Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-12-19

Is
sat an hour with him. He vas changed
man, talked more nationally than had believed
within the possibility OF brains so many years
adjust with port; expressed some rough grail
tudc for nv trouble ABOUT him, and finally gave
me letter to some ofhis relatives in England.
The regiment was on its march at daybreak; we
made our way TO Cairo, took possession, won
dered at its filth, admired its grand mosque,
execrated its water, its provisions, and It's pop
ulation; were marched back to storm Alexan-
dria, (were made all possible search for the
lieutenant, but in vain;) were saved the trouble
by the capilulation Of the French, were embark
ed, landed at Portsmouth just one year from our
leaving it, and, as 1t pleased the wisdom
OF Napoleon and the folly Of our ministry,
were disbanded. had no reason to complain;
for though had been shipwrecked and stars7
ed, sick and wounded, had left neither my
life nor my legs behind. Others had been
less lucky; and from the losses in the re-
giment / was now a captain. One day, in
looking over the reiques of my baggage, a
letter fell out: i, was the red-nosed ieutenant's
My conscience reproached me, and believe for
the moment my face was as red as his nose
/ delivered the letter; it was received by ma
tron, at the head of three of the prettiest maid
ems in all Lancashire, the country Of beauty, a
blonde, brunette, and younger one who was
neither, and yet seemed alternately both.
liked the blonde and the brunette infinitely; but
the third did not like, for fell in love with
her. which is very different thing. The lieu
tenant was her uncle; and regretted as his ha-
bits were, this family circle had much to say
for his generosity. Marys hazel eyes made a
fool of me, and I asked her hand, that they
might make fool of no one else. The colonel
without the nose was Of course invited TO the
| wedding, and he was in such exultation, that
either the blonde or the brunette might have
been my aunt if she pleased. But, they exhi-
bited no tendency to this gay military Torso,
and the colonel was forced to content himself
With the experience of his submissive nephew.
The wedding day came; the three sisters looked
prettier than ever in their vestal white. The
colonel gave the bride away, and in the tears and
congratulations of this most melancholy of all
happy ceremonies Mary chose her fate. We
returned to dinner, and were seated, all smiles,
when the door opened, and in walked-the red.
nosed lieutenant! Had seen, like Brutus, 'the
immortal julius ghost could not have been
more amazed. But nature less doubt
ing: the matron threw herself into his arms;
the blonde and the brunette clasped each
a hand; and my bright-eyed wife forgot her
conjugal duties, and seemed to forget that
| | was in the world. There was indeed some
| reason for doubt the man before us was fat
and floric enough, but the essential distinction
| Of his physiognomy had lost its regal hue
All this however, was explained by degrees
| After my departure for Cairo, he had been Civ
Ell over by the doctors; and, sick Of taking ply
sic, and determining to die in his own way, he
had himself carried up the Nile. The change
Of air did something for him-the absence Of
the doctors perhaps more. He domesticated
himself among the peasants above the cata-
racts, drank camePs milk, ale rice, wore ha-
lex, and rode bnffalo. Port was inaccessible,
and date brandy was not 10 his taste. Health
forced itself on him; and the sheik Of the district
began 20 conceive so good an opinion of the
stranger, that he offered him his daugter, with
handsome portion of bufaloes, in marriage.
The offer was declined; out African offence is
formidable thing, and after having had a car
bine-load Of balls discharged one night through
his door, he thought it advisable to leave the
neighborhood of his intended father in-law. l
am not about to aslonish the world, and throw
unbelief on my true story, by saying that the
lieutenant has since drunk of nothing but the
llmpid spring. Whatever we're his Musselman
habits, he resumed his native tastes with the
force of nature. Port still had tempt atons for
him; but prudence, in the shape Of the matron
sister and the pretty nieces, was at hand, and,
like Sancho's physician, the danger and the
glass vanished at a sign from those gentle
magicians. Our chief anxiety arose from the
good fellowship of the colonel He had set
tied within field of us, and his evenings
were spent by our fre-sde He had been,
by the chances of service, once on campaign
with the lieutenant; and all campaigners know,
that there is no freemason sign Of friendship
equal to that Of standing to be shot together -
But there was an unexpected preservative in
this hazardous society. The colonel was inca
pabe Of exhibiting in the centre of his counte
nance that living splendor which made FalstaF
raise Bardolph TO the honour of his admiral;
he could Garry no lantern in his poop If en-
Wy could have invaded his generous soul, it
would have arisen ii the old, restored distinc-
ton Of his comrade. He watched over this re-
gimen; kept him to the most judicious allow
ance Of claret; and the red nose of the lieuten-
ant never famed again"
1t was the custom Of the ancients to tie
whisp of hay about the horns Of mad bull as
an indication to the unwary passenger of his e.
vii propensities. From this practice proverb
has originated Of more general sterilization: and