Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1857-12-23

no other eognomen at the baptismal font
than Norman, son of Tom. Now, how.
ever, as il was obvious that knight should
be supposed Of family of mark sufficient
to indulge in the luxury Of surname, our
adventurous knight ofthe shuttle hesitated
for moment whether to pitch his choice
upon deriyative (Tomson) from his fa-
theirs name of Tom, or the given one
pertaining to his craft Of Wabster. True,
neither the plebian patronymic nor yet the
craft appellative was particularly pleasing
to the soaring views Of our aspirant can
didate for knighthood's spurs, still he
might not hesitate beneath the royal stan
dard and in the presence of the victorious
! sovereign: moreover, so familiar was his
longtime cognomen Of Wabster, that bes
fore he had any chance for deliberation,
he had given it unawares in his reply, and
now he hears himself proclaimed one of
the fraternity of knighthood, as Rise up,
4 Sir Norman Webster, and be thou a val
liant knight and true!' gave name and
rank to the weaver's apprentice, since
\ rendered even more illustrious by those
/ who cared not, perhaps knew not, that it
was given to their ancestor on the field of
Agincourt.
From the first, our alorous knight was,
in twofold sense, a soldier of fortune,
caring not only for fame, but keeping at
the same time a sharp lookout for the
main chance whenever anything in the
way of plunder turned up. Nothing came
amiss in the way of booty, from smashed
harness to Women's kirtles. His great
personal strength and iuyincible courage
gained him distinction, while his as in
domitable resolve in ali cases of emergen-
cy to look out for Number One brought
him riches. Taking nothing to the wars
save these qualifications, backed by the
sword abstracted from his fathers stall,
he returned laden with the spoils Of sacked
couyents and Norman castles; vet were all |
these outshone by a trophy prouder far
than any derived from rifed abbevs or
slaughtered lenders, when he presented at
Whitehall young, beautiful and high |
born bride-tlle daughter Of noble Nor
man knight, whom he had rescued, for a
consideration, from the field where chief |
tain and follower lay mangled together. !
But not to nar knights generosity was
Count Vidal indebted for his life when +
thar worthy stood with uplilted sword |
considering the value of the mobiles suit
Of mail as he lay bleeding there. Since I
we are telling a veritable tale, we must
needs confess the truth. The count of
fered his vanquslier sum quite sufficient
as ransom to compensate for permitting
him to retain his mail corslet and diamond I
hilted rapier for the nonce.
Leading his prisoner TO his own tent,
our hero had The counts ugly looking
gashes dressed, aud treated him with
every becoming and humane attention.
until he thought him sufficiently recovered
to be able to discuss the matter of the ram
som. With this intent he began 10 ex>
anime the counts suit Of armor, and other
accoutremerts, when he perceived to his
dismay, that whathe thought to be of great
value, was but gilt, mere gloss and tinsel.
Discovering this by scraping the gliding
with his dagger from the baser metal ofthe
bassinet, our valorous knight threw it
from him, while giving
vent to his imprecations on the pauper-
ism of French peers, who by resorting to
such devices, succeeded in arresting the
uplifted swords of England's chivalry,
when ready TO descend on their worthless
heads; and going straightway to the sleep
ing count, he shook him ia no very ami
able mood, demanding if he were ready to
disbarse tile sum promised, as he would
thereupon iiberate him.
Reused from his sleep, the old noble,
with genuine Norman suavity, replied, r.
that anxious to preserve his life, he had
spoken without giving due consideration
to the fact of bis present inability TO raise !
30 large a sum as that specified, when, as !
now, III and absent from his French es- I
Lates. Our knight hereupon mused
graveIy upon this distasteful bit Of infor- ;
nation, and showing the bassinet from
which, in bis landable quest, he had
scraped the gliding, he said:
sHark ye, Sir count! In yonder frippery ;
IF copper tinseI have sufficient demon.
'tration on that point But since You
cannot pay what you have yourselfvolun-
eered, how much can ! rely upon if lib !
crate your
sALost puissant knight, repliedthe luck.
ess prisoner, Il acted wrongly IN promis-
ng more than ! had any possibility 70 per-
orm, being, In good sooth, not master OF :
lalf the sum agreed upon.
Then BY my knighthoodl sir count,
,ou have put vexatious cheat upon mel
aid our hero. Had you fallen into the
lands Of less magnanimons knight than
myself, you would soon be taught that It
vas q sorry Jest 10 render yourself up a