Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1855-09-12

sancisg ID hs gloom, supported ~ stately
ed AFR. In was asYadref knight. whom
sekody knew. II WAS impossible n dissin.
rui.t hts ceUntcaange in the dark. but q II the
ladies' agreed thst he was Of nshie pressuce
and cap.iyAssng aidress. He had rescued
The Duehess grou the seFy fancs Of The mon
ster, which hs x@snrei the ladies was naither
.oif. nor n bear, rnr yet n Wild tuan Of
thu woods. bat a veritabie fey dragon. n
species Of monster peculiarly hostile 20 beau
iifai fesualea iii the das OF chivaisy, md
which MI the Efforts OF knight Granny had
Jailed 70 extirpate.
The In lies crossed themselves when they
heard nj the danger from which they had
escaped, and could not enough admire the
caiIantrs IL the cavalier The Duchess
would fain have prevailed upo, her deHverer
TO accompany her 10 court. bat he had no
time to spare, being = knighs.eriant who had
many adventures on hand and msay dis.
.ressed dafnsels ard afflicted willows to rfs-
cue and relieve 10 Safious parts OF the coun-
try. Taking respectful leave, therefore,
he pursued his wayfaring, and the Duchess
and her train returned to the palace
Throughout the whole way, the ladies were
unwearied in chanting the praises OF the
stranger knight, nay, many of them would
willingly have incurred the danger OF the
dragon to have enjoyed the happy deliver
ance II the Duchess. As to the latter, she
rode pensiveiy along, bat said nothing.
No sooner was the adventure Of the wood
made public than whsrl. nd was raised
about the ears Of the beautiful Duchess. -
The clustering nephew Of tie deceased Duke
went about armed to the teeth, with a swag-
gering uncle Of each shoulder, ready 10 back
him. and swore the ID schess had forfeited
her domain. II was in vain that she callrd
all the saints, AMI angela, and her ladies in
attention into thu bargain, 10 witness that
sbu lad passed year ard ,lay q immac
ula,e fidelity. One fatal hour remained TO
be accounted for and 10 the space of one
little hour sins enough might be conjurcd up
By evil tongues to blast the fame of whole
life Of virtue.
The two gracelrss uncles, who had seen
the world, were ever ready to buster the
matter Through, and as they were brawny,
broad. shoul,,ered warriors, and veterans in
brawl as well as in debeuch, they had great
sway wit, the multitude. Ii any one pre-
tended to assert the innocence of the Ouch
ess, thay interrupted them with loud In !!
hn Of dcrision. ga pretty story truly
would they cry, s'about wolf and q dra-
gon and Young widow rescued in the dark
by sturdy yarlet who dares not show his
face in the day light. You may tell that to
people who do not not know human nature;
for our parts we know the sex, and that s
enough
II, however, the other repeated his as
scrtion, they would suddenly knit their
brows, swell, look big and Put their hands
upon their swords. AS few people like to
fight in a cause that does not touch their own
interests, the nephew and uncles were suffer
I'd to have their way, and swagger uncontra-
die ed.
The matter was at length referred to a
tribunal composed of all the dignitaries OF
the Dukedom, and many repeated consulta-
tons were held. The character of the
Duohess throughout the year was as bright
and as spotl.ss rs the moon in cioudless
night; one fatal hour Of darkness alone in
tervencd to eclipse its brightness. Finding
human capacity incapable of dispelling the
mystery, it was determined to leave the qnes-
ton to Heaven, or in other words, to decide
it by the ordeal of the sword-a sage tribu-
nal in the age of chivalry. The nephew and
two bully unclcs were to maintain the accu-
sation in listed combat. six months were al
lowed to the Duchess to provide herself with
three champions to meet them in the field
Should she fail in this or should her cham
pions be yanquished, her honor would be
considered MS attained, her fidelity forfeited
and her Dukedom would 60 to the nephew,
as matter of right.
With this determination the Duchess was
f4in to comply. proc!amations were ao-
cordingly made, aud heralds sent to various
parts; but day after day, week after week,
month after month elapsed without any
champion appearing to assert her loyalty
throughout that darksome hour. The fair
widow was reduced to despair, when tidings
reached her Of grand tournaments to be held
n Toledo, in celebration of the nuptinls of
Don Roderics, the last of the Gothic Kings,
with the Morisco princess Exilona. As the
las. resort the Duchess repaired TO the Span
ish court to implore the gallantry of its as
sembled chivalry.
The aucicut city Of Toledo was scene of
gorgeous revelry on the event Of tho royal
nuptials. The youthful, king. brave, ar
dent and magnificent, aud his lovely pride,
ecaming with all the radiant beauty Of the
east, were hailed with shouts and accama-
tions wherever they appeared. The mobiles
We'd with each other in the richness Of their
attire, their pranciug steeds, and splendid
resinues; and the naughty danes of the
Court ar peared in blaze of jewels. In
the midst of this pageantry, the beautiful,
but afflicted Duchess of Lorraine made her
approach to the throne. She was dressed
in black and closely veiled; four duennas Of
the most staid and severe expect, and six
beautiful demoiselles, formed her female at
PENDANTS. She was guarded by several very
ancient, and withered, and grayheaded cav
alters; and her train was horne by one It
the most deformed and diminusive dwaIfs in
existence.
Advancing to the foo Of the throne, she
knclt down, and, throwiag up her vail, re-
vcaled oountenancs so beautiful that half
TIL courticrs present were ready to renounoe
wives and mistresses. and devote themselves
to her service; but when she made known
that she came in quest of champions 10 de-
fend Ter fame, every cavalier pushed for
ward to offer his arm and sword, without in
quiriug into the merits of the case; for it
seemed clear that SO beauteous lady could
have done nothing but what was right; and
that, at any rate she ought to be championed
in following the best of her humors, wheth-
or right or wrong.
Encouraged by such gallant zeal, the
Duchess suffered herself to DO raised from
the ground, and related the whole story Of
her distress. When she concluded, the King
remained for some time silent, charmed by
the music of her voice. At length: s'As
hope for salvation, most beautiful Duohess,'
said he, sswere | not sovereign king, and
bound in duty TO my kingdom, myself
would put lance in rest and yindicate your
cause; as it is, give full permission to my
knights, and promise lists and a fair field,
and that the contest shall take place before
the walls of Toledo, in the presence of my
courts
As aeon as the PLEASURE of the king was
known, there was strife among the cava.
liers present for the honor Of the contest.
1t was decided by lot, and the successful
candidates were objects of great envy, for
every one was ambitious Of finding favor in
the eyes Of the beautiful widow.
Missives were sent, summonng the neph-
ew and his two uncles to Toledo, to maintain
their accusation, ard day wis appointed
for the combat. When the day arrived ali
Toledo was in commotion at an early hour.
The lists had been prepared at tue usual
place, just without the walls, at the foot of
the ragged rocks on which the city is built,
and on that beautiful meadow along the Ta-
gus, known as the Kings Garden. The pop
llace and already assembled, each one eager |