Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1840-12-12
No. 30.

|
especially when it takes the guise Of interest for
! their welfare. and Giovanni promised to avail him
| self of tina invitation early day. 1t must
likewise be owned that he felt some excitement
spectng the drawer which he had not yet been per-
mitted TO examine. Let no one say that curiosity
is exclusively feminine weakness.
A few weeks passed, and Giovanni and the Jewel
| merchant were almost constant companions. They
NET every day, and though Giovanni was most fire.
qnently the guest Of the stranger, Alonzus visits
10 the house Of the Months were neither few nor
| far between. Atany other time, Blanca would have
been annoyed at the intrusion of a visier, and at
| the frequent absence Of Giovanni ; bat she gave
| little attention to what was passing around her.
Her mind was pre.occupied with thoughts of Vest
err. which were beginning to be mingled with no
| little anxiety at not hearing from him Her chief
soace to sit alone in her chamber or wander
the solitary walks Of their extensive garden.
recalling every look and tone OF Western to her
memory, and gathering comfort from the belief
| that words fond, and looks 80 eloquent, could
not proceed from any source but true aud constan,
| affection. Both GiOvanni, and the ewel. erchant
skilful chess players, and hours were devoted
to that noble game; but no long time had Ella sed
! before dice were occasionally substituted. merely
| as Alonzo observed for the sake Of variety. The
stakes hazurded were at first small, but gradually
| increased in value, until Giovanni had lost sum,
which he could i'll afford to part with in his present
| circumstances, Still he PLAYED, in the vain hope
| that he shonld retrieve mis- ill-fOr,une. winning
back trifng sums occasionally, but steadily losing
! on tho whole
When The madness OF gambling has once fairly
| gained possession of man. noihlng can exringuis,
! it while lie has any thing left whereby he pro-
, long its pernlcUuS exritrnent.--The character Of
! Giavauni's feelings towards the iewe. merchani
had entirely changed; he had learne! 10 regard him
rs almost enemy, who Il little while before had
been his most intimate friend: bit stil he was an
enemy with whom il would be dangerous to quarrel
he the victim saw no possible means OF avert
| ing utter ruin, except the chance OF winning bach
i a. east portion Of what he had fUp,tShv lost
Will it be credited that the infatuated youth no;
only slHk'd and lost every movable article VI ans
value which he possessed. but madly set the very
house which sheltered him against large sum il!
money and was again loser
! II was in his home that Giovanni perpetrnted
this act of follv, and sooner WAS that final de-
srUcon Of ms hopes accomplished, than the luck
less glma>ter arose without speaking word. and
Irfl the rUon. Whatever his purpose might De. 10
was NOT permitted II execute it; for ere he rcecaci
the staircase hand was laid OF his s!o4iIer.
"Whher you'd you 60, my voang frcnd!' in
qairHd the lewr'nerchant in his usual tone; 'yuu
are naturally disturbed at your loss. md no " IN.
der: but ia Ike courage, am no hard creditor, and.
moreover, you have A Jewel in your possession ~
obtain which will willingly give you the larg,
, sum which Staked just now, and forego my last
! winning to hrUt"
has turned your brain, i-fnrtune will mine -
, [ have neither gold nor jewel left am stripped
| Of all p0SScSS-l am bhgypr. and an OulcaSt
from the house, and It's you VINO have made me
.'Yun are excited ir.tnDw," Saii AonL, quietly
land of course sec things in their worst light but
come hn * with me. and will make plain 10 you
the riddle pu: forth GSt now"
II He led the bewdered Giovanni hack 10 the
apartment they had Just quilted and placing hin
on seat, thus continued: Yes, you have gen
to which the faire>t diamond that ever griced the
crown of an Emperor Is dim and worthless. It's
beauty perfect. its value cannot be counted and
better than all, it hreS breathes.-there is glOr
ious soul with it.-Ah. ynu start; you have my
e meaning now: | speak of your beautiful sister"
Brnnca :" exclaimed Giovanni. aud he pro
t nounced tn. name in snch tone Of piercing an
!, gnish that even the hard heart of the strange
- thrilled when he heard IT,"
Eyes. Btqnca," he continued after momentar
pause; "snd more I tell you that you cannot aver
. i, by any opposition you may offer. 1t is write
II there" and he hastily arose, and inging wide tht
:, ca,ement, pointed 10 the starry heavens, now be
decked in all the spendOr of Italian midnight
e His form seemed TO dilate, and his eyes to fas
with superhumun radiance he fixed them on til
, skies.
= strange awe crept over Giovanni. | have sal
u that he not much tnctured with superstition
bat, in the excited state of his feelings he
u cuiarly susceptible to its influence, aided il wa
by the circumstances OF Inc scene ana HOur. II
sat speechless subj ect to the operation OF
$ spell, while Aonzo proceeded :--"Destiny hath
q last accomplished its work the brow for whc
I these rare brillants intended is found q
length, and mine il the hand that must place ther
II there" He drew from his bosom a small case
u ca>ket, and opening il. displayed diamond thar;
e composed Of but few stones, but those Of such e,
e traordnary size and spIendor, that, miserable
y Giovanni was, he could not suppress On cxclamt
)fI ton of establishment
There" said Alonzo, "were the treasures til:
" ! would not let you gaze upon before; now bur
- TO present them to your lovely sister. Long hav
. they been reserved for my bride, and that mus
Is Blanca Month be before the shall again hav
S, waxed and waned."
rs Never said Giovanni sternly. "You hay
u stripped me of the i'tle that remained 10 me &C m
d Inheritance Of the shelter Of my house, of tn
!. peace was regaining within it's calm sanctuary
- but Blanca. uwn bright guardian angel. OF h
you shall not deprive me. We are bergarS, b.
; we Will 20 forth sucp together 4"
D "Iou cannot conquer destiny" said the Jew
merchant calmly.
4 Meanwhile Blanca was becoming the prey
10 dark and gnxiouS thoughts. The extreme riI'
&c was past which Godfrey Western had fixed Il
i limit of his return, vet he came not. She gre
IN restless and wre-ched. and, with the sym,n'hy III
~ exists between unhappy minds, she soon l>cDvere
: that from some unrevra'ed cause, Giovanni was
- anxious as hcrSplf-The truth was that while |
ID still openly rejected the iew merchants adyanc
IN reSpertinr Blanca, his resolutions were secre,
giving way under the necessities of the case. I'll
r alternative. that seemed at first too dreadful to
lT accepted on any terms, gradually grew familiar
his mind. and he silently reconciliug himSt
NJ TO Il sacrifice. which after all, seemed 10 Droni
As better fate, even to Blanca, than utter, shie
h. poverty. Surely even a marriage such as was pr