Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1860-05-03
gelerteh Miscellany.
TIL E F ATAL HELM ETS,
A GALLO LEGEND.
By F. A. DuRIvAGE. {

y was on dark enaa'1r IN, -! IT,! Z, z {
Februar,-r-e5s- ...ssa4. mounted on fleet and
;5 ,afiafffsgers, rode rapidly towards one Of
the gates Of the city of Paris. They were young
and gallant knights, favorites of Charlemagne,
and now bound for the ancient palace of Their
mes, with sealed dispatches for its seneschal,
from the new monarch, Louis, the brother and
successor of the great emperor.
"Look, Raoui !" said one of the riders, Robert
de Guercy, addressing his companion, Raoul de
Lys, 'the clouds have lifted little, and through
a rent in the murky canopy Of heaven, one star
beams ont, a presage of good fortune"
cay, Robert" replied his brother-in- arms,
and methnks behold, rising in the distance,
the hoary battlements and tlme-worn towers of
the old palace. Dearer to me, that old Roman
pile, in all its rule severity than the farest cita
del of other lands-for is it not the bower ofmy
ladye love, Rotrucle- the peerless ?"
s:Not peerless y answered Robert de Guercy
''you forget her sister Gisla."
':They are twin-sisters of beauty" said Raoul.
"Worthy of the blood that courses in their
veins-wortby sisters of the imperial Charlie
magne."
'What think you the new monarch will say
to our attachment ?"
81 know not. | have not learned to read his
character. But fear his austerity and pride.
Yet little while, Robert, must our love be hid
den. We have woed and won our mistresses
in secret-let lis still shroud our passion in the
veil of mystery. The hour will come, believe
me, when we can avouch it in the face of day.
When we have carved out fortunes with our
swords, and earned with our blood the highest
honors of cllivalry each can claim the hand of
an emperors sister as his guerdon. But here
we are at the gate"
Raising his bugle to his lips, Raoul blew a
vigorous and martial blast. The gate was open
ed and the knights, setting spurs to their horses
dashed under the archway, the tlambaux Of the
guard throwing ruddy light upon their geam-
ing armor and white plumes Recognizing the
companions as royal messengers, a few cavaliers
mounted in haste and offered their escort as fal
as the palace of Thermcs.
The party galloped on at full speed, the iron.
shod feet of the horses dashing fire from the
stones that lay scattered in the narrow unpaveC
and il-kept streets. At length they reached
the:old palace, where the knights dismissed thei
escort The seneschal, an old man, whose white
beard descended half way to his girdle, received
them with the honor due to couriers from tht
emperor, and gave orders that their chargers
should be cared for, while he himself marshallet
the way into long, vaulted hall, wainscottee
with oak, upon the walls of which hung pano
plies of arms and banners of all nations many
of them wrested from their original possessor
by the gallantry of Charemagne. Yet it was
dreary place, and the night-wind, that found it
way through the loop-holes, swayed the rustlins
banners to and fro with dismal moaning sound
like that Of the voice of a prophet of evil.
The old scncschal, having conducted the youns
knights thus far, halted and said
"You are from AK -la-Chapelle?"
s.Yes," replied Raoul "And we have riddel
all the way on the spur-sccuring fresh horses
all along the rout know not how my com
panion feels. he will answer for himself; but TO
my part, am as weary in limb as after da,
spent in looping off heads upon field of battle
But vension pasty and flagon Of wine befor
retiring to rest would not come amiss. Wha
say you, Robert? ?"
! Il have made no VOW of abstinence-or
might be tempted to break it, for my necesltle
are great" answered De Guercy.
"But your dispatches, noble knights" sai'
the seneschal.
'By the mass | had almost forgotten,
said Raoul, producing the packet from his breast
s.Here is the missive- sealed with the lmpera
arms" and he placed it i'll the hands of the OFT
man.
The ayel senescl,al carefully broke the seal