The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1855-04-18


| one litlfr hour sins enough may nr
conjurcd up by evil ngurs, to blast,
the fame Of Il %tuc life OF virtue.
The ;wo yracclc>s mclcS, who had
seen the world, were ever ready to
boI ter the matter through, and as they
were b'Ewny, broad.shouldsrcd warri
ors, and veterans in brawl as we'll as
icbauch, tcy lad great sway with
the multitude. Ii any one pretended
to assert the innocence OF the duchcs,
they interrupted hIm with u loud ha I!
ha! of derision. "a pretty stoly,
truly" wcttd they cry, "ab"ut y wolf
and Il drag"on, and IL young widow
rescued in the dark by sturdy TarIct,
who darcs not show his face in the
daylight. You may tell .lE., to those
who do not know human nature; for
our parts, wc know the sex, and tha S
enough"
If, however, the other repeated his
assertion, they would suddenly knit
their brows, swell, look big. and put
their hands upon their swords. AS
few people like to i4ht in II cause that
docs not touch their own ntc rests
the nephew and the unccs were suffer.
cd to have their way, and swagger
uncontradictcd.
The matter was at length referred
To u Il rbunal composed Of ali the
disnitaries Of thc dukcdom, and many
and repeated consultations We're held.
The character of the duchess, through
out the year VAS us bright and spot
less asrlhc moUu ,t cloull!css nj Int;
one fatal hour OF darkness alone inter.
vcned to cell psc It's brighlncss.-
Finding human sa%aci,y incapable oi
diSprl!lng tt.e :mystcry, it WIS deter
mi"cu t. leave the question 10 lIeav.
vii; i'll other words, to decide it by the
ordeal OF the sword "a sage ,rlbunaI
III he aye OF chIvalry. The nephew
and Two bully unclcs were to maintain
Their accusation in listed combat, and
SIX m"Ltlis were allowed the duchess
:" provide herself with three champi
"rs. /" meet them i'll the field. Should
he fail in IN $, or should her champi
"E~ be vanYuI>lird, her honor would
II cons icrcd a> attained. her fidelity
AS io!Irn, hid H. I d"kr'i"ln would 90
- HE nephew, IL Il matter of RIGHT.
With this determination the duch
esS MI fam to comply. Pr"csaIna
iITSs were acr"r,lnyi, u!alr, ;lud her.
aids sent To various l'a:l>; hut da,
ttcr day, week after week. AMI nrll,h
hfrr month, elapsed, without an,
ciamrinn appearing to assert hr,
I"yaIty th'"""h"ut that da.ksomr
rur. Tie fair widow waa reduced
" despair, wien iidings reached her
i grand tournaments 10 hc held at
inlrd". N celeb; alton OF th,. nupli l.
Il Don koirricH, Z las, Of the Goth.
lr ~ing>, with the mn,i-cu pr ncrS>
!Ixiln'm. rs - last resort, the JGch.
c>s Repaired t" the :>pan; Ii court, to
'np!"rr tbs gal!nItiy of It's assembled
ahivairy.
The arsrn: ~ "f I"'rlo was II
>crnc OF gorgeous r,vrlry 81: lie event
If lie royal nnpl al. 'ihr ,"liniul
H''T. brave, ardent, ani magnificent
and Ills lovely hiilr, b,;,;G,,ri. with ali
The radiant '.an.y of the east, were
hailed " th shouts ard accla.I:.tiunS
whenever they Appeared. Their no.
olcs We'd with each nllfrr in the luxrl.
~ O! their attire, their ptancin. Slccd~,
and splendid rrt:nucs; and the hauch.
~ danes OF tile eouyt appeared in Il
blaze Of Jewels.
In the midst Of ali Iris pagcanlly.
the beautiful, but afflicted Due eSs
of Lorraine made her appro ,ch to the
throne. She wns dressed in black.
and cl"sc Y yelled: four ducnnas of
tie most s,aid and severe aspect, and
six beautiful dcnuisclieA, irr,sc,i her
female attendants. She was guarded
hy several very ancient without, fld
gray headed cavaliers; and her train
was borne by one of the most dciurn..
cd and dinliI.ulivc dwarfs in existence.
Advancing Z" the foot OF the throne,
she knelt down. and, throwing up her
ven, revealed Il countcnancc SO beau
I lillh that half the cuurticrs sent
were ready to rcnouncr wives and
mstresscs atlet devote themselves to
her ser vice; but when she made kno An
that she came in quest Of champions
TO defend Ii fame, every chava!icr
pressed forward to offer his arm and
sword, without inq."iring into the
merits OF the cascjior it seemed clear
that so bcaute"us Il lady could have
done nothing but What was right; and
,hat, at an rate, She ought to be
championcd in following tho brnt OF
her hu"ors, whether right or wrong.
Encouraged y such gallant zeal,
size duchess suffered herself to be-
raised from the ground and related!
The "n"le story of her distrr, =
When slc c''nclnlrd, the king re-
manned for some time silent, charmed
ny the music oi her voice At len 9Th:
"As h pc for sahvMion, most beau
lItul duchess" said he, were not {;
sovereign king, and bound in dmy to
my kingdom, myself would put lance