The Yazoo Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1842-10-14

lived in terror of this formidable mountain
robber; and TO the gibbet? echoed back
the voices Of the magistrates, by whom his
condemnation had long before been formal
ly pronounced.
Just beyond the city rises small bill
and here, with the cruel haste Of bIOod-de-
handing zeal, busy hands soon erected the
instruments Of death; and the Tedoubted
robber-chief had not quilted the bower
chamber of the lady two short hours, ere his
body was swinging in the wind from the
summit Of that fatal HILL
Words cannot paint the horror Of the
maiden when she learnt the fate of her lover.
She would have given all her boarded gold
to have seen him once again beside her;
but even her riches failed her here. She
cast her mantle about her, and hurried to
the cOuncil-chamber; the crowd gave way
before her, for her wild air and frantic ges-
lures inspired them with pity and with awe.
The court had met, and each rose as the
wealthy heiress Of uncounted treasures
rushed into the midst of them.
81 come not to ask for mercy;' she gasped
out, as she reached the centre Of the floor;
mot for mercy, for the deed Of blood is done.
You have stopped the PulsatiOn of the no.
blest heart that ever beat within human
breast. | would have ransomed him with
my whole wealth, and thanked you that you
sold his life so cheap. But now come on
| ly to ask to give up to me the poor shrine
of the qnenched spirit, that / may lay it low
with reverence; and the foul gibbet where
it has suffered Contumely, that may wrcak
the vengeance ] cannot work elsewhere,
upon the senseless wood. You hesitate!--
| do not ask for aims of the proud city-Iam
no pauper to pay back with blessings the
charity seek; therein indeed am q beg
lgar-l have no blessing to offer you, but
gOld-goid: and yet not gold; it would but
be the price Of blood, and bring curse up
on the hand that dealt il out. Grant me
the boon seek, and for the poor fral tene.
ment of wood, and the still Trailer body that
il bears, I'll pay you thus: upon that very
spot, that spot accused, I'll build a castle.
tuTeied and strong, meet to endure for CEN
turies. I'll dwell there, there where he died:
but when join him in the grave, I'll leave
u as token 70 the city-a stern remem-
bFance of iron justice. Time wears, and be
IS still unsepulchred. Is my boon grantedP
A short delay sufficed the men Of power.
another gibbet could be raised upon another
hill; and they we're bound to accent an offer
which enriched the city. The LADY bore -
way her dead, and buried him beneath the
same tall elm where she had met him first.
and the priests chanted a solemn requiem
over his woodland grave, for every PRAYER
had been paid with gold, and then thew left
him in the dim solitude which he had loved
in life.
For whole year the lady thought but Of
} the castle which she had sworn to build
and the work went on until il was accom-
Plished. -Four turets fanked il, whose
pointed roofs seemed 10 cut through the
blue expanse OF heaven; and from the midst
rose tower which overlooked the valley.
and gave broad views Of the mighty noun
talns that hemmed it in The last stone was
laid; the workmcn departed, and the LADY
/ was lett alone. Then she threw off her
mourning garments, and put jewels in her
, hair, and On her bosom; and filed her halls
! with sorg, and feast, and revelry. Again.
she listened to other lovers, and made meTry
win The datterers and the sycophants who.
crowded about her path. The wine flowed
e freely at her board as the blond of the Turk
9 IN battles and the dice were busy in her
a halls, transferring broad lands and stately
81 castles from one owner to another. One.
guest only she refused: no priest ever passed
b her threshold. she lived amid riot and mis-
o rule, and scorned the whispers of the wise.
d and the avoidance of the worthy.
r, 1t CHANGED that once when she bad wan
d deFed forth alone, and was midway Of the
q narrow bridge across the-riVer Gran, on her
er return TO her home, monk, pilgrim and
l. a stranger. who did not know of whom be-
asked an aims, nor upon whom he invoked 3
Of blessing, besought her to have pity on him.
o. The voice of supplicaion was new TO her
e. ear, for the wrelched of the neiRhbOnrbOOd
4 had long ceased 10 sue 10 her; and the no.
4. velty of the circumstance made her pause
n. in order to grant the request; when il draw
+. ing off her glove 10 repay his PRAYER with
.. gold. ring which she had long worn upon
be her finger fell into the rapid current Of the
"A river.
!. A curse rose to her lip--a deep and bitter
ii curse. The dead bad placed that ring upon
ut her hand, and even amid the evil life she
j. lived, she loved his memory still. The curse
IL was dark, and the monk shuddered as il me
his ear; he feared not It's effect, but bis kear
no revOlted at It's injustice. s'The Madison o
ito the wicked works no evils he said calmly
~ as he turned away. My days are reckoned
no and dark words will not shorten them; bu