The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-04-13
THE THREE TRIALS
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foufinQ round a board iaQeu Win kthoQiy Niaillii
and sgons Of sparkling vine. lis counter.
ance was troubled, and 10 bis band be held ID
open letter.
IS there one anorg You myva,iaulk ightl
and men alarms who Will mJunl and fide-lo-
night, and do my biddmg al the camp Of my
good brother, the Catholic Duke !,
There was Fieaoe for brief spIce, Then
many spoke-~'rhe way Is through the Bl2ek
Forest, and this is an eve On which The demonI
have double power.
# know It my, children britt i a holy er.
rand,and WIN give ny blessing ere dopartnI,
and rich reward on relurn, u whomsosgeI
VIII dare to gun
Tian out fpake q handsome X ight. ihs
gallant Hubert Won Alistein-Al viii %, YOU
grace and with your blessing, and my OWE
good sword, will fear nor uaa nor fend,'
aWcll said my son thou vast ever a brave
youth. Follow me 10 nay chamlc and thou
shalt have full instructions" And the RishoI
lefu4he bal.
Now when the young knight made the Of
fer, many others had asO come forward, and
expressed their wishes to Try tbs adventure,
but Hubert bad first spoken, and was there
fore chosen; nor would he accept Of partner Of
conpanion IN the dangerous enterprise.
So be assembled to the Bishops chamber, q
receive HE f1ll Instructions. Aud the Bishop
said-"llers i a sealed packet deliver il with
Thine own hand, to our noble brother, the
Caniolic Dake. aid bring me back reply, ere
noon to. morrow. Here is also a relei, frag.
mens Of TIE true times forged, and blessed by
his holiness the Pope. Bind il round thy neck
and hold il 10 thy bosom. Now take my
blessing, and with these and thine own good
sword, thou mayst pass ulscaiched through
the fires Of T0phet.
The young knight bent the knee, and re
ceived the benedelioh Of the Bishop.
Then HerbeFt's trlstY steed was brought
forth, and he mounted him yet ere he rode
from the count yard, he stayed beneath a low
window, barely FIVE feet from the ground,
where a light ghmmercd through closed latti-
ces and encroachiag vine leaves. be struck
lgh.ly on the easement; It quicKy opened, ard
a fair face and neck appeared from the narrow
aperture,
"Ah Hubert" said the maiden, swhither
50 late and on 50 wild a nigh; :"
any GRAND is wilder than the night, fairest.
90 TO the camp Of the Duke; with letters
from his grace, your right reverend uncle"
"The saints protect Us ! Hubert, you will
not surely tempt the dangers Of the Black
Forest tonight"
Nay, Lila, | must 90 and viii claim a rich
reward should return-atid return / shall, fur
have been BIZ ssed by the Bishop, and carry
with me precious relic-a fragment Of the
true cross But this is lingering ! should Be
on my road one kiss Lila, and pray for me
till come again"
So Lila gave him one kiss and many be
ades aud with tears and entreaties that lie
would run no needless dangers, she saw him
depart.
Hubert rode cheerily on as long as he con-
tnucd In he open country but Il needed al
bis courage 10 enable him 10 keep up his
spirits as he purged into the gloomy for
est. However, il was TOO late 10 retreat, 70
he said an Ave, pressed the relic 10 his bose n
aud urged his horse into a gaiop
The road grew glooniief and more intricate
as he proceeded along il andhe accomplish,
cd a.out mile, when the trampling OF a steed
behind him caused him to look back, and he
beheld knight close behind him, mounted on
an ebon. o'o.ed charger and clad N black ar
NOR, having on his helmet a large cirbuncle
which dit3lsed a mysterious gllmmer around.
aGood even, sid the stranger ave have
a rough ride before us,witber are you boundi'
"T1 the Camp Ofthe Duke, with dispatch
es," replied Hubert.
sStrange !" calculated the black knight
we ride on tho same Grand. too bear dis
patches TO the Duke, and from a holy pre-.
late, the Bishop Of Sazourg,"
"Do you not fear the demons who lhrong
these woods - inquired Hubert.
II have sure protection" replied the blacl
knight Hthe Bishop blessed me, and gave inc
a fragment Of the true cross"
aAuo,Ler strange coincidence - exclaimed
tIubc { ;"l too, have 4 s.miar relic, a. am
armed with Ike tenedietioR,"
The black knight hu and lis laugh
was echoed BY thousand hooking noises
wb.le forms, ndistincl and ghss'y 60 be-
tween the O. es, and crussedt cir pain.
Holy Virgin, save Us :" exclaimed Hubert
crossing himself.
sCease this murHeTy,' nd the strange
knight "are you a priest, that you can d
nnHglh but pray lfyou fear this phantom
kiss your relic, and all viii be well"
4 p AiAA KAT AAtNtAH aAl-HNiNM AAMNNAAH FAAa e
IL; bur he nevertheless drew tie relic from
bis bosom, and pressed Il dev0nily to his lips
HLet me see this precious fragment, AMI
will show you nine" said the black knight
And they compared tho two By the light o
the carbunele. and found them precisely
alike.
81 have a strong fancy that we should ex
change relics rs a iOsen Of brotherhood" pur.
sued the black knight aWll you consent 7
aNay, good knight" said Hubert, Il maj
not part with 50 precious a a'lt, even youn
may be equal in sancl'ly. Let each retain BIZ
own"
SNOW look again, mine is lager than your
and has a nail within il, hichw. yours has not
there orc should lose by the exchange" sal
the black sarcastically. sDsengage tie chan
from your neck that we may compare then
more closely"
aNay, part with it not even one moment
lfyou can see It thus, as hold Il forth, wei
and good-bul It leaves me not"
I, The black knight stopped TO look at tie relis
al the same time rendering bis own 10 Hub.
erts inspection thea, as Hubert also leane'
forward, he made basly snatch at the chair
and almost succeeded IN breaking i buI thi
links, seven times forged, and blessed BY ID,
Pope, proved truo to Their trust, as HUBERT
strong h and did to is hold Of the ireasurl
The bkck knight was fofeed, with deep ex
&C aim to release his prey, while Huber
exolaimed--HAvauni, foul hend in the mann
Of al The saints - Asthese words were spo
ken lhe black knight dashed his spurs into hi
horse, from whose nsslrils issued volumes 0
fame and smoke, and plunged into tho thick
covert Of the forest y hle al around rang viii
Shrieks Of wild and uneaFihly laughter.