The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1853-06-15

ioiSi Nuo duoptcu--tnc lUNcIS NCIC Sep-
arated. Lord P-procurcd com.
mission for his son in the army Of
Frederick the Great of Prussia. and sent
the young lady on a trip to Portugal,
under the care of the English ambossa-
dor, who was his intimate friend, trust
ing that she might meet with somebody
abroad who would prove a successful ri.
val to the young soldier.
If worldly prudence was not one Of
William P-'s virtues, its lack was
not apparent in his new position. He
was serving a master who was not at all
inclined to think discretion the better
part of valor. and who watched with ad.
miration through his telescope the des-
perate and daring courage with which
the young Englishman carried diff
cult post in his second battle Turning
to one of the officers of his staff when
the day was won, Frederick desired him
to summon 4" that brave English cap
tain to his presence. He was respect
fully reminded that the young soldier
did not hold that rank. He has done
so from the moment / remarked his con-
duct" was the reply. In the same sum-
mary style of promotion, the king greet
ed the Englishman at the close of anoth-
or battle as Major P" adding a
gracious wish to know if there were any
thing the young officer desired which he,
Frederick, could grant. No more un.
welcome reply could have been devised
than the one made to this royal kind
ness Major respectfully requested
permission to quit the service Fredcr-
lex heard him with as much surprise as
displeasurc but after his implied prom
ise to grant the request, he could not
refuse. An order of dismissal was
therefore drawn out officially, ending,
according to the usual form, thus "Ma-
jor P-is therefore at liberty to 60
-" the blank being left for the king
to fill in. The angry Frederick added
these words : "au diaJlc Frederick
Rex" This curious dismissal and roy
al autograph is still preserved in Major
P-'s family
The officer did not 60 in the direction
indicated he merely proceeded to a
country, the fends of which are, accord
ing to sailors proverb, " too civil by
half" He went to Portugal and,
shortly after his arrival in Lisbon, re-
newed, as matter of course, his family
intimacy with the English ambassador,
who, having never heard of the forbid
den lovc-passages between his fair charge
and the younger son of the P-s, made
him always welcome at the Embassy
and so the days glided happily away, till
letter from the ambassador commun-
Gated to Lord p the startling intel
ligence of his sons presence in Lisbon,
and his frequent visits to his old friend.
The reply to this missive was positive
prohibition to the intercourse of the low
ers, with which the good-natured envoy
was obliged to comply. Their enforced
estrangement fell heavily on both, espec-
tally on the lady, whose delicate spirits
became suddenly and strangely affected.
She grew faint and languid, without ap-
parently suffering pain and finally, to
all appearance, died. The ambassadors
daughters, young women of her own age,
were greatly touched by this tragic ca
tastrophe of the romance. The corpse
was kept beyond the usual time in warm
countries and at their earnest and tear
full entreaty, the despairing lover was
permitted once more to behold his far
betrothed before the grave closed over
her. 1t was the night preceding the III
tended interment the coffin, which had
already received its cold, still inmate,
was placed upon table covered with n
black pail the chamber was hung with
black, and dimly lighted by large wax
tapers, placed at the head Of the bier
Tremblingly, the young man raised the
veil which covered the face of the dead,
and gazed upon the calm, fixed, colorless
features in silent agony then bending
down, he kissed the white lips fervently
again aud again-and oh, strange mar
vel of nature the tale of the Sleeping
Beauty became a reality
A touch, kiss the charm was snapt
the lips trembied slightly, the eyelids
moved and the truth-enough to have
turned a weaker head-fashed on him
she was not dead, but in trance With
wonderful presence of mind, he extin-
guished the lights, lifted the sleeper
from the coffin, and bore her into the
next room, thus saving her from per
haps fatal shock Gradually the vita
powers were restored but no command
could now keep William p from
her whom he had thus restored from the
grave.
J There had been no possibility o.
doubling the reality of the trance. Th,
, young lady had been insensible, cold
} motionless, and, in the judgment of hel
, physicians, dead for more than week
and full and faithful account of thii
5 strange incident was forwarded by til,
= ambassador-now an intercessor for tn,
4 lovers-to Lord P. But, singular
! and touching as the incident was, j
l wrought no change in the sternness o
the parents determination and feeling
n that he could not again expose his be
= trothed to such suffering, and hopinI
r that when the deed was irrevocable the
y should be pardoned, William marrie
= the fair sleeper in defiance of all proh
r bition, and carried her with him to Eng
land.
|. If happiness were to be estimated b
n worldly prosperity, it had been bette
l. perchance for her to have slept on. The
+ wrote a supplication for pardon to Lor
e and Lady Pas soon as they reache
d London, but no reply was vouchsafet
is no pardon ever granted, and the ras
u young couple found themselves in th
D. great city friendless and destitute, IL
'e younger sons allowance having been di