The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1851-09-11


"Calm ,hyscif un listen 10 mrc. !.
there lsmb upon ,lcsc will hills thai
shs wolf seeks not 10 dc,our; Maria
was the pet lamb -N.necn,io Martell
the wolf.
"Vincentio Marieli?"
ale came hiIher---he sas thy be.
;rothed" continued the old man her
beauty fired hius; he snid ;ha, charm.
! like hers wrre not be wasted on peas.
ant churl. lie offered 10 make her his
bride. Maria spnined the offer Then
he resoticd 10 menace. Il give you.
said lie, io.nsh. for reflection. il on
the morrow you nre not prepared 10
grant my su,t. my men NJ arms shall
drag you from this roof TO the safe sccu.
riiy Of my castle, and there my almoner.
who dare not refuse obedience 10 my
commands. shall unite Us at the aliar'-
foot.
"And was she compelled to assent 7"
cried Antonio, in "a voice Of agony.
Il" Not SO. she WAS proof agains, tempt
alton and menace. She declared that
she would sooner peti>h--sooner dash
herself to pieces Oh these wild rocks
than be false to her plighied vow. With
"A repetition Of these threats, MartclIi
lett her.
And | met the villain on his return
and knew not this exclaimed Antonio.
We stood together on a narrow pass,
where one motion of my arm would
have hurled him TO per,!ition. But hr
shall not escape Inc. Where is Maria
now 7"
"She i. safe with her father at my
hermitage. Protected by tn" cross. no
one darcs modest her But alas this is
but a temporary shelter.---Martelli is
capable OF starving her in her retreat.
by belea2uering the sanctuary, even il,
bold, bad man as he Is. he does not re-
solve 10 commit the crime Of sacrIeg-.
violate my threshold. and carry hi,
menace into execution. What, then. is
left you Ultimately. but submission
Revenge - answered the Corsican,
in deep a'nl hollow voice.
"Oh, my SON. answered the hermit
" remember it is WRITTEN Vengeance
is mine, saith the Lord Remember
that submission is the duty Of % chris.
tian"
-" Not submission TO tyranny father"
cried the young man iInpeluously. "Our
tenets teach not that. Know you not
that this Martelli is an usurper, to whose
yoke We Cor.cans lave too long bowed?
But the hour E reckoning is at hand.
This last act has over flied his cup.
Farewell, father. We shall meet each
other on the plains tomorrow. Till
then, watch over Maria with n fathers
care. Once more farewell"
On the following day, the broad,
green plain at the foot of the mountain
presen,eda gay and animn,ing spectacle.
! A large space was enclosed 10y rough
palisades. and around part of the cir
cumicrence were rude benches for the
accommodation Of large number Of
spectators flhe approaching sports. and
these were filed with gaily a,tired
peasants and moun,anccrs of both sexes
at An early hour. A sort OF throne
richly ornamen'ea and canopied, arose
upon one side of the lists. and here wa.
seated Vcncenlio Martelli. in his most
splendid robes. surrounded by his mer-
cenary satellites.
The sports of the day consisted in the
capture and tanning Of number of half
wild horses which were turned into the
ring and pursued by men on foot, pro-
videh with lassoes. which they threw
After the animals were thrown down,
tho h,Intsmcn biited them and vaul,ed
upon their backs. and cndeay or-d to
reduce them 10 obedience, in spite Of
their frantic Efforts TO regain their liberty.
One noble black horse. well fitted TO
be the champion Of his race, attracted
universal attention, and seemed destined
by his fire speed and feroci,y. to bafi!c
every attempt TO master him. When
admitted TO the ring. he dashed around
it with the speed Of light, looking wildly
for an outler. Finding none, lc attempt.
, ID to leap the barricade. Failing in
ihi. he dashed out with his hind lr.+
ill the massive stanchcs that sustained
, the gate. were likely to give way.
More than one adrenturer in VAN rn.
deavorcd to fix the lasso on his limbs
: One or two succeeded in noosing lin
but he snapped the cords as if they had
been made OF pack,hresd, and then stood
at bay. snor,ing defiance n, his foes
Mar;clli decreed the silver cross 10 the
, man who should succeed in tanning the
. black horse. At las, Antonio entered
the area. lie was clad as We have
, described him on the dav preceding
except that h. had cast aside hi. cloak
and besides his lasso carried light but
;, strong bride, with powerful bu in hi
belt, and wore boots furnished with Sc
= we're spurs.
a An.r one or two unsuccessful casts
hc threw the moose dexiefously round
}, the lore leg. Of the furious l.or,c, M,
/ foreibiy jerking the rope bacawar,
|, threw him 10 the ground with such ,in
2 lencs as to s;un lin for moment J.
{ that brief space of time, the DARN;
youth slipped on The headsiali place'
II the bi, 10 the mouth og The uncousciGu
= animal and sprang upon his back. Re
t-Jverins himself IN moment, fie wiz
horse sprsng into Ia. air With the fnriou
4 bound of a panther A. he came 10 il''