The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-11-10
From the " Trial and Triumph" new novel
A STORY ABOUT PREJUDICES.


The old lady lay back in her chair, her
eyes half closed, and one hand resting
on the arm of the chair, the other hold
ing her glasses. The cat was above, pur-
ring as usual and Glowing up her great,
soft paws into balls, which she rolled
out and in as she pleased, while Vesta,
whose life seemed perpetual doze, was
lying at Lucille's feet, to whom she evil
den1y had a fancy. Lucille sat up, look
ing towards Mrs. Lumsden and waiting
for sign. 1t came at length.
Il said, listen my dear, didn't ?"
She began thus "Ill tell you histo-
ry-the history of prejudice. You re-
member | once warned you against pre-
judice. Here then is one. 1t wrecked
and ruined. That was natural. Most
prejudices do that. Fifty years ago there
was very beautiful girl in Suffolk. She
was beautiful You wouldn't know that
|if you saw her now, for she had trials,
and they changed her. She had father
and mother, whose love for her had no
bounds, but had failing. Itwas a pre-
judice. They were of old family, and
high name, and the pride of this was
their prejudice. 1t ruined that young
girl. She had two brothers. They were
amiable, accomplished young men, but
this prejudice was in them. They had
both entered the cavalry regiment, and
in tat a time such admission were rare
enough-was the son of an army con-
tractor. He was a plebeian, but / sup
pose had all the true instincts of his orr
gin, for while the aristocratc corps al
ways taboed him, he simply contented
himself with prophesying the coming
doom Of their order, and he did this so
mildly that they began to think they
might carry the insult of abuse still far
ther.
The eldest of the two brothers, on one
occasion, heated with wine, said more
than he should. He could not even keep
within the licensed bounds of previous
displays, and how could he ? 1t was the
daily lesson of his youth, thar pride of
birth, drilled into him as the virtue that
hid and CLOSED over every vice SO it
was entwined with his being, and as the
cornet had on huge shield with dozen
of absurd quarterings, he was fair game.
The words ran high. and that eldest bro
ther threw glass of wine in the cornet's
face. have heard this story from an
eyewitness, and can vouch for its truth
The plebeian had blood and spirit within
him. He was calm and collected, too,
on this occasion. for he rose very cool,
while they were all excited, and went
out of the mess-room SO they all sat
down and continued drinking their wine,
thinking, for moment, no more about
it. until the cornet walked in again, clos
ed the door after him, locked it, and put
the key in his pocket. They looked up
at him. He had a brass bound box in
one hand, and two naked swords in the
other. You may think, my dear. that
this appearance rather startled them, and
so 1t did. He came over to the table and
laid down the box, whose contents they
all knew he placed the two swords on
the top of it. He was very pale looking.
but quite cool, and he had taken the
place next to the elder brother. There
was an empty glass beside him. He fill
ed il up with water, and flung it calmly
into his face.
The plebeians,' he said. I" have not
robbed enough to be able to commence
their quarels with wine"
The eldest brother sprang to his feet,
all eyes on him. He was dizzy and gid