Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1844-05-23


stn, in search Of hm--bui all 10 vain.
One day the Prince of Leperano Colonel Cal.
cedonio Major Delponte, with dozen other off.
GERS, and a score Of attendants, were hunting in a
forest, few leagues from Bari, when the cry of
'vandarlli was suddenly heard. The party
took 10 fight with the utmost precipitation, and
all escaped except Major Delpont who was ono
Of the braves, bu, at the same time, one of the
poores, of the whole army. When he was told
iha, he mus, pay thousand ducats for his ransom,
he only laughed and asked where he was to get
such sum Vandarii then threatened to shoot
him il it was not forthcoming by a certain day.
The major replied that he was losing time TO wait;
and that if he had a piece Of advice TO give his
captor il was to shoot him at once. The bandit
at first felt halfincined to do so but he reflected
that the less Dcponte cared about his life the
ought Ferdinand TO value it. He then was right
in his calculation, for no sooner did the King
learn that his brave ma was in the hands Of the
bandit than he ordered the ransom to be paid out
Of his privy purse, and the major received his
freedom.
But Ferdinand had sworn the determination of
the banditti with whom he was obliged TO treat
from one potentate to another A certain colonel,
whose name forgot, and who heard this VOW
pledged himself if battalion were put under his
command TO bring in Vandarlli, his two brothers
and the sixty men composing his troop, bound
hand and foot and to place them in the dungeons
of Vcara The offer was too good to be refused
the minister Of war put FIVE hundred men at the
disposal Of the colonel, who started with them at
once in pursuit of the outlaw. The latter was
soon informed by the spies of this fresh expedition
and he also made vow to the effect that he would
cure his pursuer, for all, ofany disposition to
interfere with the Vardarelli
He han,p by laad;pn tho mar colopol ctIch N
dance over hill and dale, that the unfortunate Off
Ger and his men were worn out with fatigue
then when he saw them in the state he wished,
caused false intelligence 10 be carried them at two
o'clock one morning.
The colonel fell into the snare, and started i'm.
medately to surprise Vandarili, whom he was
assured was in little village at the further extrem-
| ity of narrow pass, through which ouly four
men could pass abreast. He made such haste that
he marched four leagues in four hours and at day
break found himselfat the entrance of the pass,
which, however, seemed so peculiarly well adap-
ted for an ambuscade, that he haulted his battalion,
and sent on twenty men to reconnotre In a
quarter of an hour the twenty men returned
They had not met single living thing The
colonel hesated no longer, and entered the defle;
but, on reaching spot about half way through 1t,
where the road wdened out into a sort OF platform
surrounded BY high rocks and steep precipices, a
shout was suddenly heard proceeding apparently
from the Clouds and the poor colonel looking up
saw the SUBMITS of the rocks covered with brig
ands who levelled their rifles at him and his sol
diers Nevertheless he began forming up his
men as well as the nature of the ground would
permit, when VANDERBILT himself appeared upon q
projecting crag Down with your arms or you
are dead men = he shouted with voice of thun
der. The the bandits repeated his summons, ano
the echoes repeated their voices, so that the troops
who had not made the same vow as their colonel
and who thought themselves surrounded by greatly
SUPERIOR numbers cried out for quarter, in spite o
the entrcaties and menaces CT their unfortunate
commander. Then Vardarelli, without leaving
his position, ordered them TO pile their arms ant
to march to two different places which he pointe
out to them They obeyed and Vardareli leav
ing twenty of his men in their ambush, cam
down with the remainder, who Immediately pre-
ceeded to render the Napotan muskets useles
flor the moment at leas,) by the same process
which Gulliver employed to extngush the con
, flagration of the palace Of Luliput.
. The news of the affair put the King in yer
bad humor for the first twenty-four hours; ate
! which time however, the love of a joke overcon
A ing his anger, be laughed heartily, and told tn
. story to every one he saw, and as there is alway
. lots of listeners when king narrates, three yea
A ELAPSED before the colonel ventured 10 SHOW II
face at Naples and encounter the ridicule oil II
, court
!. The general commanding in Calabra, takes Il
f. matte. rather more seriously, and vows the de
). ,ruction of the banditi. BY offers of large pa
q and privileges, they are induced to enter the Ne
$ poli,ian service. and prove highly efficient as
a roop of gendarms. But the general cannot 10
n get his old grudge against them although for Il
d lack of opportunity, and on account OF the despe
n ate character of the men, he is obliged to defer
N revenge for some time At last he succeeded
% having their leaders assassnated, and by preten
e inc great indignation, and imprisoning the perp
,e traitors of the deed, he luls the suspicious oil Il
;s remaining bandits, who elect new officers and
$. an appointed day proceeded to the town OF fogg
f to have their election confirmed Only eight
ID them apprehensive of treachery refused 10 acco
10 nv their comrades The remaining thirty'or
and woman who would not leave her husbar
b. obeyed the generals summons
in 1t was Sunday, the review had been public
e. announced. and the square was thronged WI
I'd spectators. The Vardarelli entered the town
nd perfect ORDER and armed 10 the very teeth, but
he ing no sign Of hostility or mistrus'. On reachl
At The square they raised their sabres, and with
Of voice exclaimed "Viua IL Re /" The gene
g. appeared on his balcony to acknowledge 'heir
l,i l.. 1ntt-c down