East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-06-14
THE RUNAWAY MATCH.

)f his vast empire were formed the |
of France, Italy and Ger
many, and the States Of Navarro,
Lorraine and Burgundy, besides great
iefs which soon became States them
selves, and were in their turn divided
and subdivided into ever lessening
Thus arose the feudal
system, a colossal, omnipresent des-
potism, but which was, nevertheless,
not wholly bad. Its establishment
was promoted by the universal terror
of the North men. Hungry barbara
ans were they, driven from the pater-
nal homo TO gain a livelihood by
plumber, Wasting in mad orgies the
produce of their voyages, those voy-
ages were ceaselessly renewed
Wherever their dragons and serpents
so they called their vessels-appear-
ed, W herever was heard the menacing
sound of their ivory horns, the mother
snatched up her child, the husband
gathered his focks, and leaving their
homes to the spoilor, they fled TO the
nearest town or abbey! Vain hope!
the towns wero too often sacked,
sanctuaries were robbed even to the
gifts of the altar. So the harvests
were neglected, and the poor mingled
earth with their flour. The forests
widened and deepened. Wild beasts
multiplied, and the wolf howled on
the deserted hearthstones. The mobiles
at length attempted what kings were
powerless to achieve. Their strag-
Cling villas, often Of wood surrounded
only by banks and bitches, were sue
ceeded by strong castles perched upon
steep rocks, defended by rapid rivers,
or provided with artificial defenses as
the deficiencies Of the site required.
Nowhere were the ravages of the
Northern brigands more formidable
than in the Netherlands. Its broad
and navigable streams invited their
DaiAS, s.AS a. -h..dant yealth on
either hand filled them TO overfiowing.
In this hopeless condition Of affairs,
Charles the Bald was but too happy
to appoint Baldwin Brasde-fer, or
Baldwin with the Iron Arm, forester
of Flanders. His courage, celebrity
and foresight were widely celebrated,
and his name inspired confidence in
his friends and terror in his enemies.
Unlike many rulers Of distant prov
inoes, he presented himself punctually
at court at the appointed seasons, and
offered with graceful promptitude
report at least Of all such proceedings
as could by any possibility reach the
ear of his passionate and grasping
lord. Amidst perpetual strife, this
quick obedience was irresistibly sooth-
ing, and the monarch regarded with
pleasure the warrior who, unyielding
to others, submitted so readily TO him
self Beyond this he was conveniently
blind. Divided between exaggerated
notions of his own august majesty
and the perplexities and disappoint-
ments entailed by his frequent and
ill-conducted wars, he never dreamed
Of the secret cause Of that submission
which, if wanting, he would have
found so difficult to enforce. Vigor-
GUS, persevering and ambitious, Bald
win was also endowed largely with
that frmness and self control which
conveys an impression of rigidity and
coldness. He may have been stern.
Life at that period was little better
than constant warfare, by which oil
the harsh tendencies of men were
brought out and exaggerated, but he
had one warm spot in his heart, and
it was filed by the emperor's daughter
Judith. The princess was, it is true,
only child, but her exquisite lowell
ness, her arch and winning ways, her
instructive delicacy, the rare promise
of noble womanhood, visible even
then, attracted oil who knew her
Young as she was, she shrank from
her despotic father, and nervous
dread, sad foreboding, settled upon
her heart. This never wholly left her
except in Baldwin's presence. She
knew that he loved her before he had
spoken of love. She saw it in his
eyes, she heard it in his voice, she felt
it in the very atmosphere which en-
veloped them. She summed herself in
his smiles. She rested in the con-
temptation of his vast and practical
strength. He satisfied her ideal. His
great personal beauty harmonizing
perfectly with his stately symmetry of
form, his manner, not without haugh-
tiness toward others but gentle and
tender toward her, his martial fame
fairly won and as fairly sustained,
completed to her thought the model
of hero. Her heart leaped gladly
at his avowal Of affection, and her
betrothal kiss was to her as sacred as
baptism. They carefully concealed
win knew how impossible it would be
to obtain the emperor's consent to
their union unless he should first so
strengthen himself in his province as
to make it unwise for him to refuse.
He returned to his duties, not without
anxiety, but still with the hope that
tie extreme youth of his betrothed
would secure her for time, at least,
from her fathers interferences.
He was mistaken. Because tho
emperor was neither wise nor strong,
Judith must help sustain the splendor
of his throne by wedding ring
Nearly year before, Ethelwulf, King
of England, with his son Alfred,
afterward Alfred the Great, had visited
the French court on his way to Rome,
and had been charmed with the young
princess. Absence had but increased
his passion, and now he returned to
tho capital and proposed for her hand.
Charles accepted at once, peremptorily
informed his daughter of the engage
ment he had made for her, and plung-
ed deeply into the necessary plans for
the wedding festivities. Separated
from her lover, in mortal fear of her
father, conscious that not one person