Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1851-04-12
= Gistoritol ekcttt.
From Blackwoods Edinburg Magazine.
THE FIEND FESTIVE

1t was a dark night in the town Of St.
Thonas.-Not star was visible. Well
was it that the heavens saw not what then
occurred upon the earth.
Men who had grown gray together in
love and friendship, dwelling in the same
street, under the very same roof, who were
bound TO each other by ties of blood and
kindred, of gratitude and duty, who were
wont to share each others joys and grlefs,
began upon a sudden, as if frantic with in
fernal inspirations, TO plot each others ex-
termination, and to fill their souls with
bloody hatred against those who had never
wronged them.
1t was St. EuStace' day. The Raitzen#
assembled in the church, TO worship God,
as they said. But no words OF God were
there, nor solemn organ-notes wild voices
announced approaching horrors, and the
sainted roof reSounded with strains ominouS
Of strife.
The towns people were tranquil. Those
amongst them who noticed that their neigh
borS' windows were lighted up, and who
saw gloomy faces hurrying to the church,
said to themselves, "To-day the Raitzen
hold high festival; and thought no more of
it, but went their ways to beds. Towards
midnight the alarm-5ell sounded, the doors
of the temple opened, and the nocturnal
revel began.
With wild howl the excited mob burst
into the houses OF their sleeping neighbors.
1t was as though they had some ancient and
inveterate grudge to avenge, SO fierce and
bitter was the fury with which they mur-
dered all whose windows showed no lights
the token the Raitzen had adopted, least
by error they should assail each others
dwellings.
In two hours the Magyar population Of
the town was eXterminated, with the ex-
ception of scanty few who escaped in
carts and carriages. These, however, were
pursued; and when the uproar in the town,
the sounds Of strife and lamentation, and
the clang of bells, We're huShed, cries of
agony and despair were still heard, issuing
at intervals from the adjacent country, as
vehicles, stuck fast in the treacherous
swamps, were overtaken, and the luckless
fugtlves ruthlessly butchered. At last
these heart-rending sounds also ceased
Voices of complaint were no longer audi
BILE, but in their stead, in more than one
quarter OF the Illuminated town, were
heard music, and dancing, and merriment
1t was long past midnight when a cart
drove through the streets of St. Thomas
In it sat man wrapped IN his cloak, mar
yelling greatly at the lights in the houses,
and the sounds of festlvity and Joy. At his
own house-door he stopped his horse. To
his great surprise, his dwelling was also
lighted up, and within were sounds Of mu-
sic, hum of voices, and the noise of dane
ing feet. Astounded and anxious, he step
ped silently to window, and through it
he beheld a crowd of wel-known faces
The company, flushed with wine and ex-
element, sang and shouted, and drank out
of bis glasses, and danced madly round the
room. They were all old acquaintances,
and inhabitants of the town.
Ignorant of the events Of the night, the
man thought he was dreaming.
Presently his attention was attracted by
the licentious garb and demeanor of wo-
man, who circulated among the guests with
loud laugh and libertine gestures, sharing in
and stimulating the orgies. At first, he
could not discern who this woman was
Then he recognized her. 1t was his own
wife.
| "Hold !" he shouted, and strobe into the
room where these saturnalia were in pro-
gress. He knew not what to do or say i
were bard to find word which should ex'
press the rage that possessed him.
"Hold!" he thundered out, every fibre
quivering with fury, ''what do you here q
The guests stood aghast at that apparitior
Of wrath. The boldest started at sight o