The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-06-13
A Chiaftaiu Lover.

a Ch1ettaln Lover.
At that time, when the crescent overthrow
under the walls of Vienna began to grow pale
in Hungary, the chief of the Erlau gueriIlas
was Leikem, young and fiery patriot. He
constantly harassed the garrison of Erlau
Hatvan, Szolnok, and other places, by capturing
their conveys and defeating their troops Or
one occasion he accomplished very successful
expedition by unexpectedly falling upon treas
ure convoy in Gyongyos, on its way from Erau
to Buda, and cutting down the whole escort.
While his men were engaged in a combat
with the Turks in the streets of the town, Leik
EN- heard cry for help froutsA neighborine
house. Heleaped off his horse, rushed in and
found Turkish soldier i'll treating an Hunga-
rian girl With stroke of his flashing sword
he split the infdel's head, and liberated hel
from his grasp. Exhausted and subdued by
terror, the girl lay senseless on the ground
Leikem, with the aid of some women, soon re-
stored her to consciousness. The girl was the
very type of Hungarian beauty, with black eyes
and hair, the charming expression of her face
her deliverer. To the young man she seemed
the fairest of all the maidens he ever beheld
The girl, too, on recovering, thought the chief
just what she in her lively fancy had imagined
a true Magyar hero to be-tall, stately, with
sparkling eyes, the terror of the enemy and the
friend and willing protector of the helpless and
unhappy. -...-s
In our country love soon takes root, and in
creases with rapid and marvellous growth
The young man remained but a short time with
the maiden, still it sufhced to fiji their hearts
with sentiment not easily to be effaced. Leik-
EN- left the girl whose name was sIrma, with a
promise of soon returning. but that promise was
more easily made than fulfilled, for scarcely had
the news of the loss of the costly convoy
reached Erlau, than the infuriated pasha sent
strong garrison to Gyongyos, and ordered a
hot pursuit after the bold guerilla chief, SO that
Leikem, for time, was an unwilling prisoner
in his Inaccessible lurking place in the Matra.
AS punishment for the loss of the money,
a contribution was levied on the town Of Gyon-
gyos, and, at the same time, to insult the in
habitants in their most sacred feelings, the
pasha commanded the delivery of twelve OF
their most beautiful daughters for the harem Of
the pasha of Buda. The CONSERVATION of the
poor towns people at this two fold outrage
knew no bounds. but, conscious of their weak
ness, they submitted to the sentence, and as
neither entreaties nor promises could soften the
infexible Turkish commander, presented their
girls for selection to the officer sent for that pur
pose from Erlau. Among the number chosen
was the unhappy 1rma.
Lekem speedily received this dreadful in
telligence. His instant determination was to
prevent the madens from being carried of, but
for the moment, he was quite at a loss to devise
a plan likely to prove successful against the
numerous garrison of Gyongyos. In the midst
of this dilemma he was interrupted by the ari-
val of messenger from his uncle, the prior Of
d monastery of Carmelitesi in this neighborhood
summoning the chief to an immediate confe.
renee, which Liekem did not delay attending
to, knowing his uncle who had already often
assisted him with good advice during his expe
ditions, to be a wise, good and patriotic man.
He found the prior in great excitement as te
the fate of the unfortunate town. The monl
conjured Leikem, by his christian faith and hi
love for his country, now to show what enthu
siasm the Hungarian was capable of in the de
fence of his rights and his countrywomen. He
then proposed to him to go to the town dressed
as monk. and there to agree upon scheme
with the inhabitants. The first part of this
proposal was easily effected as few hours pre-
viously, Dulo, the father of Irma had sent te
the monastery for a priest to pray for his daugh-
ter who was then dangerously i'll. Leikem was
for moment unnamed by the sad information
but by a violent effort he choked his feelings
and declared his readiness to comply with the
wish of his uncle. He hastily put on a COW
and left the monastery mounted upon mule
He had the good fortune to pass the Turkish
outposts unremarked. and arrived at the dusk
of the evening, accompanied by Dulo's mes
senger, in Gyongyos.
With the capuchin drawn over his head Leik
EN- entered Irma's room. She was much
changed during the few weeks that had elapsed
since be saw her, and was so exhausted thai
the pretended monk had to bend over her tc
catch her whispered words. He could not long
carry on his disguise, and was forced to ex
claim with all the fervor of his noble heart:
Il am not monk, Irma, but they warrior
and am come to cure and to save thee, for as
live thou shalt not fall into the hands of the in
fdels''
At the sound of that voice, the tone of which
she had never forgotten, the girl thought she
dreamt, but again looking into his truthful
manly face, she saw that all was happy reality
and she seemed to live anew.
The guerrilla chief likewise disclosed his Sc
cret and his intention to her father, who cheeree
by his presence, instantly stole away to Others
of his tried and brave neighbors, inviting then
to meet at his house The men came. As j
was supposed that the escort, with the tribute
of the town, on proceeding to Buda, would hal
for the night at the fortress of Hatvan, hal
way between Gvongyos and Buda, atfthe pro
posal of Leikem daring plan was projected
and resolved upon.
Two days after an order came to give up th'
tribute Of money and women. The mayor BY
presents obtained the permission of the com
mander that the maidens should be allowed tt
remain yelled during their journey, until the.
were introduced into the presence of the pash'
of Buda. All happened as they wished. A
the moment of their departure they were takei
in closed litters from their dwellings, and let
the town under a strong escort. accompanied b,
the fervent prayers of the inhabitants for thel
safety. As they proceeded very slowly the.
did not reach Hatvan till late in the evening
whereupon the aga resolved not to 60 any fur
tber that night. While preparations wer
making for the accommodation of the unusua
guests, the commander of the fortress attempted
of n