The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-01-30


upon the merchant aud his daughter. "Ye
are OF 'taly--from Milan is that your
] birthplace"
1--WE are Tuscans," replied the mer-
! chant, "of Lucca and oh noble lord, if
there Is mercy in this land, show il now to
this unhappy girl"
:" TO both or to neither" !" exclaimed the
girl 1--WE will live, or we will die, togetl,-
er
The v,car-general made answer to nei-
,ber. He rose abrub,ly at a sign given by
him, the proper officer declared the court
adjourned: the sufferers were hurried back
totbeir cells--some went whittier they would
--oihers. whether they would not, but oil
dispersed.
A faint and solitary light glanced from a
chink Of the prison-walls--it came from The
narrow cell Of the Italian merchant and his
daughter
The girl slept-sye slept Sleep doe.
not always leave the wretched, to light ON
lids unsullied with Q tear. Reader, hast
thou known intense misery, and canst thou
not remember how thou hnst felt and went.
and agonized until ,se very excitement Of
thy misery were out the body's power of
endurance, aud sleep, like a torpor, a STU
por, lelharey, bound thee in its chains
lnto such sleep had Emilia fallen she
was lying on that prison floor. her face pale
as If ready for the grave the tears yet rest
ing on her cheeks, and over her sat the uner-
chant leaning. asking himself whether, trea-
sure that she was, and had ever been to him.
he could wish that sleep to be the sleep of
death.
The clanking Of = key caught the mefl
chants ear; n gentle step entered their
prison. The fathers first thought wns for
his cind. He made motion to cuioin 81
'ence 1t was obcyed his visitor advanced
with quiet tread the merchant looked
upon HIM with wonder. Sureiy-not-and
yet could II BET that his judye-Lord
Cf"mwel', The vicar-genernI, stood before
h'n-and siood, not with threatening in his
eye-not with denuncia,ions on his lic, hu,
took his stand on the other side of poor E.
rnilia, gazing on her with an eve in which
, tenderness and compassion were conspcu-
} Gus.
: Armament bound up the faculties of the
merchant. He seemed TO himself ms one
that dreanieti,.
Awake, gentle girl, awake" snid Lord
Cromwell, AS he stopped over Emilia. al, L,ct
me hear Thy voice once ,pore rs it sounded
in mine cur in other days"
Inc gentle accents fell too lightly To
brenk the srell Of that heavy slumbsr and
the merchant. whose fears, feelings and
c"ntnsion formed perfect chaos, stoopipg
over his child, suddenly nw0ke her with the
cry OF " Emilia Emilia awnkc, nnd be-
ho'd our Judge"
Nay, nay, not thus roughly" said Lord
Irornweif, but the sound had already re-
called Emilia to n sense of reicbedness.
She bali raised herself from, her recumbent
posture into koeeling one, shadowing her
dszzed eyes with her hand, her streaming
hair fallIn. IN wild disorder over her shool-
den, aud thus resting at the feet Of her
judge.
Lo"k on me. Emilia" said Lord Cron,-
well. And encouraged by the gentle ac-
cents, she raised her iear-swoIlen eyes 10
his face. As she did 80 the vicar general
lifted from his brow his plumed cup, and
revealed the perfect outline of fis features.
Aud Emilia gnzed ms If SPELL bound, until
gradually shades Of doubr, Of wonder, Of re-
cognilon, came struggling over her coun-
teuanc', ond finally IN n voice Of passionate
nmazement she exclaimed; Z" 1t is the same
Ii is'our sick soldier guest I"
Even So" said Lord Cromwell. " even
so, my dear and geLle nurse. lie who wns
then the poor dependent on your bounty, re-
ceivIng from your charity his daily bread as
an aims, bnili this day presided over the is.
sues Of life and death, us your Judge but
fear not Emilia; the sight Of thee, gentle
girl, comes across the sterner mood thar
hath lately darkened over me. They whose
voice may influence the destiny Of u nation,
gradually lose the memory Of gentler
thoughts. II may be, Providence hath sent
thee to mel, me back again into n sofier ma
,ure. Many a heart shall be gladdened, that,
but for my sight Of thee, had been sad unto
death. ] betbink me, gentle girl, Of the
flowers, laden with dew aud rich in fra
GRANGE, which thou usedst To lay upon my
pillow, while this head tbrobbed with agony
OF pain upon il; fondly thinking that their
sweetness would be a balm and how thou
vert used to steal into my chamber and lis
ten to tales of this, the land of my home
Thou art here; and how hast thou been
welcomed Ito = prison, and we'll nigh to
death. But the poor ,oldier hath q home
come thou and Thy father, aud sbare it,"
An hour who dore prophecy its events
Al the beginning Of that hour, the merchant |
aud hrs daughter had been the sorrowfuI
caP,ives Of n prison ss its close, they were |
the treasured guests Of q palace.