Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1848-02-02
a TALE oE FEE EzAAEEa

1
| AN Italian of the name oi Benetto, Il Flotn-
tine snging-master,w was OIL his passage to ESg
land, when the vessel in which he sailed Was
mastered by the superior force of Turkish gal
ley. Poor Desnetto, instead of making his TOR
time in England, was pat in chains on board
Turkish ship, purchased by an agent OF the Sui
tan of Constantine lie, and placed to work as al
assistant in the garden of the seraglio. Many
of his companions Jared much worse, exchang-
ing one bad master after another, until their
condition was most deplorable indeed. Benet-
to on the contrary lei an easy life enough, ma v
Ing only to cultivate the flowers and shrubs for
4 the qualification Of the ladies of the harem, and
as he had left no mistress in distant count ry
to mourn for his only signs We're for liberty,
and this appeared nna.tainable.. h. at length
dug and watered his plants very coatentedly;
\ oftentimes beguiling himself by singing, in a
truly melodlous voice, the airs he had hoped to
! turn to a very different accouat. Now it zap
pened that these sweet strains found their way
1 through the windows of the barem, and the Sui
tan as soon discovered that the proceeded from
no nightingale, though eqralling in beauty the
Song of that bird. One Of the fair prisoners was
singularlv affected BY the melody thus horne
by the breeze through the jeaIousy guarded
lattices. Alas. they reminded her OF Italy, the
land of her birth, AMI she codlj GOT refrain from
replying to them in canlonet. SO exquisitely
plaintive. that the listener. though unaware Of
the meaning ofthewor1S, were mel Ell INTO tears.
Benetto, hearing this unexpected answer to his
strains, drew near to the window, and recog-
nized the song as one of the composition of his
beloved Italy, and his heart forthwith began to
ache more seriously than 1t had ever done since
he had been captive. Here was one person,
hr, ....l
him-that was one consolation; but how should
he contrive to meet anG arrange the concert
The Sultan spared him all trouble. for CHANGING
to have overheardthe exquisite singing of Benet-
to- Though not the replv,) he had mind to en-
JOY it nearer, and sent slave to fetch Bener-
to into an antl-chamber This was separated
from the apartment of the ladies by a silken
curtain, and he was desired to sing one of his
best songs. The Sultan, who happened to have
a great taste for music. was delighted with the
performance, and spoke of it in nigh terms to |
the fair Angelina, who, as she was the | st ar
rival, was just then the reigning favorite. She
joined ib the opinion,and said shs thought if his
majesty would allow her to hear the song twice /
or thrice, she could manage to earn it for his
The Sultan directed BeDetto to
DO this, and the fair ADgelena was an i'm |
Drovsature, she changed the words for some
Of the harem for the fair Finrerce of her yon,h |
8enetto replied with equal readiness, begging |
Ter not to desDond, that she should one dav by |
lis help see the city of her desires. The Sui
ans not understanding Italian, was 80 r7neh I
'ease1w with the perInrglance tSaat he conferred
Purse of gold on the gardener,and cpu,nandeI |
lis attendance on. the following night. The
ext day, Benctto' SERIOUSLY complaihed3o the /
nperintendent of the royal pleaslre- grounds
hat Particular frtree was az an obnoxious kind
ausing the shrubs%to witber under ais shade.
at isl said he, 'swithout question the dead
! Iepas.' Ifany Of the. itdies of the Harem
houd by chance FIJI asleep. under its shade, ]
oubt not it would be eas fata! as the tree of
nowledge was,to their grandmother
The superintendent remarked, "that it had
Town there time out, Of mind without causing
'Jury; but, Benetto,f it % pieases thee to uou-
e thyself, cut it down." - 4
So Benetto did this as fast as he eaurenientsd {
could, and looping off the Ieafy branehes he
1T stump here and there, and then threw, il
lrelessly in the corner of the garden. That
7ening, BenettO again attended on his -oysl :
aster, and began the air oi the night preced- /
q, to which the fair Angelina responded.
81 have been thinking said the Sultan, sul
,nly, shat | will have merry air.
Benetto FASTENED to comply, AMI, chanting Il | Q
'elf canzohet informed the laiy that though {
ere were no rope ladders To he hal, still 8
Ittv tree, with MANY branches. might be ai ! a
'ainSt high wall, anI if placel against a la n
= prison, vision If an angel might descend. d
ne lady responds in the same ranzonet. ex- y
essing her lei GIT, and feeling already. like r
ID with WINGS &
The Sultan was so delighted with his merry a
ct. that he made thtm repeat it many times. q
last as they were about to commence fourth Fl
ne having contrived to give to each other u
any additional scraps of information. hexex-1 '
aimed ''stopr He turned his face with snch ];
awful frown on the lady, that she also stop n
sho in the mid lie of the first note.
81 nn ierstan1 nothing of this language" said
shut perceive that each time yon use diff 6
-ent words. Ma lam, Won mnsi not take il I'LL; ST
the next evening the Interpreter shall par al
re with me the delight of hearing you" The NJ
y and Benetto both suspected from this sud eC
q change that the Sultan entertained some OF
strust of them, and the next song, therefore. he
IS performed with more quavers than original da
belonged to the composition. Benetto was at
missed without any gold, the Sultan intend IN
secretly on the morrow, to reward him with &c
D hundred strokes of the bastinado. Benet- ed
however, resolved to take advantage of the on
udy night, and soon succeeded in moving his he