Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-03-28
The Cndiyn of NewhnrX.

Every one has read Tennyson's beau.
tiful legend of Lady Codiva, who rod,
naked through Coventry to save the
poor townspeople from oppression. The
| Newbury Codiva was a charming anC
graceful woman renowned for domestic
virtues and sound ideas. Her husband
Eliakim Wardwell, had been severely
reprimanded and punished on account
of his spiritual beliefs, and his wife
deeply felt the bitterness and injustice oi
this visitation. "The wicke6ness of the
priests and rulers toward her husband,
as saith the ancient chronicler, power
erfully affected her She had strange
musing and desponded fits, and was
wont to tell the neighbors that, lied by
the Lord" she would yet do some
thing to shock these tyrannous elders
from their prejudices. One soft May
Sunday, when all the earth rejoiced in
the infinite gladness of pleasant sum
mer; when the birds, half mad with joy,
caroled Justify; and the splashing cur
rents of the river carried sunshine in
glittering riffs to place it on the bosom
of the somber and unquiet sea, Lydia's
word from the Lord came into her
mind. She rose from the easement at
which she had been sitting, scornfully
regarding the solemnly robed and
melancholy looking company vending
their way, almost mournfully, to church.
Stepping into her own rooms quiet,
she remained long and fxedly in COM
munion with herself. Then, not stop
ping to notice the soft blush which suf-
fused her countenance, she hastily threw
off her simple garments and stood,
naked as born, with her long hair trail
ing to her waist. After a moments
hesitation, during which she heard the
voice in the church eonjuring all in sol
emn parlanee to fear the Lord their God,
she opened the door and stepped out.
Once or twice she faltered, but finally
went on until she reached the church
door The armed man outside sprang
to his gun, fearing that this might be
some goddess of the wilderness whom it
was his duty to slay. Then he shrank
away from the unclothed presence; from
the scarlet face, which, as it entered the
church, turned pale and closed its eyes.
There was a wild, affrighted look from
the good minister at the figure which,
clad only in its magnetic beauty and its
womanhood, stood defiant before him.
The members of the congregation who
considered it a sin to look behind them
in meeting, transgressed this time, for
they thought by the ministers look that
an attack had occurred. They grasped
their arms and the women shrieked.
But the figure advanced until it stood
directly before the pulpit. Then it
slowly and solemnly retired, leaving the
good people of Newbury in state that
can better be imagined than described.
Lydia, apprehended at once for such
gross misconduct. affirmed that it was
the work Of the Lord that had prompted
her thus 70 show her contempt for the
traditions and forms which
had become such bitter tyrants. She
offered no further apologies, and would
not admit that she committed any Of
fence against the public morals. Her
mission was accomplished, and they
might do With her what they would. The
court which judged her sat Of Ipswich.
Her beauty, her Yomanly modesty, her
bearing before the grave mas
teFs Of the law, Influenced some in her
favor, but she was finally whipped Sc
yerely, after having been stripped 10 her
waist and tied to tavern post in Ips-
Wich town. She lived long, however, in
the same community where her Ryryne-
like esoapade had occurred.