Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-05-16
0be DaiIp l)irsiniau.
Sketches In Venice,

IL 10 lue udJ ucCHHot anu, ieunlng ITOTD a
window ofone of the old palace homes OF Ven
ice, looking down into the clear transparency
OF her waters, and seeing reflected therein her
own loveliness.with troubled shade,lt is true,
OH her counienanee, and thoughts. oh. how far
absent is seated noble Roman lady.
She has all the grand beauty of her race
the full throat-the small and gracefully shaped
hand-the exquisite bust---the large, glorious,
shadowy eyes, tremulous as stars, full of soul
and poeiry-the,clou of dark hairpushed back
having a silver arrow run through them; no
other ornament-herself gen. priceless. .unap
proachabe Truly so; for as you gaze upon
her you see the eye brighten aud dlate wildly,
mournfully. whilst she sways herself to aud fro
with a restless mo,ion.as though TO still the bea
tngs of her heart singing all the timea low kind
OF Grooming lullaby to the ripple of the waves.
In the afternoon. when the little bay is alive
with pleasurc-crafis,and gondolas come up un.
der her very windows, taking in their freight
OF happy passengers her figure may be seen
ever singing that same monotonous chant~ever
pressing her hands against her bosom and ben
ding over them, as though she thus soothed
lome unconscious infant TO its sweet repose
Such arc the mournful phases of her disorder.
I'd intellect. Her story is soon told. Young
oyely, loving. and beloved. with ono beautiful
ooy to bless their union, life was fast becoming
20 Lucrezia b. an earthly paradise. She had
been hidden with her husband TO grand state
tal; and as she swept past them, with brilliants
1anging like tears in her dark hair, and tho
polds of her white dress flowing round her il
classic drapery, even those most accustomed to
Ter appearance felt upon them "ihe power and
might ofloveliness - She stopped to kiss her
infant son, aumbering in his cot like fair bud
f promise, and having exacted OF tho nurse
hat she would not leave the side of the timid
hid until her return,pass onwards with the
'alm smile and placid manner that is ever the
5est assurance of heart at ease.
Shall we follow her into the marble halls,
where through the pillars may be seen sweet
fountains, throwing up their crystal jests of
yater, and dashing brig,h trembling tear trops
d n the living flowers that repose beneath them,
aden with perfume, glorious in coloring, peep
eg out from their green sanctuary of shade
Ike stars of earth, glimmering, tremulousl--
'hall we listen with her 10 the invisible music
hat seems TO rise as beneath our feet with pre-.
ude-passlonate, appealing-tlll swelling in
-ound, it bursts in glndness and revelry into
and OF choral triumph, in which voices are
blended, and from which is struck out, like
'afagng bells. the valze's musical melody.
How rapidly the dancers fly forward in the
ma7y circle, threading intricate fgures How
beautifully is combined the music of motion
with the poetry of soundl The evening speeds
swiftly forward The Prince do B. has solic-
tied the hand Of our heroine and though the
graceful valze her figure is again seen floating
bril- liant as Hour, light as spray of Ocean,
Suddenly shrek rings piercing from her lips
wild, fearful. she stops. She shudders. she
,la,,, al n
her companion desperately, as though to steady
her sell, and sobs from her white. half open
lips, "My childl oh, God my Carlinol" Her
eyes are fixed; there is in them an expression
of nt1meess horror. of unfathomable dread
her eeeth are chattering as with ague. They
benr her through the pillars, dashing the cold
water from the fountain on her pale brow but
it is still the same bewildercd look Of agony
TAX me home! oh! quckly--my chidi do you
not see he is dyngl" and cold shivering tre
NOR again seized her. The carriage is brought
round-reverently is she placed in it, for the
presence of great grief will sober even the
giddiest-the horses, feet strike the hints-they
draw up under the palazzo-the door stands
open--her husband raises her in his arms like
chill d, and carries her up the broad stairway
she presses her hands upon her ears, for the
wild ,hrieks Of little child come ringing
through the halls, and even the fathers strong
frame tottcrs and shakes beneath them They
enter their boys nursery; it is crowded with
hirelin gs; and on q low stool is seated the nurse
holding thechld in her arms, just as she has
taken him out of his cot. He is screaming in
violent convusions-his face back-his eyes
turned upwards to the face OF mask that is
suspended over The cot Painfully as though
ina dream, the unfortunate mother staggers
forward, grasping him in her arms just as a
fresh :onvulson sezes on his weakened frame,
and the soul dissolves away in it's mortal fear
and agony. Yes-tbe story speaks for itself;
Tie faithess nurse had seized the opportunity
OF the mothers absence to spend her evening
abroad; and knowing the child to be timid, had
thought to guard against danger by leaving the
lamp burning in the room. and suspending a
mask over the cot. that he might have that to
turn TO and play with should he awake and find
himself alone
We know the conclusion. Heaven help the
poor child who, stretching out his arms to re