Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1841-08-24

D.
Throwing the bride upon the neck Of my little, ny .
~, headstrong, fiery, Corscan nag, trusted myself
entirely 10 hun fer safe conduct we descended a
rapid slope together, ard crossed the hckes Of for
est vet unproianed by the woodman's ave. The
beauty Of the sylvan scenery-thc balmy breeze, muir
muring gently, rs If fearful Of disturbing the sercn-
" Of naturc-aiiorded me some relief from the tat
tie Of my laxative guide, whose tongue had rung
a perpetual arum-pcai since the commencement OF
my excursion. \ shapecss garment, that 10 would
have been a mismOner 70 have called an upper ben
nmn-a usil, flung across his shoulders by broad
uncouth belt and the national cap resembling
village steeplc, completed the equipment OF the last
mentioned parsonage, who ambed on IN front OF me
according 10 the audablc custom OF his tribe, with
interesting episodes OF robbery, rrpe, assassination,
aud other bagatelles. began to feel iatigued with
his incessant prattle when, sudden. he made
n dead stop seized his long brass mounted iusi and
aghted in twnkling. With his nose IN the wind,
aud his sunken grey eye pccrug suspciousy around,
he examined every bush anC brake with the scrut-
ny of one accustomed 10 such rural adventures rs
for good hour had been his theme. slight rust
ling was heard amongst the foliage. by the vlr-
GIN said nv guide, that must he robber, or
wild boar here goes . and his hand was already
ON the trigger, when frantic laugh proceeded from
the midst of the thcket. 'Cecca - cried he, Il had
we'll nigh mistaken a Christian for a wild beast
and. by our Lady no great mistake tins time!
glance at the object which now issued from the
thicket enabled me to comprehend his meaning.
female, rather alfnaked human body. darted
forwards, rude goat-skn mantle scarcely suliciug
fcr the purposes OF dcccncy. protecting from the
winds OF heaven form that had once perhaps been
lovely. Her tattercd scanty garment but Il-con-
cealcd her limbs torn by the brambles, and eml-
ciated 10y suffering. Her long, black, and matted
HAIR descending TO her waist yelled a bosom that
might have once goWed with feeling, with pity, or
with impassoned fondncss-once, perhaps, far as
PygmalIOns scupturcd marble and far less cold
The summers parching ray, the winters blast, had
wasted her bloom: the rose OF health had dropped
with her fond hopes, and wlthcred with her broken
heart There IN her gait a step hurried.
reckless "a smile oyless upon her lip, rs IT TO
mock the vacant expression of her dull fixed eve
And yet at times that dull eye bcamed with faint
and ievcrlsh ray OF consciousness spark of reno
waited mind, false rs the dream OF the sleeper, and
transient n tho SICK mans hectic flush
The maniac approached with needless step and
with ono of those hdeous yells Of laughter whose
mockery of mirth Us more saddcning than the Wild
est extravaganza of sorrow. stopping IN front of u.s.
and separating her hair on each side OF her forehead
Have you Pietro ?! said she at length, gaz-
ing me with 'lack-lustre eyes and with pain
iul effort 20 draw upon her scanty stores of memory
The light of pleasure for moment frightened her
countenancc, and IT'S httul flash resembled ghm-
mering of reason Have you seen him p repeated
she more slowly, and with less yiyacty than before
and her eye again assumed the unmeanlng. cheer
less expression, benighted OF intelligence, and bcret
Of hope.
Poor wanderer I could understand thee / had
for season known that sickness Of the heart-that
loneliness of suffering, which finds no echo IN the
sympathy of the hackncd. selfish crowd. Coarse,
rustic hlnds gazed upon the agonies 4 holiday
spectacle. or tainted thee with their witless lcsts
Thou hadst undergone the tender mcrcies OF human
kind-thc infections OF the experimental philanthro-
plst, who WINS back reason 20 her throne with the
sovereign pauacea OF the prison and her scourge.
But could pity thy Woes, for ! had felt them and
could the accents of kindness now speak thee COM
fort, ! would bear with thy frantic rawlings. =
would soothc thee 10 thy mder hours of tranquil
sorrow and weep with thee tear Tor tear
Ny rude companion approached her, and tapping
her an the neutrality-suspicious. Cecca, non l'ha mica
truvatu - said lac, with nsolent and boorsh fam-
iarty. Maniac as she was, the ili-timcd railiery
stung her to the quick her lip quiyered-her eye
kndIcd. No, cite no lhaggio truvatu,'t replied
she, crashing her teeth with wild eXecratlon, and
in an attitude Of menace which forced nv guide
though armed recoil several PAGES. But her ideas
instantly taking another direction, she paused 'Ag-
gia pazcuza, said she, 'isto, be duve IN truve-
~ and, with another, convuisiyc laugh, she fed,
swift as the chamos Of her native hills, and was
lost among the thickets.
During the rapid appariton Of Cecca, astonsh-
mcnt and pity had rooted me TO the spot. Ny eyes
fixed the path by which she had disappeared,
still followed her trace but the v0ubi,.ty of nv
guide soon reused me from my emotion. You
would see her once more = Said he, with an inqur-
ing look and without waiting for an answer, he
led back the horses which had been grazing on the
luxurIaut heritage. As we resumed our route, my
guide acquainted me with the poor creatures story.
Cocoa was the daughter of a rich farmer. who
lived IN of the most elevated of the little vlag-
es forming the canton of Blstilica. The tough old
forester. who was an equal adept IN the chase of
the chamois and of the maraudIng poacher. felt h
bosom swell with conscious importance a. he boast
Cd that his household could furnish at a PINCH at
least twelve good men at arms. lis daughter the
prettiest maiden in the canton and as she attend
cd her devotiOns each Sunday, adorned with her CO.
raj necklace, and the kerchlef which wed with
whteness the bosom whose charms u conceal
ed, the old mans heart warmed with 4 father
fondness, aud tear OF pride giistened in his eve
the glance OF many village youth told how he
envied hIm his darling treasure. Cocoa was his on
Is child her willing graces, her playful carcsses
enlivened his dropping age and softencd his regret
THAI he had been denied son, 70 whom he might
one day bequeath his antique chestnut-trees his he
reditary animostics, and his double barreed gun.
The flower of the village lads said my guide with
significant look that informed me himself was in
cluded in the lst-the bravest and the comelest in
the canton aspred TO Cecca's hand notwthstaud
ing some five or SIX euvenomed feuds which were
TO be espoused with the bride, and which formed
part Of the marriage portion. But, spite Of theu
courage and their address the carbine Cocoa has
neither eyes nor ears for any Of them. Her hear
had been long devoted 10 Pietro rich proprietor
who lived IN the village Just below her own, but be
tween whose family and hers a mortal hatred hal
for time cxlsted-the father Of Pietro had beer
killed by Cccca's. In despite Of the yeugeful re
collections which IN Corsica, are cherished with re