Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-03-11


bles to the eve, and all nature seeks re-
pose, except the grasshoppeI, that pipes
bis lulling note 10 the hcrdsmaG, as he
sleeps beneath the shade. Around The
fountain were several OF the damsels OF
the Queen, who, confident oil the sacred
privacy OF the place, were yielding IN that
cool retreat, to the indulgence prompted
by the hour. Some lay asleep on the
flowery bank, others sat on The margin Of
the fountain, talking and laughing, as they
ba,hed their fee, in its limpid waters,
and King Roderick beheid their delicate
limbs, shining through the wave that
might rival the marble in wbiteness.---
Among the damsels was one who had
come from the Barbary coast with the
Queen. Her complexion had the dark
image of Mauritania. bu, il was clear and
transparent and the deep, rich rose blush
ed through the lovely brown. Her eyes
were black and full Of fire, aud flashed
from under her long, silken eye lashes,
A sportive contest arose among the maid.
ems, as 10 the comparative beauty Of Span
ish and Moorish forms but the Maurlian-
ian damsel revealed limbs OF volup,uous
symmetry that seemed to defy all rivalry.
The Spanish beauties were on the poiat
of giving up the contest when they be-
thought themselves of Florinda, the daugh-
ter OF Count Julian, who lay on the gras-
sy bank, abandoned to summer slun'ber.
The soft glow OF youth and health mauilt d
on her cheek, her iringing eyelashes scarce
ly covered the sleeping orbs her moist
aud rudy lips were slightly parted, just
revealing cleaning OF her ivory teeth ;
while her innocent bosom rose and fell
beneath her bodice, like the gentle swell
ling and sinking Of tranquil sea. There
was a breathing tenderness and beauty in
the sleeping virgin that seemed TO send
forth sweetness like the flowers around
her.
Behold cried her companions exult-
ingly, the champion Of Spanish beauty.
In their playful eagerness they hall dis
robed the innocent Florinda before she
was aware. She awoke in time, howey-
er, to escape from their busy hands, but
enough of her charms had been revealed
| to convince the monarch they were not
to be rivalled by the rarest beauties Of
Mauritania From this Gay the heart of
Roderick was inhamed with fatal pas
sion. He gazed on the beautiful FloIlnda
with fervid desire, and sought to read in
her looks whether there was leyity or
wantoness in her bosom, but the eye OF
the damsel ever sunk beneath his gaze,
and remained bent on the earth in virgin
modetly. II was in vain he called 10
mind the sacred trust reposed in him by
the Count Julian and the promise he had
given to watch over his daughter with
parental care his heart was sltiated by
sensual indulgence, and the conciousness
of power had rendered him selfish in the
qualifications. Being one evening IN the
garden where the Queen was diverting
herself with her damsels, aud coming TO
the fountain where he beheid the inno-
cent maidens at their SPORT he could no
longer restrain the passion that ragged
within his breast. Seating himself beside
the fountain, he called Florinda TO draw
forth thorn which had pierced bis hand.
The maiden knelt al his feet, 10 examine
his hand, and the touch of her slender
fingers thrilled through his veins. As
she knelt, too, her amber locks fell in rich
ring'ets about her beautiful head, her IN
nocent bosom palpitated beneath the Grim
son bodice, and her tinid bushes IN
creased the efulgence OF her charms.