The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-06-29

II is well Ii own fact that like Haroun Alras
chid, OF oriental memory, Joseph H., Of Austria
was adicted to midnight and ncognilo wandcrings
through his capital; which, though they occasion
ally led to results not only disagreeable but even
dnigerous at other times amply repaid his risk
ana fatigue by their originality, and the insight
they afforded him into popular feeling, and that
species Of national undercurrent Of thought and
motive from which kings and kalscrs are necessa.
rily shut out in their gded saloons and crowded
antcrooms. Joseph, however, unlike his eastern
prototype, cschewed all companionship in these
nocturnal pilgrimnges; suffered no grand vesir to
follow upon his footsteps, or to share his perls
but conveniently disguised and fifty armed sailed
forth alone, and trusted to the influence of his
star, or that Of his name, should the declaration
become necessary, to lberate him from any un.
toward situation in which be might chance to in
volve himself
Many were the unpalatable, if not useless facts
with which he was thus made acquainted and
more than once, during lis strolls through the SUI
burbs, he found himself compelled 70 ransom lie
person by the surrender of his purse, his watch,
his mantle and even his arms, 10 the lightiingor-
ed gentry whom he encountered upon his path
but these little adventures, perilous as they were
for the mcment so far from aIating his passion for
this mysterious pastlme, only invested IT with AN
additional zest which ccntrasted most inyitingly
with the daily monotony Of life Of restraint and
etiquette
This much explained, we will relate at least
one of his adventures us it was told to ourselves
Ii was on a dark aud stormy night when, at the
close Of the midnight mass (lor il was the eve Of
Il grand ftstval,) closely folded in "A heavy coal,
which had suficed, coupled with the obseurity Of
the remote corner in which he had en,conced him
self during the ceremony, TO conceal his identity
from the pious crowd about him, the Emperor is.
sued from tie Cathedral Church Of ST. Stephen
into the gloom of the open space before IT. Lean
ing within ihe still deeper shadows of the build
ing against the stonewOrk Of the sacred edltice
he suffered all the congregation 10 disperse before
he attempted tp pursue his way but they had no
sooner bctakcn themselves to their separate habi
tations, hurrying each in his own direction, to cs
cape as quickly as they might from the heavy rain
which was falling, and the fierce gusts that swept
bowling and Kissing round the several corners o.
the streets, than he drew his broad tapped hat
deeper upon his brow, and securing his mantle by
a tight grasp set forth in his turn,
On the occasion in question, he bent his step.
to the Leopoldstadt which, although at that pc
riod very important adjunct of the city, hal not
attained to the importance which it aftcrward aC
qured The houses were more thnly scattered
and the open spaces more lonely, dark and dan
gerous More than once. however the imperial
wanderer had succeeded in exploring its recessc:
without molestation, and the violence of the wea
thcr on this particular night gave him additional
confidence. Nevertheless, lie was not tated tl
find that confidence well placed, for when about
midway between the fortifcations and the suburb
lie was attacked by four rufiians, TO whom, after q
brief resistance, he was compelled to deliver over
not only all the valuabes IN Lis possession, and
the cloak which had hitherto sheltered him from
the storm, but even the vest Of black velvet that
he wore beneath il,
In this unregal plight shiverng under the cold
blasts Of wind and becoming rapidly wet to tho
skin, he pursued his way more huricdly in order
to secure shelter, however humble But all wa.
pitch darkness as he reached the struggling street
every door was inhospitably barred, and every
window carefully secured while not souno
broke upon his ear, except the dull moan Of the
river as it flowed between its invisible banks
The descendant Of he Caesars began to wish him
self safely housed in his palace; but he had wan
| dercd far, and regrets were unayailing For NJ
instant he stood still, celebrating in his own minc
how he should act. and that moment sufficed {,
decide him He had at length. detected Tho
! bright CLEAN Of lamp through the aperture %
a shutter, which had apparently been defectivel,
closed and he no longer hesltatcd as TO the neX
step to be taken. The house from whence III,
friendly light had cmanatcd was large gloomy
ancient in its structure for the ncighborhood il
which 1t stood, and was moreover, totally isolated
being surrounded on all sides 10y high wall, only
broken IN one direction by pair of tall wrought
iron gates, through which the Emperor had beer
enabled to detect the welcome glcam BY anoth
er chance, equally fortunate the gates had beer
as CnrelcSsly fastened as the window, and very
slight degree of exerion suiiiced to fling one o
them back upon its hinges, and 10 afford ingresss
to the imperial intruder into a vast paved space Ms
silent and gloomy as the street from which he had
just escaped
Nothing dauntcd, however by the sepulchraI
aspect OF this place of temporary refuge, the En-
peror hastily mounted halfa-duzen stone steps
which led TO covered doorway. where he fuund
himself in slight degree sheltered from, the
pelting Of the pitilcss storm, and his next discov
cry being large iron knockcr he applied it Sc
vigorously To the solid oak of which the door wa.
composed, that he heard the long dull echoes re
verberatc for several seconds along the intcro,
passages of tho dwelling. Nevertheless not d
sound bespoke the existence of any one within
and again ana again did the heavy hammer re
sound upon the oakan pannels with the same wan
of success. Joseph II. began to lose at once hi,
patience and his temper; and ~ il to irritate hin
still further, the wind suddenly vccrcd round, ant
drove the rain into the deepest rccesses of the
partial shelter he had gained Unfortunately
kaiscrs become wet throughaS soon as the mean
| est of their subjects; aud when the oNispcratcd
Emperor seized the koockcr for the last time. h,
presented pitiabc spectacle On this occasion
he was, however, spared the necessity of putting
forth his strength, for he had scarcely touched i
ere the door opened, smoothly and noiseessly a,
though it fell back upon velvet, and young MAJ
of apparently six or seven and-twcnty years d
age, holding in his hand lamp which burdt viii
extraordinary stcadiness and brilancy, stood be
| fore him.
Who are YOU and what do you seek ut so m
timely an hourf he asked firmly, but courteous
IY.
4 am one of the Empcror's officers, and hay,
been robbed. seek shelter
His imperial and royal majesty would scarcel,
care to own you in such trim. my friend, said Ia,
young man, as his eye wandered with smile o
doubt over the dripping stranger, How can yot
convince me that you are not yourself n robberi
If | look SO little like one Of Joscphs guards
was the retort, surely bear no more rescmblanc,
| TO u knight Of the road u coat and cloak too ma