Weekly Messenger, Volume 1, Number 71, Vevay, Switzerland County, 19 January 1833 — Page 4

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WEEKLY WESSENGER

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V C'-fc. iVfc.-'.;-' J FiOM the Pniviilrmx Patriot, r;ti rniatrvin; "ir.t.oDi;:. the r;:cssi V. 1'ull up. my l'ov, turn quick the rource, And 1 t the H or'C begin; The world "n pressing on without, And w: rniistf.T.ss within A:5 e who guide, the puMic mi ml, U.ivo iiithiui.ee far a;:d wide Ami all out d cds are g-od although The dfiiTs at our side. I.rt tly the fri-ket now my hoys I Who arc more proud than we V." :ih- wail the anxious crowd without, The throe nl prrcr to see; So o.jil awav none, are so great As thev wit run the car; A a i w!u have dig:iiiy like those Wiio practice at the bar? An i yiv.i who twirl the roller there ie quit-!:, von inky man; Oi l time is rolling on himself So beat him it you ran; '-archil of the light and shade, Xor let the sheet grow pale; Be e a re ail of the monfru looks Of every head and tail. Though high in nfice is our stmid. And "?-ous is our case. IV e. would no cat a t'ur on those, Who fill a lower space; The nap:'- world is !VmI hv u Who retail knowledge lu re; B"- feeding that, we fcd ourselves, Xor deem oar fare too dear. Pall up. my hoys, turn quick the rounce, v t.d thus the rinse we'll join; We have deposits in the bank, . .i drawers are full of com. An ! who should more genteelv cut A figure or a dash? Vet sometimes we vho press so much, Ourselves arc pressed lor cash. From the. Saturday Coiaier. CCQ. GABLE'S MAURI GE CEREMONY. You hromish now, you goot man dare Yet statu upon de vloor, To Lab dish voman for v our vife, And la!) her ehermore, To feed her veil wid sourcrotit, Pee:is, buttermilk, and cheese; Am! in all tings to lend your aid Dat vill promote her ease. Yes, and you voman standin dare Do bledge your vord, dish tav, lit ou vill take vor your husband Dis man, ant him opey; Dat you v'.il ped and poard wit him; V'ah, iron, and meat his cloas; Laugh whet. shmiles, veep when he sighs; Pmss share his choys and voes. Ve'd. le ., 1 now, vidin dese vails, V.i iev and not vit krief, Tjio ,-.!. re you bote to be von mint, Yon . tire, von man, voon beef; I p v;:,!is!i, now, dese sacred bants, IV te mairi'iior.hl tie?. Fefore mine viie, (.Jot, Kate ant Toll, Ant all dese gnzir.g eyes, Ait. as de sacred scripture say, Yot Got unites togedder Let no man dare asunder put, Lei no man dare tern sever, Ant yonbr.tckroom dare, here you stop, I'll rot let go your collar Tefore vou answer me di ting, I) it is!i: Vnre idimins dollar? mmt. i.ii iwBi 'the .Hyatt'i'tous tia tiger, OK THE HUAVO OF HAMT. Oiaplcr 1. The Robbers Thumb. We are about to enter a terra incog nita. Does anv one remember liear INK or eeiie a little, odd, an English. u :-5 otch monovllable, spelling itself Banff? An amnrmttTe ar.swer, we u.pect, will only net given by young ladies, or ycang gentlemen, fiesh from their ERi"aph) iVho may call to m"in,if they t. iV- partu ulnr good memories, that Biflf i the capital town of a cou.Vy of the sain- nume in Scotlirid. F arlhf r tri m this not onr in a mitiion of our fair reader? can go. Is-ot a stable rfciciation is culled up . t'" ?oiid. The "sleeping images ; ; : a th. mind sleep on. It is i ; : -vo'ii to cttjare with. Try as ) "n. it will "dv rc?oe itself at i-.iti I'll its component letters; and V i Have-, nothing more for your :;.ii B. a, n, double f. T i - iJ no ie- strange than it is true; tJ.r.ff. in addition to its biug on :,e nst beau'.ifully situated towns c.i. i he northern coasts of Scotland vl.:cU 13 preltv nearly the same as s ivia. on tlie face of the whole earth i ft-.Miinmicd by all the char ins which, like iho-e of women, attract the ,) uk r? of fashion, to desecre and dV the veiy temple whervin they wor?hio. lis thalvbeate stines refn.hle. wlile thev biirpa.f, those of Tombridge Wells; its walks, rides, riid hive are unrivalled f the kiny;doTt ; tiiemi-jrht) inagi.iticent sea breaks opesi it chlfs, or gambols :i its golJen

-amis; ami the romantic l)t;veion plu. -tre into the w ale of waters by its side. Bnff, though cheerful and lightMime in its aspect, ha? yet a solitary

iok. It fciitij to stand apart, with a kind ofprulidi dernrum, from the rest of the wot hi; and this character attnrhea even to tlie inhabitants 'hemselves. Tliey consist in great part of that class which used formerly to be designated by t lie now obsolete term nf genteel people.'' Of this portion of the society some are wealthy and srme are small annuitants; but in a place where the necessaries, and many f the luxuries of life, are singularly cheap, all are independent. The stain of IruhV is rarely to be seen in the esculchewn f Banff gentility. The residents have laid down their ledgers and takn to the journals; or they are honorable pensioners on t heir country ; or lannilies of small iuheiited fortune; or invalids who come to drinU at the llvgeiau springs and brighten their pale cheeks with the breezes of the -ea. Owing to the circumscribed nature of the society, the Ban firms are all vel! known to each other. Yet, in this instance, familiarity does not breed contempt but quite the reverse. Tneir social intercourse is carried on with a certain punctilio, which spreads in air of fashion over the whole com nuiiity. They arc strict inquirers ino clan? and families, and allow grudinjjly his lawful place to M itnmon. Thr are in fact a sort of exclusrvcs in their way; and. in their iiiter-commu-t.ication, bear some resemblance to a dress party. At the same time, however, when we take up the history of this community, Banff was flighted from its propriety by a series of daring robbe ries commuted in the town and neighborhood. .The business commenced st Duff House, the elegant seat of Lord Fife; and, whether produced or not by the natural love of imitation vhtch seems to govern mankind in matters of murder and marriage, a succession of similar 'exploits spread consternation through the district. Some people imagined that a gang of first rale cracksmen had condescended to come all the way from London, the grand emporium of thievery; but no Granger of any distinction in appear ance was seen in the neighborhood, md the suspicion fell to the ground. That the robberies were committed by strangers, thre could be no doubt; lor ii was observed, in some cases, that the best protected prt of the house was chosen for attack, force appear ed occasionally to have been used; but in general entrance was euec'.ed either by an unfastened window, or some oth er means that did not involve the necessity of making too much noise. Noise, indeed, was usually heard; but never till the deed was accomplished. Then there was. a grating of shoes, a stamping of feet, and a clapping of feet, and a clapping of doois; as it ihc adventures, flushed with success, a. id certain of escape, cared n longer foi concealment Such tokens of defiance, indeed, were the best means that could have be?n used to cover their retreat; for when the stillness of midnight was broken by sounds like these, the stoutest men sometimes lay quaking in bed or were seised bodily by their wives, and kept piisoners of peace till all was over. It was surprising, however, to se how bold the Banffians were in the da time. Curse? both loud and deep were vented ngainst theee mysterious bravo?, whom no man had as yet seen. The most bloody-minded measures were talked of. All the pistols in Banff were cleaned, primed and load ed; swords aad dirks sharpened ; and one gentleman even proposed the Ani mation of an armed constnbularv forvv. and dailv exercise on the Bntter) Green in all the manoeuvres of war. But these belligerent plans were euosessfully oppotd by the half-pay officers, n ho remarked that' regular military operations could be of no use in dark chambers and narrow staircases; and at length an air of ridicule was thrown over the war party by the cn duct of one of their leaders, who, on hearing some suspicions sound at night ran from his own solitary room into that of his Bister's, exclaiuung valiant ly, "Hand me, or I'll ffghl!" As yet, we have said, the robbers had never heei seen; but at length the fullness of time arrived when they were both seen and felt, and when blood flawed in the struggle. The circumsl'mcc of their choosing the house of Major Lovat for the object of attack p. oved, if proof were wanting, that they were indeed strangers in the dis trict. 1 he major, whose name is well known in the wars of the Peninsula, was a man of unquestioned courage, and withal of a fierce, hot, and sudden temper. He was hesides in the com mission of the peace, and so active in his justiceship, that to him were ow iug the detection nnd punishment of lmot nil the great crimes that had been committed in the county since

the peace. The major did not a) peat to share in the general excitation ai

this particular juncture. He could not be persuaded to take any measur 'of scrutiny which he had r ot been accustomed to; and even his man ser van!, Franks, a fine looking fellow, of well-known brnverv, "although an Lng lishtnan," as the Banflians said was not withdrawn from an out house, where he had slept for some time in consequence of an oveiflow of visitors, who had now taken leave. If major Loval was not so fierce as usual in manner, he was not less watch ful. He lay with the door of his room ajar, and every now and then got up to listen. Sometimes he stood during the stillest part of the night at hi chamber window, which commanded the back entrance to the house, and sometimes descended the staircase in his slippers, to ascertain that all was right below. These precautions, however, were taken by stealth; and his daughter and the maids murmured a6 loud as they durst at his supposed negligence, which they attributed to military pride. One dark and stormy night a night that seemed to have been contrived on purpose for the prowling robber Ma jor Lovat was as usual on the watch. He was confined, however, by the Ba. hel of sublime or dismal sounds; in which the howling of the wind, the groaning of trees, and the roaring of the waves breaking on the Bar, migled in a 6trange wild choiu. To lseertain what was without the house, was in'.p issible; yet he could not divest himself of a sort of superstitious impression, that he had heaid something which did not belong to the pro per noises of the house. He could derive no assistance from his eyes, for the night was pitch-dark; bat as he en deavored to pieice through the gloom below, while he etood at his window, a multitude of moving forms ssemed to throng around the door. Altnough aware that these must have bten the effects of fane), he yet determined to descend stealthily, a, id listen at the door Wrapped in his night gown, and armed with a drawn sword, the major groped his way al most to the bottom of the staiis, ami then stopped shortr threw back the folds of his gown, raised his sword, a.uJ bent forward In the attitude of spring ing, as he heard suddenly the wellknown din which attended the depar ture of the plunderers. A distaut duor wti shut with a force that shook the house, confused whispers rushed along the corridor, and heavy steps tramped and grated upon the floor. The din approached. Major Lovat bitterly re gretted that he had not nl once sprung forward, serured the back door, and thus made piisoners of the whole par ty. He knew that in a dark house a chiid might scare a whole band ot robbers; and at ary rate, it assistance was necessary, single shout from the window would soon awake his servant Franks. It was now too late, howev er; for a door communicating with the range of apartments oo the opposite side of the hall flew open, and a hu man figure, treading heavily, as if in wantonness, rushed towards the door. Major Lovat gained the spot in a ingi bound; and, aware that in the twofold darkness of the recess the enemy would become invisible, whirled his sword at random round his head. The robber did not enter within its sweep. He turned suddenly aside at the entrance of the recess hith form ed the porch, and vaulting like a bailee, um np n a lofty window-eat, dis appeared before the enraged majoi ould strike at him more than a singio blow. Whether this blow took ctieti or not, it was impossible for the piesent to ascertain. The gallant veteran stepped noiselessly and instantaneously bark into the porch: and, grinding liis teeth till he foamed at the mouth, waited the approach of the next. He waited in vain: for the rest of the gang having no doubt heard the clang of the weapon, found another way oat. The morning soon after broke, and the kitchen-wench, crawins gapingly to her early avocations, ne sooner beheld the spectre-like fig ure of her master guarding the do mains with a drawn sword, than she uttered a scream that brought down Miss Lovat and the maids in their night gear. After ascertaining which he did with infinite mortification that the whole party had escaped, the major proceeded to examine the window and the circumjacent premises; the folding casement had been dexterously slip ped irom its hinges, with the fracture of only a single pane; and on the sill our veteran detected, with a growl of satisfaction blood. This, however, might have been no more than the ef fects of the broken glass, and it was necessary to inquire into the state ofi all iirson the outside. On the pave mcnt below the window, a much great er quantity of blood was visible. It riot meander along the stone in a narrow stream like that which flows from a common cat; but Iny here and there

in broad and thick splashes. Tim was proof that an artery had been se vered; and the major followed tlx track like a slot-hound, till it was completely lost io a jungle behind the paling. He was about to call Franks,

and heat the bush from end to end, in hopes the wounded man might have fallen from the loss of blood; when n scream from Miss Lovat brought the anxious father to her side. She was standing beside a pond at a little diefance from the path, and gazing with horror and alarm at some minute object on the brink. It was a ban's thumb. The daring villain, in the midt of the pain and danger of the wound, had had the presence of mind to throw away the severed member, let at sonae future time it might appear as a witness gainst him, attempting, no doubt, to bury it io the pond, although he missed his purpose in the dark. The major stooped upon his quarry like a hawk; but presently, shaking his head Get in with you lasses," said he, "and a truce with your squeeling and skiitjrg. for one morning. This is not the lad to lie down for the loss of a thumb; he is safe by this time Fll warrant yoO; and, by my honor, I should not be sorry for it, if we had only his arm or leg here. But a thumb! a poor indemnification for a night's watching, and may be as much as a year pay io kind. Well, well half a loaf is better thaa no bread,' as Franks says;'1 and the major, not at all so disconcerted as he appeared, careful ly rinsed the thumb in the pond, aad car ried it triumphantly to the house It would not be eay to describe the tate of agitation into which the people of Banff were thrown, when the news of this circumstance ran, while it was yet early morning, like wildfire through the town. The thumb was first magnified to a hand an arm a leg a whole bo ly; aod then multiplied by fifteen or sixteen, till the inhabitants, flocking to the scene of action, expected to find Ma jor Loral's back court strewed with the slain, Some of the families whose nous es stood alone, talked of removing into town, and many serving lasses actually left their situations, and sought shelter in i heir parent ivyods and closes. Even Franks, M ijor Lwval's man, made his appearance in the parlor, greatcoated. booted, gloved, and evidently prepared lor a journey. "1 am come to t ike leave of your hon or, sam he, with the abruptness which in an English servant is called iusolene. The you are! and without warning?'1 'You know, sir, yon make it a rule to give me warning at least ten times h uav. and that is quite sulhcienl lor my pur poge ." "The English of all this is, that yon are afraid I say you are afraid, you ran cal afraid," spluttered the major, red fiening with anger. I am neither a rascal nor a coward," replied Franks; " but I would rather take a soldier's pay and die by fair fighting, than run the risk every night of being murdered in bed fur ten times the mooey. I have no notion of it, I assure you. It is not my trade. Till such time as you can contrive to have a proper police iu your country, you need not expect an Eoglnmnian to live with you." ;y the time the fellow had finished his harangue be contrived to be just at the door; tor the major was occasionally apt to take (be executive department of bis justice ship into bis own hands. Had the man been less impudent, he would mobt probably been bribed to stay, by a hand some addition to his salary; for, being a smart, ready fellow, he had become ah most necessary lo his muster. The only point in his character, indeed, that was at all objectionable, was an over devo lion if inch a thing be possible to the fair cex. The serving lapes far and near were pulling caps, or rather ragging" mutches far him; and since bis ariival, au unusual nomber of accidents had happened both to their lepntations and persons. The mnjof, however, was at this time so much absorbed in the contemplation of his gain, that he had no time to be moan bis los, or reflect either on the good or bad qualities of Franks. The thumb lay on a towel on a table before him, and )he room during the entire day was crowded by visitors, wb had come to inspect it, and inquire into the real history of the capture. The thumb was not aa ill-shaped one It had certainly not been a bard working thumb; but on the contrary was fair and smooth, and the nail well shaped, somewhat long, and carefully pared. It was in short, rather a gentlemanly thumb, and only distinguished from other thumbs jf the class by the scar of an old wound. When the visitors had all retired which they took care to do before the shades of evening had fallen, the major wrapped the relic ia cotton, impregnaied with brandy, spices, and perfumes; and in spite of Mins Lo vat's entreaties, pla ced it ou the mantel piece as a trophy and an ornament. ront hence it was taken for many a day after to be shown again again, to the admiring visitors; nnd for some time the all-absorbing topie of conversation was the Robber's Thumb. (To be continued.)

lkYiii lor a V ile. ' The pilgnn.s having c mplefed their preparations, ai d all btn g in

icndiness, Selim departed from St io, with the consolation of having attempt ed to do as much good as possible. It is not my fault that 1 did nvt succeed," said he. A day or two after they were becalmed close to the little island of Nizari, which is famous for having the best livers in all the Archipelago. Nor is this wonderful, sincer when a rich nan intends marrying his daughter, he appoints a day for ait me young men of the island to repai: id the sea-side, and there in the presence and that of his daughter, io dive for her. he who goes deepest and remains ui der water the longest wins the prize. "It happened that a trial of this kind was going on at the niome t the vessel was becalmed close to the snore,' and seeing a great crowd collected, the passengei. with the excepuon of th Turkish lady, who itiu-eu to ue guil'v of such an indecorum, all went ashore to witness the ceremony. "Upwards of a hundiedune looking yom.g men were collected, and the uial commented in the presence of a crowd of spectators. Tne prize was a charming girl, who sat at some dis tance, with e)es modestly averted.It was said that she ardently vvisnid success to a oulh who w is prese- I, and who excelled all iiis competil rs in the beauty ol his lace, as wen as the symmetry of his person. J he lots iad beiri. cast fo detidc the wrdr-r ia which each of the candidates was to dive, and the turn of Hie handsome young man was the last A little bag was lied round the neck of the diver, the depth of t:.e water correctly measuied in oiffeient places, and it was astonishing to see the time they remained u.:der water, as well as the vast depth whence toey brought up pearl-ojsterd. All had now done their best, when the hai.d some youth advanced to esay hi for-' tune It was observed that the roue which enveloped the bosom of tt.e young virgin rose and fell with more than usual rapidity, as the young man plunged into the sea at a spot where as yet no one had reached the bottom. As the period of his immersion lengthened beyond all others, sh Uls of victoij resouued from the spectators, and the host. m of the jouog pnz. Jam sel increased in its throbbing, Ilk - the waves of the sea when the ten, peat is rising. A few moment moie, and ihe sh. uts gradually subsided into low murmurs, while the crowd cagc-rlv ad vanced to the veige of the o.tan, and seemed agitated bv a paiulul anxiety to see him ri-e. A few moment more,. and a h-dluw moan announced im reas ing and almost hopeless nnixely. The prize damsel appealed agitated by the most violent emotions, and at the length voices exclaimed, 'it is time for him to return.' "He will never return!" exclaimed the distracted maid, rushing towaids the beach, and beseeching the cthep young men to dive to his reecut, if it was uot yet too late. They obeyed, but it wag some lime ere they re-appeared, during which the maiden wrung her hands, and exclaimed in piteous despair. Ai leng'h, after a lapse of a few moments, one of the voung men appeared bearing the body of the handsome youth without sense or motion to the shore. Various means were taken for his restoration, during which the distracted eirl remained fixed ns n statute, with her hands clasped and her eyes raised aa if beseeching the interference of Heaven. In a little w hile the limbs of tho youth became stiff, his muscles rigid and inflexible, and it was declared that he was stone dead, beyond all hope. "No one was so ungeneroas as to claim the victory, or demand the prize from the deceased diver, and the poor girl was led home in silent despair by hei father and nearest relatives." Infancy. What is more beautiful than hh infant T Look at its spotless brow at its soft and ruddy lips, which have never uttered an unholy wbrd -and its blue laughing eye,-as it lays en the breast of its fond mother. Ixok, it has stretched out its whitehand, and is playfully twisting her hair around its tiny fingers. Aye, let me look at an infant! it is innocence en dued with life; the very counterpart of holiness. It requires nothing but the pleasant look of its mother, and her warm kiss upon its lily check, to make it happy. You may talk to it of sorrow, of misery, of death, but your words are unmeaning. It has never felt the chills of disappointment it has never withered beneath the pang of affliction, and its guileless heart knows nothing of the emptiness, the hollow professions, and cold heartedness of the world; and would to Cod that the cup may be broken ero.it be lifted to its lips. Oh on average.How deep is the snow, Mrs. Dumps?" "About 4 inches deep, in spots, ou an average, M'aprt-"