The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-03-22


tThe following exciting sketch Is taken
from the January number Of Blackwood's
Magazine. Il appears under the head Of
"IlpnFarian Military Sketches" and Is r
translation from the Gcrmhn1
II was dark night in the town Of StThom-
~. Not n stAr was visible. Well was Il the
heavens saw not what then occurred upon
sArth.
Mon who had grown gray together in love
and friendship, dwelling in The same street
under the same roof who were bound 20 each
other 10y ties OF blood and kindred, of graft.
tuds aud duty. who were wont to share each
others joys and gricis, began upon sudden,
as " frantic with Internal inspirations. 10 plot
zach Others determination, and to hll their
souls with bloody hatred against those who
had never wronged them.
IL was ST Eustacc's day, The RaitHen asi
pemblcd in the church, 10 worship God, as
they Hnid. But no words of God were there,
no solemn organ notes wild voices annannc-
ed approaching horrors, aud the sainied
roof resoundcd with strains omin0uE osttriie.
The towns-peoplc were Tranquil. Those
amongst them who noticed that their nrigh-
bor's windows were lighted up aud who saw
gloomy faces hurrying to the church, said 10
themsclyca, To-day the Rlitzen hold high
lNALNAla anu AHpuHWl no llblt Ol IT, out went
their ways To bed. Towards midnight the n
larm bell sounded, the doors of the temple
osjencd, and the nocturnal rcVei b~ys~S.
With n wild howl the excited mob burst
into tho houses Of their sleeping neighbour
II was aa though they had some ancient and
inveterato qrudgr 10 aycngc, 90 fierce and Bit
ter was the fury with which they murdered
all whose windows showed no lights-the tok-
en- that the Raitzen had adopted, lest by error
- II l. L..
In two hours the Magyar population Of tho
town was exterminNted, with the exception
Of scanty few,who escaped in carts and car
riageA These, however, were pursued; and
when the uproar in the town the sounds Of
strife ana t6neiftEtiUH EHd tho 7vlNug NJ bctiu
were hushed, cries OF agony and despair were
still heard, Issuing at Intervals from the ad-
jNcent country, as vehicles, stuck fast in the
treacherous swAmps, we're overtakcn, and the
luckless fugitivcs ruthlessly butchcrcd. Al
hast these heart -rending sounds also ceased
Voices Of complaint were no longer audible
but in their stead. in more than one quarter
Of the illuminated town, were heard music
dancing and merriment.
IL was long past midnight when a cart
drove through the streets of St Thomas. Ir
il eat a man wrapped in his cloak, marvel
ling greatly at the lights in the houses, and
the sounds of fostivity and Joy. At his owr
house door he stopped his horse. To hit
great SURPRISE, his Dwelling aiso -iiiEfr+--t
up. and within were sounds Of music, hun
OF voices, and noise OF dancing feet AStound
Cd, and anxious, he stepped silently to a win
dow, and through il he beheld crowd oi
well-known faces. The company, husheC
with wine and excitement, sang and shouted
and drank out Of his glasses, and danced mad
-~-fy round the room. They wcro all old nc
quaintances, and inhabitants ofthe town.
Ignorant Of the events of the night, III,
man thought he was dreaming. ~
- Presently his attention vas attracted b,
the licentous garb and demeanor OF won
an, who circulated amongst the guests will
loud laugh and libcrtine gestures, sharing il
and stimulating the orgies At first hc coul,
, not discern who this woman was. Then h,
recognized her II was his own wife
'Holdr he shouted, and strobe into th,
room.where these saturnalia were in prog
ress, He knew not what 10 do or say !
were hard TO find word which should ex
presa,the rage that possessed him,
Hold = he thundercd ont, every fibre quiv
ering with fury, what do you here 3
The guests stood aghast at that spectacle of
wrath. The boldest started at the sight OF
the man rs he stood amongst them, terrible
and deadly pale. For while none dare,
approach him. He went up 10 his wife,
dark-haircd, black eyed. red checked wantoi
who stood as II turned 10 stone. He fixct
his eyes upon hers with a deadly gaze.
.On yonr kneesP
The woman stirred not.
On your knees wretch r v6ciferated tn,
husband, and struck her in the face so tha
she fell TO the ground.
Hold, dogf was shouted on all sides. Tn,
Raitzen rushed forward, and the man wa
seized by twenty hands. He struggled n
Rainst them, grasped the throat of one, ant
relaxed not his clutch, even when thrown
down and trampled under foot, until he haC
choked his adversary to death They bounc
his hands and thrust him into a corner. The
Raitzen formed a circle around him.
What would ye of me p he asked, the
blood flowing from his month.
What would we ? Look around you. See
you not Aii here are RaitzeH p replied a tall
dark -browed Serb, scowling scornfully and
cruelty at the sufferer.
And a Magyar. What then 2
Ask thy neighbors. Hast thou not heard
that to-day is our festival The festival Of
the determination sf the Magyars. You are
one the last in the town. All the others are