Palace at Petersburg.
THE MAGNIFICENT WINTER GARDEN.
Cordiai Manners of the Russian Court.
The TFiuter Palace, the residence of the emperor
and his court during winter, stands on the left bank
of the Neva, on the site of a house which in the
reign of Peter the Great, belonged to his High Ad
miral. Count Apraxin, who bequeathed it to Peter
II. The Empress Anne after being crowned at
d<‘Scow, took up her residence in Apraxin’s house,
but had it pulled down in 1754, and rebuilt by Count
1 Rastrelli bv whom it was completed in 1762, in the
: reign of the Empress Catherine. A lire which is
i supposed to have originated from a defective flue,
. 'mistimed the whole interior of the palace in 1847,
notwithstanding the almost superhuman efforts to
save it - Blit it rose pbcenix-like from its ashes
j more glorious than ever, and in January, 1S40, the
] first grand ball was held in the present palace.
The huge pile is now some 470 feet long and 350
j wide, and four stories high.
The principal entrance, or Ferro,i ties Ambassa-
is from the quay that lie# between the paL
! ace and the Neva, while a noble gateway in thecer-
i ter of the southern facade and directly in front of
| Alexander's Column, leads into the great court.
Enriv as it was when I reached the palace, the a)>-
proaches were already well filled with strings of
sledges. A regiment of the Guard, was drawn up
in front of the palace and several squadrons of
dragoons occupied the Piece de 1 Flat Major. My
/scosc/iie/.- having driven his sledge to the main en
trance, I alighted, and my servant led the way to
Tq:,, vestibule, where the invited guests present their
cards of admission, and are then conducted to a
large cloak-room, where the vvrappers 4 were taken
off and checked,
That dune, a servant in blue and gold livery con
ducts you to the foot of the Grand Stairs, a mag
nificent flight of marble steps that lead to the state
apartments, at the head of which stands the famous
Winter Garden, a magnificent conservatory, iaox-
7; and 60 feet high: here are tall palms, and a host
or exotic plants. The whole is lighted by means of
colored lamps hung in the branches of the trees,
which gives the appearance of an enchanted palace.
,i ;:e fight is -oft and subdued and resembles a bright
.sAjniigbt more than anything else.
Uft ixp. voi.u- r cavaliers ecu y'w.maidens,conu
fad there oaA'' £ art/'erty ^ Jls
•Those basins oVittl gold fou„ta
Having passed along the side alley of the gar
den. vou enter the White Hall, a magnificent room
in white and gold; next comes the gallery of the
Field Marshals, hung with the portraits of those
who fought against the great Napoleon, that of the
Iron Duke occupying the upper end; irom thence
you are conducted to Saint George's Hall, the
largest and most magnificent of the series, some
forty in number. It is i.j.cxSoand45 feet high. The
ceiling, which is divided into compartments beauti
fully frescoed, is supported by a triple row of mag
nificent white marble Corinthian columns. Here I
found a large crowd already assembled, and a
couple of friends who initiated me.
it being but little after eight. I had plenty of
time to look around before falling into line to re
ceive their majesties. This noble hall is hung with
paintings representing the most important battles
fought on land and sea, from the battle of Poltawa,
1706. to that of Kersk, 1S55: victories as well as de
feats. for Lnkermau, Alma, and Balaklava stand
side by side with Leipzig and the passage of the
Berezina; but the most striking feature of this en
chanting hall, is the boquets of wax candles which
encircle the marble columns, for which purpose
over four thousand wax lights are used. The art
of illuminating at night is nowhere so artistically
done as in Russia, where candles are still happily
preferred to gas; which latter every lady knows,
does not produce that charming electric fire on jew
els. or that lovely and soft tint to the complexion.
It was a grand and fascinating sight, this array
of glittering uniforms, rich dresses, beautiful forms,
and dazzling jewels. But hark ! the imperial band
strikes up the national hymn, the emperor is com
ing. every face is turned toward the door, and pres
ently- it is opened with great ceremony, and the
Grand Master of the Household enters, staff in
hand, followed by a retinue, then comes a pause,
and the tall and majestic form of the Autocrat of
the North appears in the 'doorway. He is dressed
in the uniform of a generafiof the Guard, and the
solitary star of St. Andrew shines on his broau
chest. ’ On his arm leans a noble-looking lady of
perhaps forty (she looks only that, but is, I believe,
forty-seven), dressed in a lovely white satin, with
drapery and waist of blue satin of the lightest
shade, the lower skirt trimmed with lace ruffles,
headed with a band of embroidered satin, in gay
colors. The overdress and corsage is trimmed with
a single ruffle to correspond. The neck is cut low,
in the orthodox fashion, but does not expose more
than one-third of the two breasts, and, at the apex
of the echancrure, between the breasts, she weal's
a magnificent brooch of huge diamonds, in the
shape of a star. The dress is fastened in front with
diamond buttons, and the overdress is looped up,
on the left side, with a magnificent diamond pin.
Her hair was dressed in curls and loose loops with
flowers (roses and cameliasi between, the whole sur
mounted with a noble diadem. She looked every
inch a queen, and, as she made her appearance, a
murmur of applause greeted her. She and the em
peror bowed gracefully tojthe French Ambassador,
and. saying a t'ew words, repeated the same to the
others:' then they walked the entire length of the
double line, returning on the other side of the hall,
the band, in the meantime, playing national airs.
This ceremony ended, the Imperial Guard band
struck up Strauss’s beautiful piece, “L'lnvitation a
la Yalse.” and couples began to form,.the emperor
taking for partner Lady Elphinstone. a young and
lovely countess, and a relation of the British Ain
bassador. The sets being formed the empero"
opened the ball by dancing with his fair partne r
“La Yarsovienne. ’’ The young ones of both sexe s
who did not choose to dance made for the Winter
Garden, and there, amidst the luxuriant exotics
and in the soft twilight, told to each other the old,
old story. There was no formality, no pride or
haughtiness—all were equal. The young lieuten
ant of autillery elbowed a mighty prince, and the
daughter of the academician the grand duchess her
self. The emperor went from group to group, and
talked pleasantly to all, and joined in the hilarity,
while the lovely empress and the grand duchess
flitted from one hall to the other, talking, smiling,
and nodding to every one. What a contrast with
the stiff and formal balls at Buckingham Palace or
Windsor ! There one must always be on the look
out not to turn his back to the queen, for it would
be an unpardonable sin to do so, and no one dares
to presume to address that haughtv personage, lest
he might get kicked out by some flunkey in red and
gold.
