Washington telegraph., 1852-03-17
THE BATH OF BLOOD.

Oh hungary, In lie Tuy AOSSutn ana his
Generals, now in the press, the Buffalo
Commercial " extracts a most thrilling
tale of romantic history:
About the year 1910 Elizabeth Bathori,
sister to the King of Poland, and wife of a
rich and powerful Hunearian magnate. was
the principal actor in the most singular and
horrible tragedy mentioned in history. She
occupied the castle of Csejta, Transylvania.
Like most other ladies of that period, she
was surrounded by troop of young girls,
generally the daughters of poor, but noble
parents, who lived in honorable servitude
in return for which, their education was
cared for and their dowry secured. Eliza
beth was of severe and cruel disposition,
and her hand-maidens had no Joyous life
Slight faults are said to have been punished
by the most merciles7 torture
One day, as the lady of Csejta was admir-
ing at the mirror those charms which that
faithful monitor told her were fast waning,
she gave way to her ungovernable temper,
excited, perhaps, by the mirrors unwelcome
hint, and struck her unoffeuding maid with
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
whiter, softer, and as it were, younger
Embucd with the credulity of 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 cljrU rite, the fountain
Of never fading youth and beauty.
Remorseless by nature, and now urged
on by irrepressible vanity, the thought no
sooner flashed acros: her brain than her res
olution was taken; the life of her Mckless
hand-maiden was not to be compared with
sthe precious boon her death promised to
secure Elizabeth, however, was wary as
well as cruel At the foot of the rock on
which Csejta Stood was a small cottage, in-
habited by two old women; and between
the cellar Of this cottage and the castle was
subterranean passage, known only to one or
two persons, and never used but iii times OF
danger. With the aid of the old crones
and her steward, Elizabeth led the poor girl
through the secret passage to the cottag
and after numbering her, bathed in her
blood Not satisfied with the first essay, at
different intervals, by the aid of these ac-
compliccs and the secret passage, no less
than three hundred maidens were sacrificed
on the alter of vanity and superstition
Several years had been occupied in this
piti!css slaughter and no suspicion Of the.
truth was excited, though the greatest
amazement peryaded the country at the dis
appearance of 50 many persons At last,
however, Elizabeth called into play against
her. two passions even stronger than vanity
and cunning. Love and revenge became
interested in The discovery of the mystery
Among the victims of Cscita was a beauti-
ful virgin, who was beloved by and betroth-
ed to u young man Of the neighborhood. -
In despair at the loss Of his mistress, he
followed her tracks with such perseverance,
that, in spite Of the hitherto successful eau
tion of the murderess, he penetrated the
bloody secrets Of the castle, and, burning for
revenge, flew to Presberg, boldly accused
Elizabeth Dathori OF murder, before the
Palatine, in epen court, and demanded
judgement against her. SO grave an accu-
sation, brought against person of such
high rank, demanded the most serious
attention, and the Palatine undertook to n-
vestigate the affair in person.
Proceeding Immediately to Csejta, before
the murderess or her accomplces had any
idea Of the accusation, he discovered the
still warm body of a young girl, whom they
had been destroynga as the palatine approach
ed, and had not time to dispose Of before
he apprehended them The rank of Eliza
beth mitigated her punishment to imprison-
ment for life, but her assistants were burn
ed at the stake
Legal documents still exist to attest the
truth OF this apparently improbable circum-
stance. Paget, a distinguished English
traveller, who visitd Csejta about twenty
years ago, says "With this tale fresh in
our minds, we ascended the long hill, gain
ed the castle, and wandered over its desert
ed ruins. The shades Of evening were just
spreading over the valley, the bare, gray
walls stood up against the red sky, the sol
emn stiffness of evening reigned over the
scene, and as two ravens, which had made
their nests on the castles highest towers,
came towards it, winging their heavy flight,
and wheeling once round, each cawing a
hoarse welcome to the other, aGghted on
their favorite turrent, [ could have fancied
them the spirits. Of the two crones while
their internal mistress was cursed by some
more wretchcd DOOM
FREE NEGROES IN MARYLANp.-In the
House of delegates, on the I'd ult, an order
was adopted requiring the Committee on
Colored Population to inquire into the ex-
pediency of reporting a bill to compel all
free negroes to hire themselves by the year. -
This order was adopted with but two mega
! tive votes.
In the Mississippi Senate on the 18th, a
bill to prevent the introduction of slaves in
| the State for sale or as merchandise was