The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-06-27

--....-e...s--.-.-..-.s..... IT.
Known to you, then, most inexperienced
youth, that in affairs of love, as in war
every stratagem is honorable.
Love rules the camp, the court the grove
Love scars above impossibilities- defies
everything
Love laughs at locksmiths-love sees but ono
object, .... .......
The adored one-love recognises but two SPOT.
| Of EARTH
The one that small,
! Beloved and consecrated spot
| Where Lea is-the other, all
The dull, wide waste where she is mott
Why, my prince Of innocents, the princi,
pie OF honor is concentrated in the below
ed; so, by all means, see the fair dam.
sci this night, sound her views, arrange
Preliminaries, and-elope!"
At the conclusion Of this very excellent
lecture, delivered not without fitting ges-
ture and modulation Of voice, another fit
Of laughter seized him, and became so
Contagious, that, at length Walter, dcs-
p'te his anger, was compelled to join in,
for Earnests laugh was Of that rare de-
lightful kind that is music to hear-so
rich, so genial, the very cream of joke
flowed throush it.
Now, no more striking mark is there
OF the utter degeneracy Of the age, than
the gradual extinction Of romance and
chvalry. In the good old days Of yore,
the course OF true affection but seldom
giled smoothly, and as an adventure is
enhanced in value in exact proportion 10
the amount Of peril incurred in its a.
chievemeut, the lovers Of that era must,
peradventure, have been the most felicious
OF mortals. Now all, or nearly all,
matches are conducted in a prudent, ca
-,-'",'ng, business SORT OF way, tnaJ IS su,-
ficient to wilt every emotion Of sentiment
and poetry. Once in a while, to be sure,
we have bit of elopement to dispel the
monotony, but even these SAVIOR not Of tho
wild, daring, and exciting spirit of those
Of old. We have such case in Our mind
at this moment, a case, too, of love true
and fervant as any Of old; but, alas the
calmness, caution, and nationality with
which the affair was conducted through
to a favorable issue, was narrowing to a
poetic mind. A chevalier of the sixteenth
century, that 6 glorious age Of knight er-
rantry, could he have been witness to it,
would have shivercd his lance in despair.
Instead Of dainty ladder Of silk being
lowered from the top of the chimney, on
which the maiden fair descended, she
walked cooily out at the garden gate
instead Of the time chosen being the dead
hour Of night, it was the brightest hour
ofday; instead Of the trysting spot being
in the damp and unwholesomc bottom of
a moat it was the corner OF particularly
public street, where, in the face Of the
whole world, should it chose to behold, a
carriage was in waiting; and instead Of
donning the attire ~ page, staining nut
brown her delicate cheek, and exchanp.
ing her silken hosen and fairy sandels for
the rougher foot gear Of youth, she
tripped of in gaiter boots, and dress un-
exceptionally femanine.
What brave tiues, in sooth, were those,
when might constituted right: when cast
ties were stormed, obdurate sires and
breathren cast into dungeons deep and
insalubrious, and fair damsels borne off
victorious by adventurous gallants whose
whole title deeds glittered on their trusty
blades /! Even glance we at a couple of
Of centuries later, we may still find
small cake Of the precious leven remain
ing, though, perhaps, somewhat over
baked by the sun Of advancing light. At
this period, trap-doors, silk ladders aud
boats, were much in vogue-engiues, af-
ter all, quite as romantic and useful, tho
not so thrilling and exciting, as the ante.
cedent, when the clashiug of swords aud
Changing Of armor were the bridal sym
phoDies, and the wnils OF the wounded
and the lamentations ofthe berieyed the
epithalamium.. No fouler instrument
was ever invented against the peace ard
prosperity ofrunaways than the telegraph;
vast amount Of human sufferings and
broken hearts has il to answer for.
Then, dearest, we must elope; what
care wo for sordid drossl with your sweet
presence to inspire me, ! shall toll day
and night, nor ever know weariness. lie,
US fy TO rose.embowered cot, and they
may keep your wealth. Do you consent
! iMildredi"
Mildred stopped to pluck a moss bud
~ she replied, s
= But do you know tbe penalty Of. q