The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1838-05-30

me, on the stairs of the outer cavern.
trembled, when, about FIVE o'clock, / saw
the fatal basket descend. shuddercd as
looked at the poisoned food, and resolved
to throw il down the well of the deep cave,
to which Immediately fastened. My dog
followed me.
trembled so TINT the bottle of milk flew
out of my hand, and as 1t broke, the milk
flowed out on the ground. i then threw
the bread and fruit into the well, and when
i turned, what was my horror on seeing my
dog tapping some of the milk, ou: Of a
piece of the broken bottle. l snatched
him up in my arms and ran with him to
my chamber, but bad nothing to give to
him as an an,idots for the poison.
extinguIshed my lgh, before I entered
the chamber, as heard Alphonsine calling
to me. l took her up, and as finished
dressing her, heard the poor dog whine
fnintly. He came to us and whined two
or three times. Alphonsine, who was
standing at my knees, took him up and
laid him on my lap. In few moments he
was dead. What did feel at this proof OF
the poison when thought, that had it no,
been for Leonora, should have given tha,
milk to my child.
Alphonsine was astonished that Azor did
not move, and she asked me the reason.
answered in voice broken by sobs, and
tried TO give her some idea of death. She
listened TO me with great attention, and then
wept bitterly. carried poor Azor into .he
lower cavern, and threw him into The well.
This was melancholy day to me. and ut
night found it impossible to sleep.
Two days after saw a basket descend
with bunch of grapes and a blue ribband
in it, and knew it to be Leonora's. /
begged her 10 speak to me, and she told me
that the Count had returned to Madrid.
She said she had informed him that his ut-
tempt TO poison his oaptives had not sue
ceeded, and she had declared to him, tha,
if he took any other means to destroy US,
she would denounce him before a magis-
trate, and expose the whole extent of his
crimes but, that if he would permit us to
live, she would pledge herself to continue
to keep the secret, and to stay constantly
at the castle, and also to obey all his com
mands, unless it tended to make our impri-
soDment more miserable than it was al
ready. The Count was as cowardly as
cruel; and the frmuess Of this woman
had so much Influence over him, that he
departed for Madrid without any further at
tempt on our lives.
That day Alphonsine was six years old,
l determined that for the first time she
should hear me sing and play on guitar.
After she had finished her morning prayer,
| took her to my oratory, and she fell on
her knees before the cruci6x as ! had
taught her. then began to sing hymn,
accompanying myself on the guitar. She
uttered cry of surprise and delight and
after listening few moments, she burst
into tears Of rapture, and threw herself in
to my arms. made her touch the guitar,
and explained to her from whence the
sound came. She begged me to sing a
gain. | did so, and finished the hymn.
When l had concluded, Alphonsine EN-
braced my knees in transport, and csress-
ed the guitar, for she could scarcely believe
that it was not living being. She asked
me to sing again, and l did so for more
than an hour. She entrea,cd ME to teach
her to sing and play, and that day began
10 instruct her in music and we went
every morning to sing hymn in the
oratory.
| obtained from Leonora, n second gui-
tar, smaller than the one had, and a little
tambourine. Alphonsine soon learned to
play on both these instruments. She had
an excellent ear, and evinced al extraord-
mary fondncss and taste for music. This
amusement, which she so mucI, delighted
in, inspired her with vivacity she had
never felt before. When we concluded
our little concerts, she would kiss me, and
tell nae she was happy. Poor child how
limited were her ideas of happiness.
taught her to count; told her stories !;
and devised little plays for her accus-
toned her TO walk within mo, and I sonie-
times sent her on little errands, TO bring me
things tbut wanted, and at length, she
was able 10 GO alone to the cave Of the
fountain. When she returned, she always
threw herself into my arms and we were
both as much rejoiced. as if we had Just
met after long separation.
BY the time AIpbonsine was eight years
old, l had taught her to speak French ex-
tremely well, and to repeat a number of
verses aud hymns in that language, as we'll
as in her own. In the noDtony Of our
dark and lonely life, instruction was an
amusement both TO her and to me. I had
an incessant desire to look at her, but
RETAINED from induleing il, except once in
two or three months, when she was asleep.
How did long to see her eyes; J supposed
them to be still blue from the golden color
Of her hair, sod tho slabsster fairness of
her complexion, on which the sun bad new
er sbone since her earliest infancy. did
not allow her hair to grow, for bad heard
that long hair weakens the constitution of
children bat had great difficulty in cut
ting l. while she slept, with the bandsee
over her eyes. One Of her beautiful curls
I always carried in my bosom, and when
at night I sewed for her in the orstory, 1