The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1838-05-23

uo tue uOOr. i now teU,
indeed as If | was TO he buried alive. I
had no longer any hope, and sunk into "A
most deplorable state of melancholy, for
several days, passing nearly my whole time
on my bed.
The basket vas now let down through a
trap door, and at The end Of a fortnight |
received again supply Of my former food,
and bottle Of oil. bribed Lconora with
a second sum of money 10 tell me how my
daughter was, and TO furnish me with IA
cruclix and some more books, among
which were the lives of the mos, noted her
mits and in reading of the pie,y and tran
guilty of these holy men, secluded from
the world in the solitude Of the wilderness,
felt my mind somewhat culmcd. But
alas they were not like me, deprived Of
an only and beloved child, and shut out
from the ligh, Of day, and from The enjoy
ment of contemplating the losey face Of
nature.
made an oratory oftho grot,o in which
was the cascade. placed there my
erucifiS, afiixing il TO the rock beside the
fountain. ! spread a straw mat on the
ground before it, and there knelt in prayer
every morning and evening. obtained
from Leonora a,large quantity of moss,
with which covered low rock that form
ed convenient seat and there | sat and
tried to read but too generally my thoughts
wandered from my hook and dwell only on
my Alphonsne, and on my sad cariiyiy.
Yet felt that if my child could he with
me, all the evils of my Imprisonment might
be borne with patience and il was my
daily and hourly prayer that she might by
some means be restored to me. At last
that prayer was granted.
What was my rapture on receiving one
morning from Leonora, billet, with these
words" IL lis difficult to know how TO
dispose Of the child, as her increasing like.
ness TO you and to her father, must event
ually bciray her origin. Some Of the SER
wants at the castle have frequently seen
you aud your late husband, when they nc
companied your grandfather on his visits to
Madrid, and there are several families in
the neighborhood, who knew you in that
city. Beside which, there are in IA saloon,
portraits of yourself and Don Pedro, pnn-
ted for your grandfather shortly before his
death. AIpbonsine already resembles both
these portraits and the resemblance has
beeu remarked by persons " ho have hap
pened 10 see her at the cottage in the forest.
I" Her death would remove much uneas-
mess from the MUD Of the Count and
will not disguise from you, that he thinks
that event may be accelerated, by immur-
ing her in the vaults that form your prison.
She is now too healthy. lie has deter
mined TO restore her to you, and this
evening at o'clock you will find her in
the basket The Count lenycs the castle
tonight and returns to Madrid but he will
first go to the nearest seaport, taking with
him Martin and Katrina for whose seryi-
ces he has no further OCCASION, and whom
he will ship Immediately for their native
country"
So great wns my transport on finding
that i was again TO see my child and Ia
have her with me, that could scarcely
read to tie end Of the note. Still, how
bitter was my Indignation a, the cruelty Of
the motive that had at las, induced the
Count to make my infant the partner of
my captivity. :" But she shall not die"
exclaimed, I" 1 vii! watch her too carefully
and the blessing Of Heaven will aid my
efforts to preserve Iher existence in this
dreory dungeon. We will be tho whole !
world to each other, and even in this dis
NAL solitude we may be happy" !
How did ! long for the appronch Of
evening. The day passed in one conlin- !
ual thought; of my child and two hours
before the appointed time, was waiting in
the outer cavern with my eyes steadily FIX !
ed on the trap door. A, length l saw it
open the basket began to descend
heard the cry Of AIphonsine-l saw her
little hands exlended-1 flew to her--l
held her again in my arms, and ] was
once more the bappiest Of women. l
thought not then of the sad priva,ions
this unfortunate child must endure in those
gloomy and lonely vnults-l thought only
Of the felicity of having her with me and |
kissed her thousand times and baihed
her innocent face with tears Of JOY. ]
found her considerably grown, aud plmmp
aud rosy beyond my most sangpine hopes.
carried her to my chamber, and laid her
on the bed, while prepared some bread
and milk for her; but l turned my head
every moment to look at her as she gazed
around in infant wonder, nj the new. and
and strange place in which she found her
SELF Her eyes were frequently fixed on
me, and it grleved me to think tha. she was
unconscious Of my being her mother.
" But she will soon know me-" said !,
" aud she will know only me-" fed her
and was delighted 20 fad that she n,e with
an excellent appetite, aud then, after had
long time INDUCED myself in caressing
her, undressed her and put her to bed.
found a supply Of her clothes in the bot
tom Of The basket. That happy night, ]
had no desire TO sleep-l had too mach
pleasure in looking a, her as she slumber-
ed by my side.
No words can express my felicity after
my daughter was restored to me. ] had
now something to attach me to life and to