Year: 1869

The author of "Flemish Interiors has
just published an interesting volume en-
titled Pictures OF Hungarian Life" in
which there are some striking passages IL
Illustrative of domestic life. Here Is a
picture of mother and daughter belong
ing to the upper middle circle of Magyar
society:


'.The eldest daughter, charming girl
of eighteen, might be said to possess all
the qualifications, physical and mental,
one could wish TO find in young woman
of good position. To very sweet face,
with clear blooming complexion and BEAM
ing eyes, and a graceful figure, she added
the charm of u most winning manners,
while her conversation betokened high cul-
tivation. whether in reading, languages or
ACCOMPLISHMENTS We were surprised
when her mother told us she
had no longer any trouble with
the menace, for that Illona took
the entire charge of the household,
and even gave an eye to the management of
her younger brothers and sisters. There
is not she added any department of
nsedlework with which she is unacquaint-
ed, from darning stocking or table-cloth
so exquisitely that no one would detect the
spot to the choicest embroidery. In the
Kitchen, she continued, she is equally
efficient; and as soon as she heard you were
coming this evening, she begged the cook
to let her prepare every dish that was to
appear. She understands making all kinds
of pastry and preserves, and even the cur
ing of bacon. And you must not think this
is nything extraordinary. No Hungarian
mother would consider that she had done
her duty by her daught if she had not
thoroughly grounded hcr III all the know
Id hn 20 flyolxr tn ar
of family


sswe heartily admired this sensible mode
of training, and secretly wished that Eng
lish mothers entertained similar ideas on
the subject; but could not help thinking
that such training, useful as it is, must
have interfered with the perfection which
might have been attained by such girl in
the more elevated branches of her educa-
ton. ANY such doubts, however, were
completely removed when, at he. mothers
desire, Illona opened the piano and played
with her same national duets, without notes
and with the most consumate taste andfe
ing. Our astonishment was not to end
here, for We found that our fair young
friend possessed an admirable talent for
drawing when she produced port
folio of most spirited sketches from nature.
| Her French accent was excellent, and she
spoke English with tolerable fiuency, being
also well acquainted with many of our au-
thors. whether IN prose or verse. German
she did not understand; but this apparent
deficiency IN her knowledge was explained
by her mother, who assured us that, how
ever yielding and dutiful in her whole CON-
duct, she could never be persuaded to
have anything to do with that language.
So powerful is the feeling of patriotism Ia
Hungary. that hardly any of the rising gen.
Grafton can be persuaded to speak, read or
in any way recognize the German language


The quaint legends of the Magyars are
also embodied IN this volume. One of
these, concerning the Nuns Tower, is TO.
mantle:


"A valorous knight, one of the former
lords of Theben, having fallen in love with
the beautiful daughter of a neighboring
baron, between w,uLn and himself existed
a deadly feud. the father strictly forbade all
intercourse between them; and finding one
day that the girl favored her lover, and
that stolen interviews took place, was 50
infuriated that he at once determined TO
immure his daughter In a convent. The
enamoured knight soon discovered tie re-
treat of his mistress, and taking with him
an armed body of his retainers, attacked
the convent by night, sending terror into


the hearts of tie 0bhess and her nuns.
and carrying the trembling recluse off to


his castle. Arrived here. he placed her for
greater safety in solitary turret perched
upon o rock, and standing aloof from the
rest of the fortress, which he surrounded
with men in ambush. While, however,
dallying in his lady's bower, the castle was
surprised by a very superior force, headed
bv the enraged father. The castle was ran.
sacked, and the lovers not being found, the
soldiers were ordered to surround the
Z smaller tower, to the dismay of its inmates,
who soon saw that their precautions were
wholly inadequate to the circumstances. -
They resolved, however, not to be taken,
preferring a voluntary death to an ignonin
ious capture, and subsequent fate o
which imagination presented to them 9
ffightful picture.


The secret passage which may now bt
seen leading from spiral staircase thro
the rock 70 the waters edge below, unhap
ply did not then exist, and there remained
bat one resource for the hapless pair. The,
appeared for one moment on the summit o
the tower. locked in each others embrace
As they looked down despairingly on the
besiegers, prompt order to draw thei
bows was given to his archers by the re
lentless baron; but ere the heartless com
mand could be executed; both had leape,
into the stream below, and the peaceful


waters were flowing on, regardless Of tn


cruel tragedy of which they had been tn


scene"