Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-10

adorcd by his little aock, X found a kind and IN
companion, in many a ramble into the
wild recesses Of the surrounding Alps.
In one of these excursions, we wandered as
far as the ruins of the extensive castle, winch
was seen from the village mounted on the cliffs
above. On a large dark rock, by the side OF
the road, and near the ruined gateway which
had formed the grand entrance Of the castle,
might be seen what the storms and rains and
trosts OF ages had left Of an Inscription. origi-
nally written it seemed, in characters which
marked the ignorance Of a rude and early age.
He informed. me that it recorded the vengeance
of heavenon a deed Of infamy, which had been
committed within those walls, and which had
been handed down by tradition, from one gene
ration to another, until i, had become blended
with the history Of the village and the valley.
IN the stormy periods, he said, Of German
and Italian history. which attended the event
full reigns Of the houses Of Franconia adj Swa-
bia, and the contests between the emperors on
the one side, and the free cities o fLombardy on
the other, even the remote valleys of Switzer-
land, were awakened by the din of surrounding
war The feudal lords, whose castles were
scattered here and there through the. country,
were called upon from time to time, as interest
or ambition required TO add their scanty bands
iOI NdSStio, W tiiC, O1SNo Will SNCDt OJl LIE
north; or to Join the allies Of the church if not
| Of liberty, in resisting the invaders. The baron
of I~rlingen, however, had continued TO hold un-
molestcd, a peaceful, perhaps a doubtful sway,
over his vassals, and avoiding any participation
in the surrounding struggles, pleaded the re-
moteness Of his castle, the small number Of his
followers. and his slender revenues, as reasons
quite sufficient TO excuse his absence from q
| warfare, in which neither he nor his country
could derive a benefit. Not SO, the young count
his son, uniting in his disposition the naughty
and sullen boldncss of his German ancestors,
with the dark and implacable vindictiveness,
which is said in those times, 10 have dlstin.
guished the private manners OF the Italian no.
bles, from whom on the side Of his mother he
claimed descent, he was impatient OF restraint,
and longed to play his part among the despe-
rate adventures Of the age. Leaving his pater-
nal mansion, with little of the feelings Of a son,
he joined, the bands which Frederick Barbaros-
ea had collected bene ath bis standard, to infict
his Implying vengeance on the rebellious Mia
nese, and to carry the terror Of his arms to the
wall Of Rome, and the very altar of the uncom-
promising pontiff.
In the mean time, the baron pursued the mild
er plans which he had formed for the benefit of
his dependents, subjects they scarcely were,
H'u tiS SbuSotlOb Vi uio OIly uduSNlcE. i IIS
daughter, whom you have heard named by the
peasantry Of the village as St. Iduna, and whose
picture adorns the little chapel on the right Of
the sanctuary in the village, was, if tradition be
true, a creature of surprising loneliness. She
had lost her mother at an age when she had
learned to love her with unm!ngled affection,
and 10 perceive and appreciate her virtues
This event had cast a pensive sadness over her
counteDance and character, which perhaps had
been somewhat increased by the solitude she
lived in, and which she herself was but too fond
of nourishing Her figure was slender, her fea-
lures were exquisitely beautiful, and the ex-
preston OF her countenance, beamed with eve
ry pure and kind feeling: but he- cheek was
pale-the rose which generally blooms in the
cheeks of our Alpine ~lasses, had Welded entirely
to the lily; and her soft blue eye had an express
sion of melancholy tenderness, seldom TO be
seen among our gay-hearted maidens.
Her occupations were those Of charity and
kindness. The children Of the village were
her peculiar care. To read or to write, were
arts in those days, unknown even to the great
est in the land, and though tradition says, that
she read a ~brevlary as well as a priest, il is q
fact which may well be doubted. The children
she instructed in the little duties Of domestic
life, repeated TO them the lessons Of piety which
she had heard, taught them the prayers Of the
church, or amused them with the legends of
virtue and religion, with which The Catholic
faith has been stored, from the earliest ages.
OF a life thus spent, the incidents are few;
and If the tranquility of the hamlet were for a
short time interrupted, by the return Of parties
from the wars, or by the efforts of the ambi-
.ious TO engage their countrymen in them, the
disturbance soon passed away, and every thing
resumed its wonted repose. From the young
count but little intelligence had been received.
In the short intervals Of warfare, which fire.
quently occurred by reason of the fragile nature
OF feudal armies, scorning to return and bury
himself in the dull obscurity ofhis fathers cas-
tie, he joined those bands Of armed plunderers,
who had begun to organize themselves III Italy,
and either sold his services for the purpose Of
private vengeance or public oppression. In
deed, we'll acquainted with his nature, his pa
rent hardly looked for his return, believing that
at any rate until his own death should devolvc
upon him the barony and its feudal privileges,
he would prefer to fix his fortunes among the
adventures by whom he was surrounded.
TO this indeed, tradition says, the unnatural
son looked forward with Impotence. All his