The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1841-12-09
From Graham's Magazine.
TIE ROMAN BRIDE.
A TALE OF THE WESTERN EMPIRE.
By H. W. Herbert.

terty of the worlds conquerors. The name of Roman
was but the lucid meteor ofhe chane mpariing faint
lustre to corruption and decay. The bold hordss of the
hardy north he'd oentmes already avenged the wrongs
done by the elder CWsor, while the fra sken puppets
who had succeeded to his style and station trembled
in the uuguarded capital at every rumor from beyond
the Danube. For, to the limits Of that mighty river
had they extended years before the time of which we
write their arms their ars, their sciences, and their
religion: the pure and holy doctrines Of the cruched
Redeemer All the Dalmalian coast ofth bright gulPh
of Venice, now little moro known than the wilds OF
Central Asia was studded with fair towns, and gorge
GUS palaces, and gay suburban villas; and all the wide
spread plains of Thrace and Thessa forest-cad
and painless, save to the unamed KEPT barbarous
tartar, waved white with crops of grain, and blushed
with teonng vineyards, and nurtured dense happy
population. At times indeed tho overwhelming deIuge
ofbarbarian warfare had burst upon those fertile res
gons; and, wheresoever it burst,
with sweeping sway
Their arms their arts, their gods were whred away,
yet ever when the reAuent pillows ebbed the grass had
sprung up green and copous in the horse tramPs
of the nnumerable cavalry that swelled the armies of
the north, and the succeeding Sumner had smiled on
meads and vineyards abundant before. and on pop
ulation careless and free and iocund.
But now a migher name was On the wind-a wild
or terror was abroad -Athla!-Alta the dreaded Hun!
Still all as yet was peace and although rumors Were
abroad ofmoetings beyond the Danube; of the bent
bow-emblem of instant wnrfare-sent with the speed
ofhorse Ger moor, morass, and mounain-although
the tribute paid yearly by tho degenerate Cesars, had
been refused Indignantly by the bold Marcan bold,
and wiss and worthy tho best days of The repubc al
though from all these tokens prudent men had forseen
the wrath to come, and brave armed to meet and
towards fled before il still careless and improvdent
the crowd maintained their usual demeanor and oied,
and laughed, and bought, and sold and feasted and
slept sound o'nights, as though there were no such
things on earth rapine, and revenge, and mercess
unmigated war.
Il was as and beautiful evening in the early
autumn as eyer looked down with bright and cheerful
smile from the calm heavens upon mans hour of rest.
what time the labor and the burthen ofthe day all past
and over he gathers round him his blythe household
and no more dreaming of anxiety or toll or sorrow,
looks confidently forward 10 secure night and happy
morrow. And never did the eye Of day rising or sit
ting, look down from his height upon brighter or
happier assemblage than gathered on that evening
In a sweet and rural villa, scarce mile distant from
the gates Of Singidrum one The frontier towns of
Masa on the Danube.
Itwas wedding eve the wedding Of two beings
both young and beautiful and loving julia the airest
of the province, the bright and noble daughter of its
grave proconsul famed for her charms, her arts, her
wit and elegance, even in the great Rome itself before
her father had taken on hmself-alas in evil hour
the duties and the honors Of that remote provincial gov
ernment; and brave Aursus who. though not yet had
he reached his hirtleh summer, had fought in nine
pitched battles besides affairs of posts and skrmishes,
past countngi won no less than five civic crowns, for
the lives saved of Romans the field and collars and
horse trappings, and gold bracelets, numerous
were awarded to the deeds of Narins when vaor was
a common virtue in RomeS martial offspring.
They were a noble pair, and beautiful as noble;
well matched-she, light the cloud and airy
as lis zephyr and graceful the vine that ut
cry breath. lie vigorous and tall as the young oak be-
fore the blight of eld has gnarled wreath os dark
foliage.
Delicate, fair and slender and tall beyond the middle
height of woman with waist 'shaped to loves wish'
and every graceful outline full of rich sounded symetry
young Julia thing to dream ofas the inqbtan of
some far bright Eysian rather than to behold as an in
mate of the rude heareSs world Itseemed as though
it were sin that the suns ardent kiss should visit her
transparent cheek too warmly that any breath but that
ofthe sONest gale should wanton ia the luxuran ring.
les of her long silky auburn har-her eyes 5lue
and clear the bosom of some pure moonit fountain,
and there was in them wild, yet not unquet gaze half
languor and halftenderness. She indeed crea-
ture but little fitted to battle with the cares and sor-
rowS This pilgrimage. and she leaned on the stall
wart arm other warrior lover, hanging upon him as if
confident in his protection, and fixing the soft ycanng
gaze ofhose blue eyes full on his broad brow and
pressive llneaments could doubt that she had
chosen well the partner who should support and guide
her through this vale tears and sin and sorrow.
But who thought then of tears-who ever dreamed of
sorrowl The day had been passed happiy--alOs! how
happ'ly!-in innocent and pure fesvity; the blythe
dance oil the greenswatd. the joyous rambe amid the
TsIlced vines, tho shadOwy Expresses the laurelled
mazes of the garden; with Tyre and lutte and song, and
Ich pealE Of the mellow flute and mellow horn blent
VIII tne lVeer clashns ofthe cymhas waking at in.
terVa's me lar and sumbering echoes of The dark wills
derneSS beyond the Danube. Oh! had they bnt known
what ears were listening to their mhfl music, what
eyes were goang with the fierce lust of barbarous an.
tcpaon on their fair forms and radiant faces vbo,
hearts were painting amid the dense and tangled es,s
for the approaching nightlal how would ,ba;r cara