Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-03-15
The Bath of Blood.

Do.-Ffom the proof sheets of 'sTRe His
tory of Hungary in DE Puy'sS Kossu1
and his Generals" in the press of Phin
ney u Co, ,aof ButfaAo, the Courier extracts
one Of the most thrilling tales of romantic
history, with which the graver facts Of thi.
work are so intersperced as agreeably tc
relieve the attention Of the reader:' -
- "About the year 1910, Elizabeth Bathori
sister OF the King of Poland, the wife Of q
rich and powerful Hungarian magnate
was the principal actor in the most singular
and horrible tragedy mentioned in history
She occupied the caslle1o of Csejta, in Tran.
sylvania. Like most other ladies OF thai
period, she was surrounded by troop Of
young girls, generally the daughters ol
poor but noble parents, who lived in hons
orable servilude; in return for which, their
education was cared for, and their dowry
secured. Elizabeth was Of q severe and
cruel disposition, and iicr hand: :maidens led
no joyous life. Slight faults are said 10
have been punished by most merciless tors
tures. One day as the lady OF Cseja was
admiring at mirror those charms which
that faithful monitor told her were fast wa.
ming, she gave way 10 her ungovernable
temper, excited, perhaps, by the mirrors
unwelcomed hint, and struck her unoffend,
ing maid with such force in the face as TO
draw blood.
As she washed from her hands the stain,
she fancied the part which the blood had
touched grew whittier, softer, and as it were
younger. lnbued with the credulitv . { the
age, she believed she had discovered what
SO many philosophers had wasted years in
seeking for. She supposed that in virgins
blood She had found the elixir vite, the
fountain Of never.failing youth and beauty.
Remorseless by nature, and now urged on
by irrepressible vanity, the thought no
sooner flashed across her brain than her
resolution was taken; the life of her luck>
less hand-maiden was not to be compared
with the precious boon her death would
promise to secure. AT the foot of the rock
on which Csejta stood, was q small cottage,
inhabited by two old women; and between
the cellar OF this cottage and the castle was
O subterranean passage known only 10 one
or two persons, and never used but in times
of danger. With the aid Of these old crones
and her steward, Elizabeth led the poor
girl through the secret passage to the cots
tage, and after numbering her, bathed in
her blood. Not satisfied with her first es>
say, at different intervals, by the aid of
these accomplices, and the secret passage,
no less THAI three hundred naaidens were
sacrificed on the altar ofvanity aud super-
stition. So ss'1- - 30 g. : -s-
Several years had been occupied in this
pitiless slaughter, and no suspicion Of the
truth was excited, though the greatest
amazemen, pervaded the country ni the dis.
appearance Of so many persons. At last,
however, Elizabsthscalled into play against
her, two passions, even stronger than van-
ity and cunning. Love and revenge be.
came interested in the discharge Of the
mystery. Among the victims of Csejta,
was beautiful virgin, who was beloved by,
and bethrotheds TO young man OF the
neighborhooo. In despair at the loss of his
mistress, he followed her traces with such
perseverance,, that in spite Of the hitherto
successful caution of the murderess, he
penetrated the bloody secrets Of the castle,
and, burning for revenge, flew to Presburgh,
boldly accused Elizabeth Bathori ofmurder,
before the Palatine i'll open court, and des
manded judgement against her. So grave
an accusation, brought against person of
such high rank required the most serious
attention, and the Palatine undertook to
investigate the affair in person. Proceed
ing Immediately to Csejta, before the mur.
deress or her accomplices had any idea of
the accusation, he discovered the still warm
body of young girl whom they had been
destroying as the Palatine approached, and
had not time to dispose O.! before he appre-
hended them,
The rank Of Elizabeth, mitigated her
punishment to Imprisonment for life, but
her assistants were burned at the stake
Legal documents still exist TO attest the
truth of this apparently improbable circum-
stance. Paget, o distinguished English
traveller, who visited Csejta about twenty
years ago, says: "Wiih this tale fresh in
our minds, we ascended the long hill, gained
the castle, and wandered over its deserted
ruins. The bare, gray walls stood up
against the red sky, the solemn stiffness Of
evening rened over the scene, and as two
ravens, which had made their nest on the
castles highest towers, came towards it,
winging their heavy flight, and wheeling
once round, and cawing q horse welcome
to the other, alighled on their fayorile tur-
ret, could have faEcied them the spirits of
the two crones, condemned to haunt the
scenes of their former crimes, while their
Internal mistress was cursed by some more
wretched doom. za-as, ,a 5..ss -es. --a-
MISS SUSAN NIPPER's CERTIFlcATE.--
Miss Susan Nipper gives loud certificate
in favor of some Of the popular medicines
ofihe day. She was suffering from gene
raj debility, sick headache, heartburn, in,
digestion, tapeworms, consumption, rheu>
matism in the sholders and hips, and besides
these she didn't feel very we'll herself
At length she says: -s
81 was brought so low that my most I'M
pudent friends didn't expect me TO live
from one end to the other. About this time
a friend recommended us last resort, that
/ should ~, /, fo,v h tiles or tho poctor,I