Caesars Column | Page 8

the sweetness of their
song or the brightness of their plumage; the century-old trees, of great size and artistically
grouped; beautiful children playing upon the greensward, accompanied by nurses and
male servants; the whole scene constituting a holiday picture. Between the trees
everywhere I saw the white and gleaming statues of the many hundreds of great men and
women who have adorned the history of this country during the last two hundred
years--poets, painters, musicians, soldiers, philanthropists, statesmen.
After feasting my eyes for some time upon this charming picture of rural beauty, I left the
Park. Soon after I had passed through the outer gate,-guarded by sentinels to exclude the
ragged and wretched multitude, but who at the same time gave courteous admission to
streams of splendid carriages,--I was startled by loud cries of "Look out there!" I turned
and saw a sight which made my blood run cold. A gray-haired, hump-backed beggar,
clothed in rags, was crossing the street in front of a pair of handsome horses, attached to a

magnificent open carriage. The burly, ill-looking flunkey who, clad in gorgeous livery,
was holding the lines, had uttered the cry of warning, but at the same time had made no
effort to check the rapid speed of his powerful horses. In an instant the beggar was down
under the hoofs of the steeds. The flunkey laughed! I was but a few feet distant on the
side-walk, and, quick as thought, I had the horses by their heads and pushed them back
upon their haunches. At this moment the beggar, who had been under the feet of the
horses, crawled out close to the front wheels of the carriage; and the driver, indignant that
anything so contemptible should arrest the progress of his magnificent equipage, struck
him a savage blow with his whip, as he was struggling to his feet. I saw the whip wind
around his neck; and, letting go the horses' heads, who were now brought to a stand-still,
I sprang forward, and as the whip descended for a second blow I caught it, dragged it
from the hand of the miscreant, and with all my power laid it over him. Each blow where
it touched his flesh brought the blood, and two long red gashes appeared instantaneously
upon his face. He dropped his lines and shrieked in terror, holding his hands up to protect
his face. Fortunately a crowd had assembled, and some poorly dressed men had seized
the horses' heads, or there would have been a run-away. As I raised my hand to lash the
brute again, a feminine shriek reached my ears, and I became aware that there were ladies
in the open barouche. My sense of politeness overcame in an instant my rage, and I
stepped back, and, taking off my hat, began to apologize and explain the cause of the
difficulty. As I did so I observed that the occupants of the carriage were two young ladies,
both strikingly handsome, but otherwise very unlike in appearance. The one nearest me,
who had uttered the shrieks, was about twenty years of age, I should think, with aquiline
features, and black eyes and hair; every detail of the face was perfect, but there was a
bold, commonplace look out of the bright eyes. Her companion instantly arrested all my
attention. It seemed to me I had never beheld a more beautiful. and striking countenance.
She was younger, by two or three years, than her companion; her complexion was fairer;
her long golden hair fell nearly to her waist, enfolding her like a magnificent, shining
garment; her eyes were blue and large and set far apart; and there was in them, and in the
whole contour of the face, a look of honesty and dignity, and calm intelligence, rarely
witnessed in the countenance of woman. She did not appear to be at all alarmed; and
when I told my story of the driver lashing the aged beggar, her face lighted up, and she
said, with a look that thrilled me, and in a soft and gentle voice: "We are much obliged to
you, sir; you did perfectly right."
I was about to reply, when I felt some one tugging fiercely at my coat, and turning around,
I was surprised to find that the beggar was drawing me away from the carriage by main
force. I was astonished also at the change in his appearance. The aspect of decrepitude
had disappeared, a green patch that I had noticed covering one of his eyes had fallen off,
and his black eyes shone with a look of command and power that was in marked contrast
with his gray hair, his crooked back, and his rags.
"Come," he said, in a hoarse whisper, "come quickly, or you will be arrested and