Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1838-11-01

says that among all the remarkable men OF
his recollection, he never saw above one or
two who possessed presence ofmind enough, |
which he defines TO be the faculty Of know |
ing what 10 exactly the thing to be done in
the emergency. Ia the common parlance.
this is termed having ones wits about one.
We would wish TO know in what class Of the !
quick.witted he would have placed the SUBJ |
iect of the following recent adventure.
As the diligence which regularly sets out
from Vienna for Hungary stopped to break
fast at one of the villages, q Colonel OF the
Hungarian Guard, who happened to ride in
to the inn yard, was struck by the attrac-
tons of young and respectable female who
had Just alighted from the carriage. He came
into the breakfast room, and exhibited the
peculiarly aristocratic air of that peculiarly
aristocratic corps, paid the young lady mark
ed attentions, and annoyed her, and female
friend, who travelled with her, in no ordina-
~ degree. At length the carriage set out
again, and the lady hoped that she was free
from her sudden and very troublesome ad-
mirer. She was mistaken. In a few min
utes the Colonel was seen in tull gallop af-
ter the diligence, which of course he soon
overlook. Riding up to the window, he again
addressed the lady, told her that he had de-
iayed merely for the purpose of mounting
fresh horse, and that he intended to follow
and ascertain where she resided.
This impertinence greatly chagrined her,
but there was no remedy, and she sat in 81.
lence. The Colonel, however, persisted, and
attempted to hold conversation with her,
which the liveliness of his charger, hand
some Syrian horse, made every moment
more difficult affair. At length, the horse
and rider bciug equally OBSTINATE the mat
ter came to quarrel, and the gallant Colonel
narrowly escaped being dismounted. Still
persisting in keeping his place at the window,
4 passenger in the coach, remarkably sim
pie looking and silent person, observed. that
If M. le Colonel wished to come into the
coach, he would give up his seat and ride the
horse for while. The Colonel was delight
ed at the proposal, and the seats were instant
~ exchanged !; the gallant hnssar recon-
rnending it to the traveller to ride carefully,
as the horse was remarkably high-spirited
the traveller shrunk at the news, but the
Colonel was already in the diligence, and he
had obviously no alternative. The diligence
now rolled on, the traveller rode timidly at
ter it but the charger seemed to have him
entirely at his mercy, for he galloped some |
times past the carriage and sometimes back
again, the rider in such a state of alarm as
attracted all eyes, and greatly amused the
gallant Colonel. At length the road emer- !
ged into one of the vast heaths which are
Kept open for the Austrian cavalry man9u- 7
vreS. Here the charger appeared to know
his own ground, for, after few snortings |
beside the diligence, he was seen suddenly to !
turn, and shoot away at full speed far across
the plain, and in different direction from
the road. The Colonel and the passengers
continued to gaze, and expected to see the
unlucky rider endorsed by his furious steed.
Quite the contrary, the rider kept his seat {;
nay, evidently had thorough command Of
q hsA nd IN ha1f
a league off was seen to pull up, take off his
cap, wave 1t, make low bow to the dill.
gence, and dash down the opposite side Of
the hill.
The conclusion was now plain the gallant
Colonel had entrusted his valuable charger
to some of the Gipscy horse dealers who
rove through Austria, and traffic and steal
horses throughout all Germany. The sim
Die traveller had seen his opportunity, and
showed the rare faculty. of "presence Of
mind" The Colonel was outrageous; his
talent for conversation was turned into
wrath at his own folly, and he threatened to
have the Gipsey hanged, drawn and quarter
ed, when he could catch him. The travellers
in the diligence felt no sympathy with the
Colonel his impertinence had already made
him unpopular. The diligence now stopped
to change horses. AT tho inn note was
found, addressed to him, mentioning that his
charger was found to be an excellent gallop-
er that it was in excellent hands; that its
present possessor had long wanted horse of
this style for his personal use; and that If the
gallant Colonel had any more of the same
kind in his possession, they were worth ta-
king better care Of. The note was signed
Herman Sermansky. The signature was
that Of one Of the most famous heads of
banditti from the Ukraine to Buda. The
Colonel's taste for conversation was wholly
quieted by this billet.doux; he mounted one
of the tired horses Of the diligence, and slow
ly returned to his quarters, to mediate on
the folly Of falling in love at first sight, and
trusting, on too hasty an acquaintance. a sim
his hands.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SCHOOLS.