Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1858-08-06
EE A o HxE,
Or, the Faithful Maiden.
STORY OF rAnrARy IN oLDEN TINES.


Many, many years ago, near the borders Of
| Lake Baikal, there was 4 Tartar maiden of
| great beauty, who was eourted by at least
! dozen lovers Among them were several per-
! sons Of great wealth, aud one who bore the ii
| tie of Khan. lie was in fact the chief Of
considerable tribe who dwot in the neiehbor-
| hood. The lady seemed not 10 fancy any of
| these persons, but at last young man came to
offer himself, who fairly won her heart. He
was chief, but Of a small tribe and destitute
| Of riches. lie was, indeed, brave, and a fa-
nous horseman, but The father Of the maiden
/ wished his daughter to make more ambitious
match.
! Thus affairs went on for some time, until, at
last, the maiden, weary of the opportunities Of
| her lover, and the impatience of her father,
| proposed 10 mount fleet horse, and having tile
start of half nile, her lovers might pursue,
aud he who caught her first should have
! her.
This arrangement was finally accepted by all
| parties. The preparations for the chase were
/ soon made, aud the tribe an around assembled
to witness it. The maiden, whose name was
Alaoki, which means the Flying Deer, was
mounted on small black mare, of the breed
Of Mount Liberius, celebrated for their swift
ness.
/ The Khan, whom | have mentioned as ono
OF the lovers, was mounted on a horse of iron
| gray, of prodigions strength and vigorous &C.
ton. When he moved, it seemed like The
working of machine of iron His step was
hgb, yet direct, and far reaching All who
saw him, said in their hearts that bis master
would win the ptize. Maoki herself looked
With dsmay upon the noble animal and bis
preud rider, for, of all her suiiors, she liked
him tie least. Nay, there was something
about him so hard, dark and severe, that she
feared, if she did not hate him.
The other lovers were variously mounted,
but all bad selected the most famous steods
known IN the Hhole country round, for THEN
speed and endurance. The young chief favor
e1 by Maoki, and who bore the name of La
dsone, or the Whirlwiud, came on nlilk-wlite
charger, his eyes beaniing with intelligence and
fire, while his di.ating nostris seemed like two
blazing Goals is5d, aa4ea by the giHd As he came
il'' aiaohi = AS he passed near her, she saiu
IN low tone, 81 shall be the bride of death or
the Whirlwindl - This met no other ear but
his.
The arrangements ali being completed, Ma
oki set forward and soon reached the point iix-
ed upon as marking the a;agance she was to have
in the race. AT the signal for TIC start all
the lovers bounded away like the wind. The
course taken BY Maoki was over lisid plain
! stretching cut for miles Her feet black mare,
with long silky name and tail, laid herself down
/ and seemed TO fy With the wings Of raven
/ On came the laundering band along her track,
! some piercing the air with wild cries, and some
/ lashing their steeds with the knout. Soon the
! chase was only to be seen in the distance, and
! finally they all seemed on the remote surface of
! the plains, like insects creeping along the edge
/ of the horizon.
The spectators long watched the scene with
/ intense interest. At last there arose wild
shout, "they are coming" they are coming -
1t was indeed them. Maoki had made wide
sweep on the plain, and having eluded her pur-
suers, was flying back as if to take shelter at
the point of her departure. Swift as a hawk
she came, her beast reeking with foam, and her
nostrils seeming to be on FIRE. Close at her
heels was the Khan and his iron gray charger
Next came the white steed Of ladrone, SPRING
ing and gathering with the facility of noun
tain deer Then struggling far behind, but yet
with desperate efforts, came the rest of the pur-
suers.
Maoki approached the place of their depart
urc, ard cry of applause burst from the as
sembed spectators; but all wondered what she
intended to DO Just as she came close to the
crowd, she touched the rein, and her horse shot
like an arrow. Two bounds behind was the
Khan. and close upon him was Ladrone. 1t
was a fearful sight. The horses we're gushing
with blood at the nostrils, and each breath they
drew was like the spleen of hail against the
frozen cover of teut.
Suddenly cry Of horror burst from the
crowd. Maoki was speeding directly toward
the cliff that beetled along the shore of the lake
She was already at its verge. Another bound,
aud she, with her horse, had disappeared
They had gone over the cliff In an instant
the Khan followed with his steed, and, almost
at the same moment, I4adrone was lost to view
The people hurried to the shore, and there they
saw strong swimmer in the waters Of the lake
mounted upon his steed, and approaching tht
land It was the Khan, and he was soon safe
on the shore, but all beside had disappeared
aud we're never seen since that fatal day.--.N
Y Mercury.