The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-11-04
For the Willningtonian.
VI trrN W ffF'''I 5 eO''F'N'''
THE CRUSADER PARAPHRASED.


THE CRUSADER PARAPHRASED.
The Musslcman retired before the Chris
tian sword.-The crescent fell back, and the
red cross advanced. Christian valor had re-
deemed the Holy Sepulchrc from the rolu-
tion of the inhdel, and raised the red cross
banner on the walls of Jerusalem. Once a
gain, by the bravery of the soldiers of the
cross, was the journey of the holy Pilgrim to
the consccratcd sepulchrc rendered secure;
and before it, on bendcd knees, or prostratc
in alteration, every day disclosed pronis-
cuous group of peaceful pilgrims, and fierce
crusaders, their hands yet reeking from the
blood of Saracens. A truce was sued for
By the Turkish soltlan, and signed by the
king of Jerusalem, when those whose object
was gratifed in the recovery of the holy land
turned their thoughts and direction towards
home. One there was among them, who
had ever been the foremost in the battle
front, whose bright sword flashed fiercest
where the fight most ragged; his blade was
dyed deep with Saraccn blood, his arm had
been tried, and the boldest of the moslem
band shrunk in terror from its might. a
stranger to all around him, he spoke but to
command, and when the shades OF night
"hushcd the battles commotion," he retired
to his solitary cell, to muse on the land OF his
home, the fair fields of his country, the cas-
tie of his fathers, and her whose braid gar
nishcd his cap, and whose image filled his
heart.
He came in the full bloom Of youth, when
the passions are highest, and the world seems
faircst; he had tasted its vicissitutcs, and
slceplcss nights and days of anxiety, and
fierce contention had stolen from his cheek
! it's bloom, had taken from his spirits the
buoyancy of his youth, and robbed his dark
black eye Of all but its ferceness; and ht
was now returning to the hall of his fathers
changed in all, save his affection for home
and his love for the maiden whose pl!ghtet
faith he retained. His proud heart bea
thick and high when he thought OIL his al
tered state: OF his leaving home STRIPPING
youth, and returning in tho prime of man
hood, covered with glory, from the hol,
land, to where his fame preceded him, an'
the pride of his heart dwct. As the mool
beam fell on his pale manly features, hi
thoughts might have been read. SO sympa
thctic was their expression.
As the moon reached her zenith, the cas-
tie from which the knight had so long bccl
/. an alien, rose full in his anxious view, ant
all the rccolcctions OF his youthful life rush
cd to his mind train of new and variet
feelings swclcd his heart almost to bursting
Once more he bchcld the home of his youth
and the same moon that guided him i'll youtl
to tho acquisition of glory and rcnown, nov
shed her light on his returning steps; an
impatient to clasp the loved persons Of hi
father, brother and sister, whose image
;, came thronging on his delighted fancy, h
pressed on his wcaricd stced to the gatcwa,
it wasopcn, and the way chokcd with RAM
weeds and bicrs, whose presence dcnotc'
dcsolation. He passed on to the door-it hac
been torn from its hinges. He entered tn
hall--it was drcary and silent. He pacct
the gallcrics-all, all were dark and solitary
He rushed from the castle, and sought hi
lady's bowcr-hc found a heap Of rllns
Wild with despair, he mounted his hors'
and flew with his utmost speed. A foreign
land received him, and painting for death
the only cure for his despair hc is secl
fighting where death flies thickest, an'
barring himself to the lance of his enemy
The death wound is Inflicted, and smile
the first since he left his home dcsolate, il
seen to light up his dying features, before
the bravest and the last OF his race, followed
those he loved better than life.
ALOUZA.