Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-04-29

| hNe YOU CGltu lp, II lS tfldt love wen,
| too
Then, why not listen to my prayers =
ALAS ! it is love t6decpy.'
NO. cried the girl, 'no,sAsricola, didst thou
love me, like me, adore thou would st cast a.
side these fears
Fears : repeated the youth, dropping his
hand, and flashing fire from his eye, which
| Illuminated the space about them; fears, Ma
ria thou dost not know me to me, fear is
stranger. 'Tis not that which influences me !;
bat recollect, girl-Agricola is slave'
The momentary stcrnncss which he had as
sumed did not however, damp the ardor of the
girl. 1t seemed 20 render him still dearcr to
her She placed her fragile arm about his
manly neck, and in tone of gentle reproach :
'Rebukc me not, my love- she said, thou
knowcst Agricoa is slave; Cynthia, would
| share his bondage with him. Her love should
make his slavery sweotcr far than freedom
'Desst, pray thee responded the youth, en-.
circling her waist with his arm, with respectful
tenderness, and sottening his tone remember
your father is a Roman
know it WELL she answered, eagerly, yet
still | love thee
know It, Maria alas, too well; but where
to wed thee, it would draw his Indignation
us both. For myself, care not but for thee
the gods know, sooner would give my head
to the executlouer, than those bright eyes
should lower before the frown Of an angry IA
ther. Maria, it must not be : and casping his
hands in agony, he added, Set me remain
slave, though love the worthy daughter of
Roman
Cruel as thou art, I still will love thee she
whispered through his enrs none but thee
live or care for. My fathers wrath heed not,
so that possess thee care
Hist said her lover as he carefully leaned
toward the spot they had Just quilted when
last we met heard noise, like that which
just struck upon mine ear-Mara, away .
Never cried the girl, filled with loves
desperation, and clnging more closely to him,
never, till thou'st promised. will die with
thee, Agricola, but will not lose thee =
the silence as Agricola strove TO disengagc
himselffrom the virgin, who twlned her arms
wildly about his neck.
'Begone, Maria, bcscech!'
Till you promise never = she articulated,
nearly choaked with emotion.
Again, the noise was heard-If they were
discovered, ruin would befa the idol of his
heart, and he be degraded by the lash. A mo-
ment more ; it would be too late he put his
lips TO her ear
Il PROMISE
In the next instant the light form of the
maid was lost among the columns, and her
lover, looking hastngly about saw the shadow,
evidently that Of a man, cast on the pavement
near him, but so instantaneous was the dsap-
pcarance, that it had vanished ere he was fnl-
ly aware of the reality. He kneeled and placed
his ear on the stones, but all was silent, save
the short beatings of his heart.
The immovable features Of the pagan idol
were dimly visible in the breaking day, that
stole through the portico Of his temple, while
equally, nfexible, the Priest sat at his feet his
face hid in the ample folds of his mantle, pre-
senting only the underlined outlines ofa man.
As the gray baze of morning yielded to the
strengthening dawn, the senator, with deep
frown settled on his brow, walked in and salut-
ed the Priest, who rose to receive him.
why here, and so early ? demanded the
latter. Il could effect nothing in the short
period since we parted yesterday
IT'S not for that sought thee answered
the visitor.
'Then why this visit = rctarned the Priest.
For vengeance
Thou shalt have it, replied the Priest,
gathering his robe about him.
Thou knowest not what mean, foolish
Priest
Still thou shalt have vengeance : and dry
cough, like death rattle, sounded in the throat
of the Priest-it might have been laugh.
Silence SAID the senator, sternly laying his
clenched hand upon the alter the new made
laws have deprived us of our innate right to
punish our slaves with death-yet have
slave must die
An involuntary shudder passed over the hea-
then Priest, but he pulled his robe more close
ly about him, and the start passed unobserved.-
Armenus continued
Il have niece, my brothers daughter