POPULAR STORY OF BLUE BEARD. FRONTISPIECE. [Illustration caption: While Fatima is kneeling to Blue Beard, and supplicating for mercy, he seizes her by the hair, and raises his scymetar to cut off her head.] THE POPULAR STORY OF BLUE BEARD. Embellished with neat Engravings. [Illustration] COOPERSTOWN: Printed and sold by H. and E. Phinney. 1828 _The Alphabet._ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z _A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z_ _a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z_ fi fl ff ffi ffl--_fi fl ff ffi ffl_ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 . , ; : ? ! ' () [] * [dagger] [double dagger] § || ¶ THE POPULAR STORY OF BLUE BEARD. A long time ago, and at a considerable distance from any town, there lived a gentleman, who was not only in possession of great riches, but of the largest estates in that part of the country. Although he had some very elegant neat mansions on his estates, he generally resided in a magnificent castle, beautifully situated on a rising ground, surrounded with groves of the finest evergreens, and other choice trees and shrubs. The inside of this fine castle was even more beautiful than the outside; for the rooms were all hung with the richest damask, curiously ornamented; the chairs and sofas were covered with the finest velvet, fringed with gold; and his table-dishes and plates were either of silver or gold, finished in the most elegant style. His carriages and horses might have served a king, and perhaps were finer than any monarch's of the present day. The gentleman's appearance, however, did not altogether correspond to his wealth; for, to a fierce disagreeable countenance, was added an ugly blue beard, which made him an object of fear and disgust in the neighbourhood, where he usually went by the name of Blue Beard. There resided, at some considerable distance from Blue Beard's castle, an old lady and her two daughters, who were people of some rank, but by no means wealthy. The two young ladies were very pretty, and the fame of their beauty having reached Blue Beard, he determined to ask one of them in marriage. Having ordered a carriage, he called at their house, where he saw the two young ladies, and was very politely received by their mother, with whom he begged a few moments conversation. [Illustration] After the two young ladies left the room, he began by describing his immense riches, and then told her the purport of his visit, begging she would use her interest in his favour. They were both so lovely, he said, that he would be happy to get either of them for his wife, and would therefore leave it to their own choice to determine upon the subject, and immediately took his leave.