The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1850-05-02

Italy. where the balmy breeze and the
rich perfume were the only incense she
inhaled. Her temperament warm and
glowing as the cline where her first
life-breath was drawn, exhibited itself
in the fond and passionate love which
she bore her husband, and made every
sacrifice of personal vanity or pleasure
trifing and inconsequent if a tender
smile from him rewarded her self-denial.
But Pembroke, not satisfied with all
that she had abandoned for his sake,
with that strange overweening selfish
ness which so often degenerates into
cruelty with man, who, because the
being over whose affections he rules
with omnipotent sway has no fresh
offering to make to his love or vanity,
forgets the thousand already conceded,
became changed in manner, and
though still restlessly suspicious, cold,
moody, and sullen. This was the wreck
ofthe happiness of both-the basis ofthe
tragedy which ultimately supervened.
The nature of Imoinda, quick, ardent,
and generous, while it eagerly returned
love for love, resented Indignantly aught
Of caprice or coldness. She insisted on
leaving their quiet retreat and in an
evil hour proceeded alone to Florence,
where she plunged with desperate
gaiety into every scene of pleasure that
solicited.
Her husband, apparently reckless OF
her conduct, though really loving her
still, and cognizant of her every action,
followed her incognito to the city where
she resided. At masked ball given
during the Carnival at the Pitt Palace,
she had been throughout the evening
the partner of the Prince Gonsalvi, a
young nobleman, alike distinguished
for the graces of his person and the
extent of his licentiousness. While
seated with him in a temporary pavilion
in the garden, her husband suddenly
appeared before her.
The rude violence with which he
seized her reused the wrath of her COM
panion; scuffle ensued, and the young
Prince was felled to the earth by blow
which left him to all appearance dead.
Pembroke fled. From that period, no
tidings of his fate had ever reached the
innocent but wretched and bereaved
Imoinda. Accusing herself as the cause
of his expatriation, for it was generally
thought that he had gone to America,
uncertain even whether he yet lived,
her remorse became ceaseless and
acute. The engines she had thought
lessly employed to recover, as she
hoped. his lost affection, had turned
against herself, and levelled every hope
of human enjoyment in the dust. What
now to her were fame. beauty, afiiu.
ences Her possession ofthese was only
valuable if subservient TO the happiness
or qualification of the one only being
she loved, and he had deserted her.
believing her. how falsely.-faithless
unloving, and disloyal.
The sympathy Of all classes encom
passed her. But there was no balm II
their gentlest word The voice of fiat
terry followed her footsteps wherever
she appeared, but its accents sounded
hollow and heartless. Often did shs
turn from the gilded saloons into which
the affectionate urgency Of friends hur
ried her, and, seeking her lonely cham
Der, press with fond and agonized ca
resses the miniature of Pembroke t
her heart and lips, and feel that, coule
she once more be the companion OF nj
hearth and home, no unkindness shouls
force a murmur from her lips, or temp
her even for a moment into that leyity
which had deceived him, and stamped
the fat of misery on every moment sh'
numbered.
| 1t was three years after his dlsap
pearance that the fearful scene whicl
| witnessed took place in the Church
San Giovanni Laterano. lmoinda ha'
gone thither, led by the fame OF tn
priest whose eloquence and sanctit..
7illed Italy with its echoes. Little dl
she imagine that the very man befor
whom she bowed in penitence was h
whom, his errors all forgotten and tol
| given, she yet loved with the FRESHNESS
and concentration of happy and BY
gone years. His person even her ey
could not recognise; for, in addition I
the defacing marks which grief ha
written on his brow, he had, for tn
purposes of concealment, stained hi
fhair and complexion of dark, lndial
tint. Little too did he deem, when h
took the mohastic vow, and placed a
eternal barrier between himself an
her who still too strongly weaned hi