The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1840-04-18

The duenna.
The mask over, the palace Of the doge
was deserted ,and the Lagoon thronged with
gondOlaS.
Italy showed as dark day as ever
Greenland boasted; Cynthia had taken this
night to play Hecate, and probably the stars
were attending her, for not one of ",he
angel lii lamps of Even," shed its tremb-
Ing radiance on tho earth. The dali
waves Of the Adriatic rolled on, with deep
gushing sound, their course just shows by
the faint phosphorescent light of their foam
crowned tops, and night wore veil Of in
tense darkness that was oppressive TO he
heart. The Lagoon was disturbed BY the
ceaseless dash OF csts,and the cutting sound
of the prows, IS they moved through the
curling waves.
Hark that crash gahdola has beeh
crushed by another. A shrek ran through
The stiffness of the night; the clouds, as if
pierced by its sound, suddenly severed a.
Soye, and the moon looked dimly down up
on the dark waters, A gondola was swim
ming amid confused mass of wreck. Up
OH i,d side stood tall manly form;the slight
plank quivered as he sprang from its side,
and sunk into the dark food; he rose again
and bearing something, swan towards the
bark; the faint light Of heaSGn served TO
show his burden; young and fair girl was
placed in the gendba, pale, rigid, but ex-
quisiiely lovely face; when placed Upon the
cushions inside, the lamp showed The form
and features or the lady; long and flowing
dress, saturated with the water, displayed
the symmetrical proportions of the former,
and the small snowy hand, and the face
'shaddowed by long wild tresses Of dark
hue. although apparently insehsale. posses
sed that beautiful life glh which staute
glows.
Blessed ST. Catherine ~ spu,tered some
body III the water, at. the side of the boat
"will he moi help me I" and our old ac.
quaintance Benedeua was assisted on board
still firmly graspipg the top of the cabir
that form the interior Of the Venitian boats
After fully comprehending that she wa'
safe, she began 10 lcOk about, and after a.
another invocation TO ST. Catherine, she
turned towards the interior Of the bark, saw
tho apparently lifeless form of her lady anc
sprung TO toviye her.
She was quickly restored, and soon, ir
her fathers palazzo, dreamed Of the face o.
him who had saved her; for lie had knel
beside her while assisting The duenna, anc
as the life current began 10 linge the lip o.
tho maiden, he stopped and did something
would nc, tell for the world, but it re-
stored the bloom Of tina, pale cheek to Z
miracle.
About three or four weeks after The com
mencement Of our story, In The window o.
all old castle, sat beautiful girl, clustering
resses of the dye Of rich, ripe chesnul
parted simply over her beautiful brow, fel
in wavy silken curls over her shoulder, ,shad
owing one OF these faces which we seldom
sec out Of sunny Italy; rather oval in shape
with features cast in beautiful, although
not perfectly regular mould, glowing witt
such an expression as Raphael must have
dreamed Of in imagining his Madonna
Her cheek had that delicate blush which tht
setting sun gives to snowy cloudj on hel
soft and periumed lip, love might have pill
lowed his brow; and thought it his owr
birth-rose; but the brightest charm of tha
glorious face was the eye, dark; soft, and in
tensely bewitching, for her sohl beameC
frem it. The purest sPiti! might have gaz
ed Upon those orbs, as they melted into TIL
soflness OF sparRled with joyous light, anC
worshipped Them without sin. The hear
on which one glance fell, became that mo
ment hers; and with that look would arisl
those dreams that make the bosom OF al
poetry, those hopes that glow with soltnes