Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-11-21
Vol. UI.-No. Sc.

Horror and disrnay, into The presence OF the Iauta-
man, and informed him, that having received letter
from his brother apprising him of his Intention
tain i:om iay by the path the Befnna he had set
out with the lew ofacceIeiatins JOY full ln4cing
and beSuihng viii, lis society the tedium OF the way;
That on advancing spot which hc described l:aS
Heard the gtoans nj wounGed person, and rushing c>
ward, had discovered his brother wccrpl, in lis b3oI
i's hrst impulse, after receiving The victims last sigh,
lad hofa 10 attempt carry g has remains ilr SAFETY 10
Tie Shdiefs below; but being himself weak an. low IN
Stature, aud perceiyng their already ldrGu
ing, attracted by Tie deg, he had dceuled
ssaisto proceed by moon light through weii-auosyn
paths 10 s., aud solicit the aid Justice 20 rursue
the murderer His tale, vcuchcd mus uy his tbs
traced AIR and even his blncd stained eaiu.cs exit
ted the universal sympathy; and reused Tie ,riaic
peaceful population to assist his just res ense
On whom could suspicion fall No ngh:ly plunic-
Iefs haunted these Pastoral regions cor!d such
terrain hopes Of booty frcquenIr pass rarely used
and Known but TO the heIls,nen of the netgEourinc.
valleys Not the slightest ground for onecurc had
presented Itself to the bewiidered fuslcs till the uuc
Pected appear ance Of Alloys Fogcl wiih lie body, and
inc account OF lis rencontre, given hy the foremost
terdSnan scanned 10 strike with sudden suspicion
one or '"ooi tine inhabitants TO whom he honest aud
Giic'Sn'ng character of t!:e youth least well
hno"n' a slight whisper hogan TO circulate among
Tue peasants on tue apparent inpubabty lis pur-
SUING accidentally path not leading directly TO his Oh
lee' and SIN more OF so daring aud en!erprsing :,
hunter returning without having accomplished the os-
tensible purpose OF his pcriluus excursion
-Aipl9, IN perfect nnco0sciousness OF TIC strange
snti''iseS which had oien among his Ignorant and Gre
answer 10 Tie questions OF the Lauainnar The simple
facts OF his slaughter OF the channels. aud subsequent
accomplishment Oh has prey, dey has services 10 the
wounced man. producing with air q Innocent trl
uinpl tue STILL blo1dy knife with which had disIneI-
heFed tue spoil as the sole ro"a;nnG csd>ncc of his
sylvan Yc.'iy.
II Tie sigh; Of ihe blood stained ..niie a nur,nur
Tau through the assembly, evidently 10y sim.
liar weapon that the murder had been committed; aud
the story OF The chamos ty which Alloys accounted for
ats condition. began bear somewhat of an apocrypha
= las onn
tiIdicc II was then mentioned by nlabant of s.
that tie deceased had been supposed To Quit his native
valley under Tie influence of rejected suit the very
Cara Meyer VITO was Gw about 10 be united Alloys;
and tha return ci rival, wiiiI such increase Of
wealth as might probably weigh With her father if not
with The maiden herself secn. TO supply 10 the com
niss"" OF this mysterious cr:ac That nr0iire which had
hitherto been sous Ii n vain.
The !' at pubic opinion, ill en flvonrabI TO the
you'll, 'hfave'y, and ePutcd poaity of Alloys began
rapidly TO tn:n and the .anjatnnan, though his sns-
PciiEs were strongly counter balanced BIZ tie omen
iIankness. and honest Indignation, painted on aloys
cuuncnace say himself OBLIGED 10 Weld ;, The 81
mour Which demanded his detention. W Hing .loe
yer, that the young slou!l have full beueft OF
The testimony OF lms own neboi'ood, and ;he soiace
afforded by The sucety OF is friends hc readily con
scented to lave aa escorted 10 his village OF III
which, indeed, tie principal seat of uStce ~ the
valley possessed the amy prison il couldfunis in the
nassy Runs Of barou:a castle of Which the donjon
alone reill2nel cDji.c.
The news 81 tls il&osirous occurrence had spread
Ike wi;d Ire through tho pastoral valley, ard ere tle
prisoner and his e5co;t reached aI-, half its families
had been plunged IN Consideration ~ event SO TIA
giCa and uneN pectCd. Very fe,v us tu,yrs;nen lent
the slightest credit 10 the charge; the young
fneu were with difficulty restrained from attempting 4
bat r cautious elders though the, !isbeeyei
the fact, saw, III the train of crcuinstanal evidence
presumption against the accused, the consequences
Il @vlch nothing short Of tue discovery OF real a5sas
SIN could well avert.
Alloys, while conveying 20 the chateau ON 4 hill
overlooking the village, -a to pass the cottage of
Conrad Meyer the father of Clara and it was some
alienation ct us misery 10 see at hIs threshold the
ageu 0nrai who, taxing The young by the hand,
s ID before lie assembled multitude i and my daugr-
ter know that he is innocent. There is in his pys-
terry, which Col in iiis good VIII clear up.
lie IS my son. and will accompany him Ia that dreary
abode, which whatever II be To the convicted should
at least the suspected, be made place OF safety
of j.Ins lneDt."
These words Of Conrad soothed the Indignant spisit
Of the yOuth while his influence and activity gave 10
the gloomy dungeon all te a Of comfort was capa-
be of receiving.
In The meantime, tie character of Clara which
amid he peaceful tenor OF pastoral Gfc had hitherto
found no opportunity Of developing its energies was
used by her lovers danger, a heroic devotion not
nCo npabIe, history has often proved with the do
rcstic virtues of tic Swiss female character Feein
The mos absolute persuasion Of Aioys' innocence she
sought by the most mpassoaed eDqnemcc. to impress
similar belief his simple Judges; and finding that
the circumstance Of the bloody knife was the one likely
10 afford the strongest pfesumptive cvilence against
him. she conceived the romantic project Of ericavor-
ing to nvadlte il by tie discovery of such faonenfs
OF his los' booty OF 70 defy ihe effects
OF weather and the rapacity Of the mountain ynIfre
10 a tempt this Pcrilous pilgrimage alone. would
aye oeel iasbUess, not courage; her father too
Oh ana IhErm to be her guide on the occasion, and
among the young of the village she felr at y loss
whom 10 select for SO delicate and hazardous an
deriaking With ihe tact which enables oDe powerful
and generous mind 10 appreciate similar qualities in
another, she fixed upon The person who would have
occurred 20 Of Il SOUL rejected rival of
poor Alloys, but one, who, being candidly informed
OF her prior attachment bad displayed generosity and
Inc