The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-04-17
THE HEROIC FEMALE.

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tween two noblcmcn, who had mar
licd sisters. the daughters of a
wealthy baron, recently deceased.
and each claimed. in right of his
vile. a splendid inheritance.--
The origin of this feud was If no
mantle cast. Twelve years before.
the baron. man Of irascihle 'passi-
ons. snspecting that Iia eldest daugh-
ter had formed an unsuitable con
ncxion. confined her in solitary
tower on the summit of CliH. to
which the only access was by per
pendicular ascent, sufficiently diff
cult e. impede the most cntcrprising
adycnturer. IN this gloomy tnrrct,
the unhappy girl "as condemned to
waste her blooming youth, with no
other company than the gaolers an
pointed by her Inhuman parent. Al
length the baron died, without par.
doning or even seeing his i'll fated
child ; but before he had given IN
marriage his second daughter to IA
nobleman Of Calvanistic principles,
who, on his demise. took possession
of the whole property, as his wiie's
patrimony; and. elfectnally to bar
all inimical pretentions, without
scruple, determined that the captiv-
ity of his sister should terminate but
with her existence. For some time,
Baron Slabata enjoyed, unmolested
the magnificent castle of his wife's
ancestors and, such is the moral
degradation attendant on feudal ig-
norance, his iniQuitous actions were
chartered with impunity In the
meanwhile, il was notorious that the
baron had left two daughters, one
of whom the eldest, and consequent
Iy the heiress, though immured, was
supposed to be still in existence. Ut
to of Wartenburg, a spirited noble
man, with more courage tlan wealth.
having lately buried his ile.reCaiIed
the image of the captive in her hap
pier days, d resolved to attempt her
delh erance. For this purpose he re-
paired, with a chosen band OF brave
men, 10 the foot OF the deClivity On
which her tower stood. " it'll inf
mite difficulty Otto ascended by a
ladder Of ropes to the summit, and
employed the same to assist his com
panions. Having SO far succeeded.
they stormed the fortress, killed the
guards. and, in the tone OF chiyal-
rous romance. released the lady. In
what manner the victim of paternal
cruelty and fraternal aNarICe had
endured her tedious imprisonment,
is not detailed; but, however it
might have impaired her beauty il
had not deprived hrr of attractions
in the eyes of Otto, who believed
that, IN making her his wife, he
should, by the laws OF Bohemia. &C
quire an exclusive right to her faith
er's possessions. Readily did the
eutcast lady accept his hand, and
gladly did she acquiesce in the bold
step he proposed to reinstate her in
the castle of her ancestors.
In this emergency, the regular
course would have been to institute
legal process in the chanccllor's
court, and patiently to await his de
cision. But delays were as Ill suit
ed to the baron's necessities as the
lady's impatience.-Ihe revolution
ary mo, ements In Bohemia seemed
to have conferred personal privileges
on individual men. Instead, there
fore, of sub uniting his claims to a
chancellor, who might be swayed by
interest or prejudice, Otto, like a
true knight, took his cause into his
own hands, and, having collected a
sufficient force Of armed men. pro-
Ceeded to the castle, compelled adj
mission. ri ct armiS, and dlslodged
its former occupants.
The discounted Slabata lost no
time in stating his grievance to the
directors, who summoned Warten-
burg to answer for the outrage. In
stead of obeyine the citation, that
nobleman employed himself in arm
ing his wife's yaSsaIs, who, either
tauched by her sufferlngs, or capt.
waited by her husbands gallantry'
promised to stand or fall by their
new lord. Ill fitted to contend with
his intrepid foe. the base slabata had
no resource but to restate his case
to the chancellor, and tamely to en-
dure affronts. until the election OF a