Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-09-15

10 PERISH; and he fastened In search OF
a ladder, which he recollected to have
seen in the morning at a little distance
from the hotel He was fortunate e,
nough to find it; in a few moments it
was reared against the windows at
which Milborne was seen with madam
in his arms.
God be praised cried the English,
man frequently, as he descended with
his lovely burthen, whom terror had
deprived Of her senses. God be prai,
sed = was echoed by all present with a
feeling of mingled JOY and. terror, as
they saw the floor ofthe apartment fall
with a terrible crash. Milborne had
found her lying insensible on her bed
he wrapped her in his arms and saved
her from being burnt, but he was him
self very much scorched. He deliver
ed her to the care of the women, and
it being by this time ascertained that
no lives were lost, Milborne and the
Comte fastened to convey her to her
new lodging. She was at that moment
hardly capable Of speaking, but she
begged to see him next morning. The
gentlemen then separated to take some
repose, but not before they had shaken
hands in amity.
The next morning, Milborne waited
upon the widow. 'Ah! my preserver,
cried she, starting up as he entered.
and clasping both his hands in hers,
what shall l say TO you? how can
thank you? how can | ever repay
9 Repay! nonsense, take a pinch OF
snuff. The widow perhaps, would rather
have been excused from giving this
proof of her gratitude, but what could
she deny to her d~eliverer? We do not
know how far she became a connois.
sieur in snuff, for in a very few days
Milbcrne found that his 'penchant; in
short the widows fine eyes caused
certain uneasy sensations, which even
his favorite amusement Of snuff taking
could not dissipate. One day while he
was sitting with her, he suddenly flew
into a fit of abstraction; and his box
which he held in his hand, dropped
upon the floor. 'How unlucky! you
have spilled all your snuff cried Mad,
am Dorval, STOPPING to pick up the
box. Never mind, says Milborne,
gently OBTAINING her hand as she pre-
sented it to him; snuffis.a good thing,
but it is not a panacea for every care,
indeed cried the widow archIy; 'and
pray when did you discover that?''No'
ill to-day; | have taken three times
my usual quantity, in order to put you
out of my heart; but | can't. / see
clearly there is only one way TO man
age that matter satisfactorily. must
either marry you or run away from you.
Now my dear madam which shall
do?' 'Run away, to be sure cried the
widow, but what signifies what a wo'
men SAYS when her eyes contradict
her tongue? MiIborne trusted 10 the
former and he was right; he pressed his
suit with ardor: mutual explanation
took place. The Englishman was rich,
whimsical, but a noble minded being
The widow was virtuous, well born but
comparatively poor. Nc obstacle op-
posed a union which they mutual, de-
sired. In the course Of two years at,
ter it had taken place, Milborne was
the happy father Of two lovely children,
and the infantine caresses and the at
tention of his beautiful wife occupied
him so completely, that he no longer
felt ennui, and we are assured that his
snuff box was discarded.
The Lake of Guatavita-Is famous
in the legends of Colombia. Previous
" to the conquest of the country by the
Spaniards, a large district containing
about a million of inhabitants, was sub
iect to the Cacique of Guatavita; who
there had a considerable capital, and
kept up an army of thirty thousand
warriors, which caused him 10 be much
respected by the neighbourlng tribes,
who brought him and his people gold
dust in exchange for produce Of their
fields, they generally being c%ultivators
ofthe soil. This Lagoon, situated be-
tween nine and ten thousand feet above
the level of the sea, and formed on the
summit of a conical mountain, they
considered as the residence OF their
protecting deity, to whom, from a re,
iigious motive, they thought it necessa'
nv to make offerings twice a year. In
consequence of this, all the Cacique's
subjects assembled at stated times.
with their gold offerings: and, formed
in grand procession, advanced with mu'
sic to the Lagoon, winding up the
mountain by a we'll designed broad
road, conducting to the summit, a few
feet below which were then washed by
the water of the lake. Arrived there,
the Cacique and the principal chief:
embarked in large canoes, ty steps for
med IL that break; (pointing to a rem
in the top of the mountain which thu