New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-25

again by the light Of great larng torches and
began the descent down a dusty decline. IL was
a strange rapid piece OF work. The whole party
ran, rushed tumbled sided, rolled down in one
confused crowd-the torches glazing, fakes of
burning pitch scattering here and there, the pslan-
quiA bobbiDg up and down. the mountain soping
up 10 the clouds behind and down into darkness
before. We descended this time into the old era.
ter-a great plain of dust and pumice stone. All
was gloomy around, but the lights Of Naples and
Portici could be distinguished in the distance.
Our horses and donkeys were waiting for as
where we had left them and werode rapidly
back ria the Hermitage, but over the plain OF lava,
instead of by the zig gag road, toward PortlcL-
Ghta ran all the way by my side, bat rarely spoke
except to tell me when we approached steep
declivity. ] should have felt Jealous had she at
tended to any one else but was quite angry at
hearing her jestingly spoken Of as my coRqu st
A single vulgar remark sometimes throws cold
water on the most delicate sentiment
At Portic she left US. The guides were paid,
and everybody forgot the vocanog girl who had
been of such signal service to US. l looked for
her and saw her standing in the courtyard with
the back of her little hand to her mouth in PEN
sive attitude 'Ghita, said /, approaching, l
must give you something-sbe started slightly
that you may buy remembrance with it of our
visit to the volcano In such form, the present
Il did not write the amount down among my
disbursements-Was accepted frankly and freely
emotion a few kind words from me had struck
upon a chord ever ready to vibrate; the truth is
she sobbed, and could not answer. But when the
tongue falters and the lip trembles in the South,
there is an eloquent substitute for language. She
took my hand and kissed it fervently, and a
shower of warm tear drops fell upon IL. 'Ghta-
Imurmured, trying to be firm, but bending over
her with the tenderest Affection cannot help
it have instructive love for the sorrowful-
'Ghlts, you are unhappy Can do anything for
you7 No. was her answer, as she again
pressed my hand, and gliding away, disappeared
like shadow in the street.
We were at Naples an hour sitter midnighti
but found it Impossible to sleep. l could think
of nothing save the story of the volcano girl; for
the substance of her story was evident-the ma
terial details alone were wanting | atterward
learned the whole truth volume might be
filled with them line will be sufficient She
had been betrothed to young man, guide, who
had persisted during visit TO the volcano; she
had gone mad in consequence-of gentle, harm
less madness in general but as few brutal
people insulted her, she was sometimes suspi-
cious of strangers. She gained her living by
selling ornaments Of polished lava, or by guiding
travellers. This was all; but 1t was enough.
have kept place in my memory for Ghlta, whose
acquaintance | cultivated on other occasions.
saw her once among the ruins of Pompeii, where
she greeted me with a friendly nod, but without
referring at all to our previous meetings. meeI
in words for at parting she gave me handfr vi
wild -howers, and then ran away without waiting
for a recompense.