The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-11-19
The Weekly Clarion.
THE TRIALS OF A TEXpLAR.

A summers day in Syria was rapidly
drawing to a close, rs a handful Of En-
ropean cavalry, with fiat topped helmets.
eumbrous hauberks, and chargers sheath
ed in plate and mail, toiling their weary
way through the desert scorched almost
to the heat Of embcrs, but high Of heart.
elated with enthusiastic valor and the
inspiring sense Of holy cause, thew fol-
lowed their leader, one Of the best and
most tried lancers Of the Temple. careless
whittier and secure Of triumph, their
gold lace-heads sparkling in the rays OF
the setting orb, and the parti-coIored
banner o. Of the Beauseant hanging mo-
tionless in the still atmosphere.
Before them lay a waste and Of bare
and dusty plain, though varied by thorny
shrubs and dwarf palm trees. As they
wheeled round one Of those thickets.
they halted suddenly at the right OF
some fifty horsemen, whose garb and
turbaned brows. proclaimed them
natives of the soil, winding along the val
ley beneath them with the staedy silence
Of proWling tigers.
Although the enemy nearly trebled his
own force in numerical power. without a
moments hesitation Albert Of Verman-
dois arrayed his little band, and before
the enemy discovered his presence, much
less his drawn blade, or concentrated
their scattered line, the dradful war-crv
rang upon their ears, "Ha Beauseant
for the temple for the temple and
down Numbered the irresistible charge
Of the western Crusaders on their IN
guarded flank. Not an instant did the
Saracens withstand the brunt OF the
Norman lance; they broke away on alI
sides, leaving a score Of their companions
overthrow, to rise no more, on the
bloody plains Scarcely had the vic
tors checked their horses, or reoreanizel
their phalanx, broken by the lct strue-
gle, when the distant clang Of cvmbaI.
horn and kettle drum mingled with shriil
cries Of the heather sounding in every
direction, announced that their march
had been anticipated their route besot.
themselves surrounded. Hastily takinq
possession of the vantage ground afford
ed by hillock, and di.missiug the lioht-
est Of his party to ride for life to the
camp OF Christian camp and demand i'm
mediate aid, Albert awaited the onset
with the stern composure arising from
selfpossession.
A few minutes suffiiced to show the ex.
tent OF their embarrassment, and their
great peri. Three heavy masses Of
cavalry were approaching from different
quarters, their gaudy turhans, gilded
arms and waving pennons Of a hundred
hues, blazing in marked contrast to the
stern and martial simplicity Of the iron
soldiers of the west To Albert's ouicl,
eye IT was instantly evident that their
hope was IN protracting the conflict till
Euccor came, and even this hope was di-
mlnIshed by the unWOnted velocity with
which the MOhammedans hurried To the
attack. Fiercely, however, as they char
ged, their lighter courses recoiled before
the bone and weight Of tho Euronaan
war steeds. The lances Of the Crusad-
ers we're shiverd in the onset, but TO the
thrust Of these succeeded the deadly
sweep Of the two handed sword FLASHING
above the cimeters Of the infidel with the
sway of some terrific engine. Time al-
ter time the eastern warriors rushed on.
aud as often retreated, like the surf from
some lonely rock on which it has washed
its thunders in vain
At length they changed their plan
and, wheeling, in rapid circles, poured
IN their arrows rs fast, and for time as
truitlessly, as the SNOW storm of VIM
ter day. On they came again, right up
on the point whore Nermandois was pos
ted, headed by q tall chieftain distinguish
ed by his generous arms and gallant
bearing.
Rising in his stirrups, when few pa
ces off, he hurled bis long javaIin full in
the face of the Crusader. Bending his
chest TO the saddle-bow rs the dart pass
CT harmlessIy over him, Albert east his
missiye haIIe-ax in return; the tremeu-
dous missile hurled past the chief at
whom it was aimed, and smote his shield
bearer to the earth, at the very moment
when IN arrow pierced the Templar's
charger through the eye-ball to the
brain; the animal bounced forward and
fell liteless, bearing his rider with him to
the ground; yet, even in that last strua-
gle the stern knight Glove the turhaned
leader down to the teeth before he fell.
Five hundred horses dashed over him
his array was broken his COMPANIONS
hewed from their saddles, disarmed, fet-
tered, and reserved for doom to which
the fate of his comrades had been boon
of mercy. Satisfied Withs their success
and aware that few hours ut farthcst
must bring up the rescue from the
Christian army. the Saracens rcsrcated
rapidly rs they had advanced, all nirht
long with undated speed toward their
fastneSs IN the raviues eff their wild
mountains. Arrived at their encamp-
ment, the prisoner WAS east into dan
geon hewn from living rock. Day
after day Albert lay in utter darkness.
unvisited only by the swart and bearded
savage who brought his miserble pittance,
scarcely sufficient for his wretched sub
slstanee Albert, Burgundian youth
of high nobility, and yet more exalted
renown, had lett his native land stung al
most TO madness by the early death Of her
to whom he had pledged his affections,
and whose name already made GLORIOUS
by his sword, from the banks of the
Danube to the pillars of Hercules.
He had bound the cross upon his
breast, mortified worldly desires. beneath
the strict rule Of his Order. While vet
in the flush Of manhood, before a single
line wrinkled his lofty brow, or he had
gained mans statue, he had attained a
height of dignity and fame scarcely equal
led by the best and oldest warriors of
the Temple. The vigor, the vast scope
of his political foresight, had long rem
dered him glory to his Brethren,
cause of terrier to the Saracen lords of
the Of the Holy Land. Many league
had been formed to overpcwer, many
plot Matched to inveigle bin; but so in
variable had he borne down all odds in
open warfare before his irresistible blade,
SO certainly hal he hurlded heasons
with vengeance on the heads of the
schemers, that he was almost deemed the
possessor of cabalis.ic spell framed for