The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-11-20
MISCELLANEOUS.
From The Literary Go=ette.
THE RIVAL LOVERS.
A TALE OF NAPLES

TALE NAPLES.
In the fifteenth century, there lived in Ma
Piles, one Signor Felix Ambrose, man OF
great learning and wealth, whose favorite stu
dy was botany. He had collected in his gar
den an infinite number of rare and beautiful
plants, which he kept under his own charge,
assigning, however, to his daughter Cate
rina, the care Of those which needed the most
constant attendance. The charms of Cateri-
ma, not less than the beauty and odour of the
flowers, frequently attracted to the garden OF
Ambrose two gentlemen OF Naples-onc
named Caracciola, and the other Andrea
Both became enamored of the fair hotanist,
but Andrea, though poor, was her favorite.
On learning this, Caracciola, who was very
wealthy,-conceived the most bitter hatred
which jealousy could engender for his rival
and longed for nothing SO much as favorite
opportunity to put him out of the way.
Signor Ambrose loved his daughter, yet did
not fail to urge necessarily the suit of Carac-
cola. The gentle Caterina would not for n
time, listen to her fathers unwelcome impor-
tunties, yet, at last, yielded an unwilling con-
sent, on condition that the marriage should be
deferred to distant period.
When Andrea heard Of this resolution, he
abandoned himself to despair, and determined
to seek, among new scenes and new acquaint-
ances, to obliterate from his memory one
whom he felt that he could not now continue
to address without dishonor. This determi-
nation he kept a secret, even from Caterna.
He fingered in Naples several weeks, enjoy
ing, whenever opportunity offered, stolen
interview, and resolving that each one should
be the last Of these, Caracciola became in
formed, and his hatred for Andrea increased
to such height, that in moment of despe-
ration he bribed two ruilians-such as can al
ways be procured in Naples for small sum
to commit any crima-to assassinate him.
The murderers watching in the dark by a
corner where they supposed Andrea would
pass, silently waited his approach. Now, it
so happened, that Andrea, knowing nothing OF
this, on that very night departed secretly, and
in disguise, for Palermo. The assassins had
not waited long ere man passed whom they
supposed to be Andrea,--and they falling
upon him, despatched him with their daggers,
and threw his body into the sea.
In the morning, Andrea's absence gave
great alarm to his friends,-and hearing no
tidings of him for two days, they offered a
large reward to any one who would give in
formation respecting him. Tempted by the
reward, one of the murdcrers being assured
that he should be permitted to make his es-
cape, divulged the transaction his fellow
murderer and Caracciola were arrested, tried,
and convicted; the former hung, and the lat
ter sentenced to imprisonment for life.
Andrea, now on his way to Palermo, knew
nothing OF this /; and his friends, supposing
him dead, went into mourning for him. Ca
terina was nconsolable in her grief and
would have retired to convent and spent her
days there, but that her father, old and infrm
claimed her flial care and attention.
When Andrea arrived in Palermo, he enter.
ed the service Of merchant, and led a sad
and solitary life. making few acquaintance
but winning from those, he did make, their
warmest affection and esteem He remained
in Sicily for five years, without hearing 0
word from his friends in Naples, and without
informing them whittier he had fled,--suppos