Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-08-11

again SWIM W INC p"''ch ioSn, ""'Sh
was now paradise to her; and here
she passed the Ions nights IN the socie-
ty Of her beloved theodore.
At length i, happened that, as she was
swimming to the rock one night, log
arose, winch prevented her from seeing
the light quite clearly, and drove her
out of her course, SO that she was seen
by some fishermen, who were pursuing
their occupation. AT first they took her
for large ish, but, looking more close
ly, they found she was a woman, and
they then watched her until she reached
the rock, where they saw her land and
enter Ihoodore's cabin This however
did not diminish their asionIshment.-
They stald near the rock until she re-
turned, and then, marking the course
she took homeward, they rowed aiier
her, and in spite OF all he. precautions,
they discovered who She was
These poor fellows al first had no in
tention oi beirayng the secret with
which they had thus become acquainted;
bu, afterwards, when they came 70 DIS
cuss the mattcr, aud ihink OF the dis
grace which mast ultimately be brought
upon respectable family lim were 40,
put stop to, as well as OF the nightly
peril ih which the young glri's life was
placed, they resolved they would disclose
ak they knew. They therefore went to
the house Of Nal gherila, and asking to
see her brothers, the fishermen told the
young men every particular they had
seen.
The brothers heard this fatal intolli-
gence with great emotion. At flfs, they
could not believe it, and proposed, be-
fore they gave credit to it, that they
should have the evidence of their own
eyes; but, after examining again the fish
ermen, and making inquiries in their
own house, they were too WEI convinced
Of its truth in all respects. They :hen
consulted together as to the best meals
of putting their unhappy sister to death
without delay, but in such manner as
to conceal the disgrace she had brought
upon their name. At IeHgth they agreed
uponan eXpedlent, which was immed-
iately put in execution.
The youngest Of three brothers at
night!all got into boat, aad roweI
quickly, aud as If clandesiinciy, to the
rock where Theodore dwet. When he
arrived there he told the hermit who he
was, and besought HIM to give him
lodging for the hight, alleging as roa-
son for his request, that he nad been en-
gagged in an affair which had terminated
unfortunately; that, for the snare he had
taken in it, his life was forfeited to the
laws of the land; and that, if he should
be seized, he mus, inevitably die.
Theodore, who was delighted with an
opportunity Of being useful to brother
Of Nalgherita, received him with the ut
most cordIalty. He put before him the
best fare his hove afforded, and sat up
the whole Of the night converslng with
him.
In the mean time, and while the
younger brother wholly occupied the at
tention of Theodore, the other two, as
soon as the night had quite closed in,
went OFT of their house secretly, and
embarklng on board small sailing boat,
having first provided themselves with
torch, they directed their course towards
the rock. When they reached it they
made fast the boat, and then fixed the
light they had brought with them, to the
top OF tho mast in such a manner that it
was sure 20 be seen by their hapless sis
ter, whom they had left on the island of
Mezo.
Their design succeeded the coura-
geous girl, as soon as she saw the accus-
toned signal of the light, threw herself
boldly into the sea, and swan towards
it.
The brothers upon hearing the noise
which Malgherita's swimming made in
the water, loosened their boat, and, taxi
ing up their oars, they rowed slowly and
silently from the rock towards the main
sea, the light still being fixed up against
the mast.
The luckless girl, who, owing to the
darkning Of the night, could see nothing
but the light, which to her had always,
hitherto, been iayouring as well as a
guiding star, followed il without hesi,a-
ton, did not perceive that it changed
place. The brothers, in the mean time,
never ceased to row on; and their vessel
proceeded as steadily and as atal!y as
the footsteps Of Death. AT length, having
arrived az the deep ocean, they on
sudden extingulshed the torch.
MaIgheriIa, when she lost sight Of the
light, was in utter confusion and despair:
she did not know where she was, or