The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-11-11
The Three Damsels.

Inc IRTee OduSeLSt
Come hither, my beautiful Jean, and my fair
LiIias," said the venerable Countess of Moray, to
her laughing, happy grand daughters = " come
hither my children and spend the HallOwe EN- with
me. Il is true | have not prepared the charms OF
the night nor am ready to join you In the mean
taons of the season; but have tale may suit 1t
well and you will not like it the less because the
gray head tells you, with her own lips the story OF
her day. when her locks were white as the berry,
and her eyes as beaming as your own"
That, in truth, shall not, noble grand
mother" said the sparkling Las; g but yet would
| have the charm of Halloween. All, little can'st
thou dream now dear this night is to the expecting
maiden! Let us perform the rites Of the even, and
tomorrow, grandam, thy tale shall find us most at
tentive listeners"
+" All, true Scots,' said the countess, " thus
clinging to the wonderful and seeking 10 peep into
futurity but try not the charm, my children, if
you love me. Alas | think not of it without
tears and sorrow unspoken of till now; for the
fate of friend, dear TO my early YOUTH gushes into
nv bosom. Sit nv children, and my story shall
repay you for this loss Of your time; me, 1t will
also please to speak Of the things gone by; and If
it convince you, trust it will, of the folly Of
these superstitons shall have more than gained
my purpose. viii my children listen %
g What is there can refuse you, noble grand
ami'' said the lovely Jean, burying her locks of am
Der amid the snowy curls Of the venerable countess
Speak on, then; you have made US listeners al
ready-and bark! wind, rain, and snow-a goodly
night for a tale. Tell on, dear grandam."
& Ii was on this very eve, many years since, my
Children" began the noble lady, to her auditors,
g that three lovely daughters Of noble house as
sembled together in a dreary wood, to try the charm
Of the night, which, if successful, was TO give to
their earnest sight the phantom form of the lover
who was afterwards to become the husband. Their
powerful curiosity had stifed their fear for they
were tjmid as beautiful, their first setting out
on this expedition; but, on finding themselves
alone in the dark and melancholy wood, some
touches of coWardiee and conjunction assalled
them together, and they determined, by somewhat
holy beginning, TO sanctifY the purpose which had
taken them thither They were too young to
laugh at this mock compact between God and the
Devil; and, therefore, when Catherine, the eldest
sister, began in audible voice to rece the prayer
against witchcraft the others joined in it most de-
voUtly. Now then, fortified against evil, their
courage rose with every additional sentence; and
when the soft voice of the young Agnes, the love
lest and youngest of the three, steadily responded
the amen they were as courageous as was neces-
sarv and no longer fearful of the power of the evil
one. know not my children, all the forms used
upon this occasion but Catherine, after repeating
certain words in a solemn voice, advanced before
her sisters, and quietly placed upon the ground her
offering to the shade she had invoked, as by his
conduct towards IT, she was to Judge OF her future
prospects. Ii a beautiful rose tree winch she
had chosen, and the flowers were full and many
and the sisters were contemplating from distance
the richness of their hue, when they were startled
by the clashing of arms and the loud Outcries OF
men in fierce contention, breaking upon the stiffness
Of the night For moment they hesitated whether
to fly or remain concealed when their doubts Were
decided by the rapid approach of stern, stately
Highland chief, who, brandishmg his broadsWord,
swept on to the rose-tree if he would annIflate
from the earth its fair and fragile beauty Sudden
ly he paused hls arm was no longer raised TO de-
stroy-the weapon dropped gently down beside the
tree-and they saw his blue eye look mildly and
kindly on the flower, as bending down to gather
them, be faded from their sight IN the action.
Catherine by no means dlspleased with her
fortune; and the appearance OF her handsome
bridegroom gave courage to the other two to hasten
the coming of theirs. Marian, the second sister,
removed the rose, placing lily Dough In It's stead,
then, with beating heart and wandering eye, re-
peated the charm. Again the silence was broken,
as the quick but steady tramp Of warriors horse
struck upon the ear, and the shade OF noble cava-
er dismounting from his phantom steed advanced
slowly, very slowly, towards the lily; ms face was
beautiful but sad-beyond expression, sad; and
they saw tear fall upon the flower as he pressed
| it gently to his BOSOM He too, had faded like
dream when the gentle Agnes advanced to perform
her part in the witcheries Of the night She trem-
bed but she would not recede, and family repeat
| ing the charm, hung her white handkerchief on
! on the branch of distant tree. This time there
| was no sound from the wood there came a long
and sable procession of horse and foot following
coffin that was steadily borne toward them; many
were the CHASTITY attendants supporting the pail, and
! many were the shadoWy mourneTs that followed.
| Agnes watched with breathess attention the march
| Of the phantom dead they advanced slowly and
steadily till thew came to the tree where her white
offering futtered lightly in the air; it was seen
| suspended moment above them, then dropped
/ amid the cavalcade, and Agnes beheld the pale
fingers of the chief mourner clutch at the offering
/ as it fell
Days, weeks, months, passed away, and still
found Agnes dropping over her blighted hopes, and
! expecting the death Of which the omen OF the
forest had assured her; but still she died not-and
/ was every succeeding month astonished that she
| vet lived. She now began to doubt the truth
! of the omen-more especially as the Highlander
| had not vet welded her sister, who was betrothed
to, and about to become the wife of, tavorite Of
| the king who had earnestly sought her hand.
Agnes thought she, too, might listen TO tale OF
! love; and such one as was soon told her by
noble lover, and Of her sovereigns blood, she lis
| tened to with pleasure. Walter was now her all !;
| and the omen of the forest was forgotten.
The marriage of Catherine was appointed to
take place at country residence Of her aiiianced
/ husband, and Agnes, with her betrothed, was IN
yited to be present Marian too was there, and
| no happiness could have been more complete than
that of the bridal party; but dark night set upon
| this brilliant morning. Ere they could reach the
church, which was to be the scene Of their union,
| the Highianders had descended in force from the
| mountains, and assaed the unarmed guests The
! Camerons come cried the shrieking maldens, and
flew in all directions from their sight Inc bride
groom fell in the conflict the bride, she rushed
to the side Of her dying husband, was clasped II
the arms of the insolent chief, and borne away to
his bridal bed in the Highlands Marian escaped
in the tumult; and Walter preserved his adored, by
the effect of his desperate valor, cutting with hls
sword a passage through his foes, and encouraging
the armed men, who now came to their assistance,
TO drive the invaders from their hold. They were
successful; and silence, though accompanied oy
sorrow, again regned in the halls Of the young and
hapless bridegroom.
=" But the greatest evil resulting from this crue
inroad was the sad effect it had upon the mtnd
Agnes Her belief in the omens Of the forest wa