The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-04-10

hesitation, but leaped with desperate
strength into the deep.
1t is we'll known that the lpsariot fe-
males are no strangers to the art of
swimming, and Canarissa had frequent
ly amused herself in this manner. With
Incredible rapdiiy she now dartedthrough
the waters and soon reached Wenderum's .
boat.
He looked upon her, smiled family as
she raised .his bleeding body in her arms
and then in low whispsr SAID, II die
for thee Canarissa." His eyes were
still fixed tenderly upon her, and she
did not know that he was gone until she
felt that his warm heart had ceased its
beating.
This was moment which called
forth all that deep fortitude possessed
by woman, and this young creature ex-
ercised 1t with amnziug power. She
placed her lovers body in the bottom of
the boat, and kneeling beside it, lifted
her bands in long and silent prayer.
She sometimes pressed her burning lips
10 his cold cheek, and then she would
cry out in strains of bitter -lamentati0n,
'"Oh Wenderum, how could they slay
thee in the midst Of thy beauty and
strength 7"
Nearly all the islanders were standing
on the beach, witnessing this sorrowful
spectacle--some said it was wrong TO
scperate two such faithful hearts, while
the more unfeeling maintained that she
also ought to- die.
AT length the wretched girl again lif-
ted Wenderum's body in her arms, then
slowly laying it on the surface OF the
clear water said, "Oh best Of men, thy
sacred remains shall not be violated by
the vengeance of my father Thou
shalt sleep in the bilow, and the hand
that laid thee low shall give grave to
thy Canarissa !" She gazed mournful-
ly downward for some minutes, then
lifted the oar he had so lately resigned,
and pushed for the island. When she
reached the shore, she stood upright,
with her long black ringlets flowing
wildly over her shoulders, an her dark
eye lightencd up into all the determina-
ton of her sire. "Now," she exclaimed
brandishing the ataghan, she had taken
from her murdered lover, "Let him who
slew my hest friend, come forward; this
bosom is barred to his blade, and this
arm is lifted to avenge the brave and iu-
nocent-let him come" All was si-
lent as the grave. The crowd parted,
and she passed on expecting death at
every step, but no ono molested her,
AT length well known voice cried out
"stop, l am the murderer J" She turn
ed and met the stern and settled face
OF her father; she threw her weapon on
the ground, and reverently approaching
him, he raised his ataghan to her bo-
som, when she sunk on her knees, and
clasping his feet, cried, "Oh, my father.
forgire-'"s are I die sehd not my soul
to its great Judge, with an uniorgiyeu
crime upon it--slay not thy child until
thy curse is removed !" His fiinty hear,
was sonened, and his stern brow re-
laxed--he looked on his beloved daugh-
ter, and extended his hand towards her,
she grasped il, but would not leave the
earth until he had forgiven her. 81 free
ly forgive thoe" he replied, "but the hon
or of our house demands that thou
should'st die !"
She attempted to rise, but so desper-
ately had every faculty been exerted to
support her to that moment, that she
wns altogether overcome, and sunk back
upon tho ground. Colonus gazed upon
her--pridc and paternal affection strug-
gled in his bosom, and the latter pre-.
vailed. "Thou shall, live, my child"
he cried, lifting her tenderly in bis arms
--he startled back with a cry Of horror
aud agony-the spirit was not there
Colonus lived many years to regre,
his rashness. He has now brave sons
fighting for their country's cause, and
when they left his roof, for this glorious
enterprise, which was short time be-
fore his death, he enjoined it upon them
to spare the yielding Turk for the sake
of Canarissa.