Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-01-18
THE CASTLE OF ERASMUS,

| doo tiC unlo WctC Nv tDbkCi tNSpS"
| sive 10 the vocal reed Three years
had elapsed since tine young and gene
rous Berlrsod was assassInated by
Caed, near the castle OF Erasmus, his
lance hung Inverted on ms tomb, aud
his honors were mingled with the dust
| of his fathers.
"On when shall my sufferings have
an end and the grief worn frame return
to its kindred clay! Never shall thy
lovely image be erased from my me
| mory: thy virtues are engraven on my
heard" Ii was III, voice oil the ami
| able Eliza, offering her evening orr
SONS at the shrine Of her lovely Der
trsnd.
Silence held her silent domain
Throughout. the fertile plains, save where
the distant watch dog marked the ru
raj hamlet. Cynthia had gained the
summit Of The azure throne, aud smi
led in lucid majesty DER the blue ex
panse. All nature aided the solemn
| tY A ROW ofaged oaks lead 10 a clus
ter oil spreading frs, " hch discovered
marble sepulchre adorned with mi
lltary trophies. The beautiful Eliza,
amIable IN sorrows and patent III at
| fiction, gcaced the a" inl scene She
was khroing in posture OF adora;ion
and prayer. her sable garments hong
loose in melancholy folds and mingled
with her auburn tfesses, the round tear
OF offlictioD stood 10 ier Ianguide eye,
aud me cypress groves reiterated the
signs of broken heart.
In the midst Of her prisons, Clifford :,
| by whose command the assassination
oil Bertrand was perpttrated,) appear
ed before the sorrow tul Eliza. Rage
INSTANTLY klndIed in her check. and re
proa hes burst IRON her !ips--' Darest
thou, prcfdious and profane, approach
this hailowed place? We Gods, where
are your avenging bolts? Why sleeps
the thunder when this wretch draws
uear? Dost thou not fear the anger Of
almighty power Or il thy heart more
hard than adamanl, leagued with The
: demons Of revenge to ward the stroke
OF justice
Glide not, too lovely fair one, ire
piled the repentahi Cllf1ord,) it was
los; for thee that led me on TO mad
ness, hebeld favored rival in the
happy Btftrand;-I considered lie
without tnee, as an ocean opposed TO
lncessant ,empesls, bat with thee, all
that heaven could beslow or | wish.
l vainly ,hooght one bar alone remain
ed between me aud my iancIed joys:
sn rash moment employed the cur
sed Called to execute my design: ne
obeyed, took his reward, and fled,
since which time peace has been ban
ished from the breast of Clifford, and
soon must the cold hand OF death bring
him 10 an expiration of his crimes
| And dost thou talk OF love, adhor
red assassin? lhoa who hast laid low
the image OF perfrctton-my Bertrand
/ " as the first, and shall be the last my
bleeding heart ever owned. Hear me
beloved shade, and witness tor me
all We cherubs watching round his
tomb, ne 'er shall Eliza taste Of plea
sure more till we shall again meet 10
fields OF Joy; then shall the rays Of
endless peace and love dispei the earth
Iy msts OF PAIN and woe Eliza a.
gain Frustrated herself before the
shrine. and Clifford, dejesed, returned
through the avenue to the castle.
ALVIN, surnamed the Good, (who
wss then on the throne;) hearing of
the sorrows of Eliza, resolved to un
dertake the cause OF injured innocence,
by Offering considerable reward to
the champion who would meet Cliff
ford in single combat The time of
the approaching sooI Damen,s drew on
apace, at length The day arrived, ND
pointed FOR the Cause of Eliza The
circus was crow dcd with spectators
The king was seated beneath a cano
py adorned With the riches OF the east
and the constant fair one saI at his right
,hand;-every eye was centred on one
; object the injured LIZA Clifford ap.
peared in the list, and the trump ts
were thrice sounded; a stranger in
stantIy accepted The challengr; his bel
init OF massy gold covered bis face; it
vas studded with diamonds, and the
ooddtng plumes shook defiance to bis
toe; has armour, Of exquisite work
A L. i