Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-26

destined prey, kyt<y man tcta ~ ny
comradesa ffonbled fnce the shadow of
that creeping horror that clouds ms own.
.And many prxycA then who were not
greatly wont 70 pay 1t other times for
their hearts were heavy Then, all "a
moment, She whole air Is died With
those Wild yells which the fierce warriors
Of Wales seem 10 have learned from the
wolves Of their native mountains, while
Che cold. white mist around shapes ifseli
into swarm 81 white-cloaked fgures,
savage faces, kissing jayelins. and flashing
swords. Aroused too late, the doomed
Normans stand to their arms like men, but
the mercIlsss darts. 81 In the use whereof
says the chronicler OF this medieval
Jsandhlwsna. "these Welsh d. exceed eli
men that live r--falI thisk and fast among
them, piercing alike bun icrkin and mail
OF proof. and STRIVING the bare hillside
with the diving and the dead. The be-
bayior Of the rash Earl Of Hereford him
self In this fearful crisis is sufficiently char
aeteristic. "When be saw that his men
yielded, and that the violence OF the Welsh
increased upon them ever more and more.
he swore A great oath and spurred his
steed even unto the m!dmost Of the en-
cmy.,
But the gallant war-horss that has served
him so wen in the tiltyard cannot help him
now. A fiery WsIshman, unable 70 pierre.
the stopg steel-plates that guard both horse
and rider, fiings himself beneath the tramp
ling hoofs and deals one sure stab upward
with his long, sharp knife into the yitals OF
the charger. which crusnes him To death
with his falling weight. Stunned and
bruised, the dismounted Earl lies mo
tionless, and over his PROSTATE boGy
there begins death grapple OF Welsh
and NorInans worthy OF the bloodiest
battle In Homer. SO thick IL the
crush OF furious faces and struggling
limbs "tbat none could see the Earl,
neither wist anywhere he lay" At length
the overthrown leader. maddened with
shame and rage, struggles TO his feet again
and lays about him With his terrible
mace "even as a thresher upon the ripe
corr.r But spear-hcad aud sword-blade
rattle, like hail, upon his arInor OF proof,
and his blood flows ias. from more than
one wound, while bis men fall around him
on every side. A happy COY was young
Reginald dc Moutclair when he rode forth
tins morning TO draw steel in battle for the
first time, with o joyous smile upon the
fresh, smooth face, which Is now badly
gashed. Gallant Arthur F1tzberbert, the
Earl,s favoIfte esquire, lies dead beside
him with Welsh sword driven through
steel aud bone into his brave young heart.
Only last night be was dreaming OF VIM
ming the golden spurs OF knlghthood, but
he will never wear them now. Down goes
the burly bannerman, Richard Genyil, and
the standard which has so long been the
terror Of the border lies trampled
in dust and gore. But just as all
seems over, deep, hoarse shout OF
apex Alice" God help comes rolling
along the fatal hillside, and Ralph de Qua
der. with all the meD-at-arms OF the Leo
minister Marches at his back, IS seen coming
on swift and straight upon the enemy's
flank like Butchers Prussians at Waterloo.
At sight OF the advancing succors the
Welshmen vanish like spectres into the
surrounding mist, while tue rash Earl
leaving many brave fellow stark and std
behind him, limps back TO Hereford a sad
der and wiser man, for (as the old chron-
icler slyly obseryes) "he SAID not whether
he yet wished ever again TO meet those
Wclshmen whom he had so greatly longed
TO see.D
With such memories IN your mind you
NAV well fancy, rs you watch from the
rocky shore the heaylng waters below
bjudling into waves OF living fire in the
down in their suilen depths the shadowy
towers and palaces OF the lost city OF King
HOel the Great, and hear in the hush Of
evening the faint, ghostly music OF those
ancient church bells over which the sea
'osed ages ago Even now in one OF the
Va 'ftle old-iasbioned towns OF this Sc
yuh,n, Il. YOU may light upon some
ciuded region Sarner. who after prs-
kIa!'naired Welsh ''rited execution
facing his story with sp.-. rIqrbeckv
OF "The March OF the Men OF - in
or oar Hydd 4 Nos,' will tell you
picturesque od-world speech the weird
legend OF that "drowned hnd OF the
West" that once stretched along the whole
Of Greater and Lesser Wales from
Cornwall 10 the Isle OF Anglesea. a goodly
and 1t was, full OF fair women and brave
men. famous bsrds and skilful ma
yicians, and "all earthly delights" But
It length the folly OF Prince Seithenin, the
irunkard, (at whose ill-omened name Your
mprompip historian goes of into string
II curses worthy Of Gdipus Coloneus,) let
a upon this Fsradise the devourne sea.
which left no trsss of il save those strange
'pebble dikes I" siong the coast. which are
be Channel pilots terror to this day.