Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-07-15
RAVE INA, Q HIo, WED6 EsDAY, JULY Is, 1916.

5s ~ R;Al,,Tl.ENNA. 4 OHIO, w Ed
hall, who asked for q marriage portion, and
said the palace belonged to him,
"Let him be turned out Immediately
said Vitalis, 81 know him not, ,,t,s
The Wallets accordingly drove him away,
with insults, and Massacio returned Id hisI
cottage in despair, without daring To ~ Iils
mistress. At one corner of his fireplace
was seated a monkey, at the other corner
lion, and the serpent had twisted itself into
spiral circles upon the hearth. Massacio
was seized with fear. 'sThe man has driv-
en- me from his door," thought he; ''the
lion will certainly devour me, the serpent
sting me, and the monkey laugh at me: and
this will be my reward for saving them
from the pit" But the monkey turned to
him with a most amicable grimace; the
lion vibrating gently his tail, came and
licked his hand, like dog caressing his
master; and the serpent, unrolling its ringy
body, moved about the room with a content
ed and grateful air, which gave courage to
Massacio. ....... III
"Poor animals!" said he, ''they are bet
ter than the Signor Vitalis; he drove me
like beggar from his door. All! with
what pleasure would pitch him again into
the pit. And my bride! whom | thought
to marry so magnifcently! | have not
stick Of wood in my wood-house, nor
morsal of meat for meal, and no money
to buy any. The ungrateful wretch with
his portion and his palaceI'
Thus did Massacio complain. Mean
while, the monkey began to make signii-
cant faces, the lion to agitate his tail with
great uneasiness, and the serpent to roll
and unroll its circles with great rapidity.
Then the monkey, approaching his bene-
factor, made him a sign to follow, and led
him into the wood-house, where was reg
ularly piled up aquantity of wood sufficient
for the whole year. 1t was the monkey
who had collected this wood in the forest,
and brought it to the cottage of Massacio.
Massacio embraced the grateful ape. The
lion then uttering a delicate roar, led him
to a corner of the cottage, where he saw an
enormous provision of game, two sheep,
three kids, hares and ribbits in abundance,
and fine wild boar, all covered with the
branches of trees to keep them fresh. 1t
was the lion who had hunted for his bene-
factor. Massacio patted kindly his name.
"And you, then," said he to the serpent,
"have you brought me nothing? Art thou
Vitalis, ora good honest animal like the
monkey and the lion?" The serpent gil
ded rapidly under head Of dry leaves, and
re-appeared Immediately, rearing itself su-
perbly on its tail, when Massacio saw, with
surprise, beautiful diamond in its mouth.
GA diamond" cried Massacio. and stretch.
ed forth his hand to stroke caressingly the
serpent, and take its offering.
Massacio then set out Immediately fol
Venice, to turn his diamond into money.
He addressed himself to jeweler. The
jeweler examined the diamond; it was o.
the finest water.
"How much do you ask for it?" said he
"Two hundred crowns" said Massacio,
thinking his demand to be great; it was
hardly the tenth part Of the value of the
stone. The jeweller looked at Massacio
and said, "To sell it at that price you mus,
be a robber, and | arrest you!''
s'If it is not worth so much, give me less,'
said Massacio; 81 am not robber; | an
an honest man; it was the serpent who
gave me the diamond.,' -".
| D.. A. .a1,oo ,,o,,, SAr;xroJ ,p5 ooxJ,,o+
ed him before the magistrate. There ne
recounted his adventure, which appeared te
be mere fairy vision. Yetas the Signol
Vitalis was implicated in the story, the
magistrate referred the affair to the state
inquisition, and Massacio appeared before it
"Relate to us your story" said one O
the inquisitors, "and lie not, or we will
have you thrown into the canal"
Massacio related his adventure.
"So,' said the inquistor, 'you saved th'
Signor Vitalis?"
eyes, noble signors."
"And he drove you like beggar from
his door!'
eyes, noble signors"
''Let the Signor Vitalis appear" said the
same inquisitor.
"Do you know this man, n,Signor Vitalis?'
said the inquisitor.
"No, know him not" replied Vitalis
The inquisitors consulted together.
"rhis man." said they, speaking o.
Massacio, ''is evidently knave and cheat
he must be thrown into prison. Signor vi
tails, you are acquitted" Then, making
signs to an officer ofpolice, stake that man,
said he, "to prison." d aai
Massacio fell on his knees in the middle
of the hall. "Noble signors, noble sig
nors," said he, sit is possible that the da
mond may have been stolen; the serpent
who gave it 10 me, may have wished TO do
ceive me. 1t is possible that the ape, tic
lion and the serpent, may all be an illusion
of the demon; but it is true, that ] saved the
Signor Vitalis." "Signor Vitalis," (turn
Is. 4. ss,ss s'rask YOU not ior the mar
ing otlI4I4i,J 9-s 80