Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-04-08
\ Ticklish Carnival Adyenture.

1t was during one merry carnival in that ga,
city CMadrid) that grand nasked ball was giver
by Nine. de Moutiio,to which was invited every
celebrity, both native and foreign, then residen
in the place. A certain. military hero, then il
the zenith of his glory, was among the guests
aud in dancing with the young lady of the house
disguised as a Barcelona orange wife, expressed
great anxiety to leave by certain hour, q:
he had to be at Aranjuez very early, in order to
meet the council of ministers which was to sit
there, in consequence of her Majesty's whim OF
remaining. during that festive season, at hel
palace in the country. The fair orange-wife ex.
pressed great interest in the hurried journey, EN-
quired particularly the means of departure, as
certained that a carriage was waiting at the
door to convey him away immediately and in
such special haste that a eiange OF attire was
provided in the vehicle, in order that no time
might be lost-and having discovered all this,
she expressed great alarm, lest the night being
so bitler cold, and the quantity of jewels which
the hero carried being great temptation to the
many bad characters 9bruad on carnival night,
he might be robbed and murdered for the sake
of the rich booty which such capture would
| insure. The hero laughed outright al her alarm
-he had Travelled that road al all hours of the
night, knew every inch Of the ground and in
proof of his utter conten pit Of robbers went un-
armed and unattended, as it was his "inten-
! lion" now 10 Go. Ibe lair partner, however,
still in much distress concerning his safety, hur-
ried his departure, mploring him to take every
care of himself, and promising to dance no more
at the ball, but to retire and put up prayer to
the virgin for his escape from peril. The gen
eral left the ballroom almost immediately
Some little delay, however, ut which he was
exceedingly angry, arose at the door, Some
miStake-some accidental detention-wlich an
noyed him exceedingly but which did not seem
of consequence enough TO cause injury and
which indeed was scarcely remembered till ,af-
forwards. The change in his dress was soon
completed while the carriage rolled on at its
fullest speed on account of the delay already in
CURED. The night was cold and gloomy-not
star was to be seen, and the road was as still
and deserted as any lover OF romance could de-
sire. The general, whose heart was stranger
to fear, and who had not exaggerated his own
powers of endurance in that respect when talk
ing to his fair partner at the ball, wrapped his
cloak around him and fell into deep slumber
dreams perhaps of the kind voice and sweet
manner of the lady who had taken such interest
in his welfare, and forming the aerial specula-
tons upon her identity which the success seemed
to warrant.
He had been asleep for some little time, when
he was suddenly awoke Is the shock occasioned
! by the abrupt stopping OF the vehicle and the
sound of voices in alteration, amid which he
recognized the expressions ofanger and violence
used by the mob of Madrid, and peremptory
order to the coachman to stop at once or drive
on at his peril. The general, reused to q sense
of his situation, looked out from the window
and beheld himself surrounded by troop of
rufhans bent on rifing the carriage. In an in
slant the door was opened, the steps let down,
and he who appeared the chief of the band, arm
ed with pistols and carbine, got in and sat
himself down beside the general, while the two
Others followed and took the opposite seat Re-
sstance was useless, for the banditti seemed
well armed and determil ed---and after few
demonstrations the general consented to remain
quiet while the vehicle proceeded by order of
the chief of the band along the road to Aranju-
ez. The darkness was complete within the ve-
hicle, so that the victim could not behold the
countenance of his captors, but the rattling of
the carbines and the click of the pistols were
heard now and then, and reminded him that re.
sstance was vain. The chief proceeded to ask
him questions--very personal ones indeed
which the general thought betokened a night
SIeUl III III SSIliuS
on this niouitous expedition-such as whether
he were prepared to die-whether he We're in
love and with whom-wlether he had any fare
well message to send TO his lady-love-and
whether he was inclined to purchase his life by
the revelations we could make concerning the
secret amonrs of certain lady with whom he
was acquainted; in short, the general soon be-
came convinced that these brigands were the
best of bons diables and ventured To promise ev-
everything if they would only let him reach the
palace in safety This he brigands answered
for. if he would only tell them all about her
Majesty. and what she had ever said to him
about Don Jose, and Don Luis and Saniiago,-
These singular brigandS, IS the general observed,
all spoke at once, in sotI, Squeaky voices, and
were all three more anxious about the gossip OF
the court than any other subject, all OF which
was quite astonishing and re-assuring; and SO
by the time their journey was drawing to a
close they had become quite good friends, and
before the morning dawned the SOUNDS OF laugh
ter were heard to iSsne from the vehicle, and
the general was beheld in familiar conversation
with his captors. He maintains To this hour
that he had perceived the joke from the very
| first but the fair wife, who enacted the part OF
the chief denies the assertion, and declares that,
although her intention of surprising INN into
some demonstration of alarm was unattended
with success, yet it was under the impression OF
certain kind OF anxiety that she obtained the
seal ring from his finger, which she would never
consent to give up afterwards, but keep as rel
ic of the fun and frolic of that night The mer
ry war which has been going on ever since be-
tween the two principal actors in that scene is
said. however, to bear its fruits even now, Tor
the Emperor expressed so much displeasure at
the visit made by the general to the Tuileries
some little while since that-the purport OF that
visit is said to have been completely missed, and
the embassy rendered entirely fruitless.-Paris
Letter, Feb. 26.
IRREGULAR VERBs.-The Paris correspondent
of Porter's Spirit of the Times is responsible fol
the following:
sit is astonishing how foreigners are imposed
pnon by some of our wags The other day
went to see little Frenchman just arrived, who
had been taking English lessons, as he informed
me. ON the voyage, from fellow passenger. He
complained much of the difficulties of our gram
mar. especially the irregular cer6S. For in.
stance saws he. .Ze verb to go.-Did one evel
see one such verb2' And with the utmost grav
itv he read from sheet OF paper:
Igo,
/ lDOu ueparteet,
He clears out;
We cut stick,
Ye or you make tracks,
They absquatnlate. ~.
Mon Dieu Mon Dieu What disregular verbs
you have in your language
An Ohio editor gives his views of severa
dances which he witnessed at the Inauguration
Ball at Washington, thus:
"The want of variety in this metropolitan
dancing was, however, fully made up by th
fancy things, such as the waltz and the polka
Those were absolutely balbarous. The old fash
joined waltz, the morality of which even Byrol
called in question: is here ignored as altogethe