Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-08-16

BY GEo. A. BANCROFT.
CHAPTER l.
{" Love rules the court, the camp the grove,
And men below, and Saints above
For love is Heaven, and Heaven is love-
SIR scoTr
E" 4 few feet of unshackled earth,
Where freedom lifts her heroic head
Tho beaten by the wntry Storm
: nd kept by couded lightnings warm,
Is worth the sunaiest stretch Of land
Where royalty clanks her guided chain
DONALD CLARKE.
OUE story opens short time prior to
that cyentful period in the history of an
cient Helvetia, which terminated in the
triumphant success of the patriots over
the forces of the Emperor Of Austria
"The sudden death of the good Empc-
ror Rudolphe of Austria, who has always
respected the liberty and republican prin-
ciples of the Swiss nation, brought tyran-
ny in its most dreadful and appalling
FORMS" upon the land and Herman Ges-
Ter, fend in human shape, was, by the
new Emperor, appointed Governor of Al
tori, and the three cantons of Uri, Under
wald and Schwitz, because he was deemed
a fitting subject to carry out his tyrannical
measures.
Possessed Of almost unlimited powers,
Gesler, aided by his myrmidons. resolved
to bring the three cantons completely un-
der his subjection. The consequences of
| this resolve were, that the people of Swift
zerland, or Helvetia, daily experienced
the most unequivocal proofs of their Gov
ernor's cruelty and disposition to tyran-
nize over them
With each succeeding day the grievan-
ces of the Swiss people seemed to increase
actions of the most brutal nature more
frequently occurred-the native Swiss
were thrown into dark and loathsome dun
/ geons on the most trivial pretexts-the
! daughters and matrons of the land were
| never completely safe from the lust Of the
| tyrant and his followers and his follow
ers aided him IN all his schemes, as he did
| them In theirs In short every species of
! tyranny was practiced, that might pros
trate and crush the energies of a once free
people
Still, there was much murmuring in Sc
cret among them; and, though they knew
| 'twould be madness to contend with the
tyrant now, they resolved, eventually, to
work out their country's deliverance
William Tell, at that period, had just
come into notice He was known through
out the three cantons as the most skillful
marksman, with the bow and arrow, and
was famed above all his countrymen in
the art he displayed, on all occas. ons, in
| conducting his boat across the stormy
lake
! DWelling in the most mountainous part
/ of the canton of Uri, his liberties had not
as yet, been infringed upoa-he felt him
self as free as the Chamois of the neigh
| boring hills-and although he, from time
/ to time, heard of the atrocious acts of the
tyrant Governor, and knew his country
men were groaning under the yoke OF
slavery, yet he did not arouse himself from
his lethargy he viewed with seeming in
difference, the condition in which his coun
trymen were placed. He never. perhaps
thought of their being enabled to gain
/ their liberty. At least, he never bad tho
most remote idea of being instrumental
in bringing about so desirable a consum
nation
Enough for introduction.
In thinly settled portion Of the canton
Of Uri, and some two or three miles dis
tant from any other human habitation
there stood small Gothic cottage, the
property Of limner of considerable re
pute, who had, by his industry and frugal
ity, acquired quite a goodly amount of this
worlds goods.
The cottage in question was situated
some thirty feet back from the road, its
! front, of course, facing it; while farther
back was a barn, and several outbuildings
which were occupied as receptacles for the
produce of the farm, being conducted by
persons hired by the limner.
The cottage, at the time of which we
are writing, was occupied by the limner
his wife, ana an only daughter.
William Alison. for this was the lin
ncr's name, was q German by birth, who
| had settled in Switzerland at an early age
After some years of severe application to
his profession. he found himself, by run
of good luck, in quite affiuent circumstan-
ces; and purchasing tract of land, (wherc
his cottage and farm now were situated
he soon after married The marriage had
proved happy one; and up to the pres
ent time, he had lived IN a state Of happi
ness, contentment and peace, in the seclu
ded spot chosen for his domicil He was
now, apparently, upwards of forty years
Of age. His features were well formed
and regular-they were what might have
been termed handsome. His countenauce
seemed even o wear a pleasing expression
denotIng an amiable disposition. and even
ness of temper In height, he was nearly
six feet, and his bearing was noble and
majestic
Clara Alison, who looked much younger
than her husband, could not have beer
more than thirty-five years of age. She
was the daughter of q neighboring farmer
and her husbands acquaintance with heI
was the result of accident. One day, a>
he was skctching beautiful landscape, ht
providentially saved her fathers life
Her father was riding home in his car
riage from a neighboring town. when his
: horse, suddenly taking fright, at strange
: noise near by, dashed forward with head
r long Speed and WoIld eventually have