The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-06-07
BY MARY IRVING.
CHAPTER v.
Oridna's Story.

IN er.ef am not all unlearned "-TsnnySon.
rPo5r Kitty | must find Kitty u was ORR
anas first exclamation, as her husband left the
RON.
"She IS up stairs, dare say," answered
Laura. Followed by Oriana, she opened the
door Of her room. Kitty sprang up from her
kneelng posture, choked down the sobs that
we're still struggling in her throat, and turned
her tear-drenched, crimson face to her sister
and hrs. Grey.
~Oh YOU poor, dear Kitty !" said the latter,
extending her arms as she came up to her.
"lou will let me call you so, won't you ?"
added she, folding the blooming girl in warm
embrace. you will call me Oriana, too, and
lot Mrs. Grey and let me love you dearly"
Kitty Is tired and excited, poor child" said
her sister, while Kitty was trying in vain to
steady her voice. Now, Mrs. Grey, lie down
here. while you talk to US. / am really very
curious
Oriana lay upon the couch, her long hair
dropping over Laura's lap, and her arm still
kept lovingly around Kitty's waist. She began
hey story-keeping, all along, the pretty accent
that marked her language, especially when un-
der excitement:
Very FAR away from here, or from my Flor
ida home, | was born, under the shade of palms
and giant oaks, on the banks of the mightiest
Of rivers. But left Brazil when child, and
knew nothing Of it for years. My poor mother!
She was Portuguese by birth, of poor but
proud family. My father was Frenchman-
SO ! have heard her say; never saw him. He
vas thrown into the prison of Rio Janeiro, for
some triting misdemeanor against the Govern
meIt, and died there, few weeks before l was
born. Ny mothers family cast her off, indig-
GantIy, for visiting her husband in his dis
grace. In her bereavement and distress, they
would not come near her; and, despairing, she
at last resolved to take me, and go to France
hoping TO find there home with sister of my
poor dead father.
But the vessel Ia French merchantmen
was one dreadful night, boarded by Cuban
pyateer, France and Spain were then at war, J
and my poor mother was taken prisoner with the
PES aud carried to that great, wicked island.
Alas! she was very beautiful, and very sor-
hSigii and the captain of that privateer de-
aded her with so many false promises, and,
protesting to be kind to her, instead of leaving
her to be put in prison with the others, took her
o. ms lonely coffee plantation in the interior of
the ISLAND.
may not trouble you with the rest. NJ
among hundreds Of slaves, herself a slave in
al Gui the name, and not white neighbor
within miles.
vas very happy as little child, for the
| AP.@lh petied meas a kind of atonement, /
H",e TO my mother; the servants, young
VA made great deal of me and my
-5 '-she DID little except cry over me. |
cJ I] understand her tears, and used to
-. ,lyo' them, and keep away from her arms
,,, -'-.l possible; so it was long before /
,,a,',' Z" Know anything about the true state of
:, IT. Perhaps Captain L., too, tired of her tears
-. D'Dfse OF tlme-perhaps years of grief
g.. away some of the beauty from her dark
10 not know which; but one morning
- HNaGened by the sound of voices in the
mar near by-my mothers room-angry, pas
ana :. ileading tones; then scornful laugh,
,bs 'DeH a scream, and heavy fall. l ran to
On - 'O' J. opened 1t, and found my mother lying
VII l''r' with blood upon her white lips
fr III. was Trlnging my hands, and calling
and !. a yolante rumbled by our window,
Bor,. I've OIL 1t carried the master of the
lnde, OAFdenas, to claim his young Spanish
y, ~. mother could not be in the house when
an5 H. 'I7no, not if life hung on the removal
e., o, GA servants laughed and leered, at
a,l ana ,TI 1er downfall. But when she lay so
Title ~ai !ae' after they had carried her to the
sers h. o--, he mad built for her near the over
joggb.' -,e-when they saw that she had no
l s,toro =. ANYTHING about her-they changed
81. ana began to pity her and me.
al e,T. SOAe up from her stupor that night,
stoy, - me to her bedside She told me
bail :, lathers friends and her friends in
lane of ' We charged me never to forget the
sa,t. 8 Madame de Martigny, my French
Asi epors s gave me money and jewels-for she
ae as 80. OF those baubles-and charged
say0 ~ CO as was old enough, to find my
y Fra. uenas or Havana, and take ship
here s5a l could not be worse off than
@y child O@hea, and then burst out Oh,
!g ieei ny child how can die, and leave
leFsr he II IomiSe me, Oriana, that you will
Nzes pro Lac your mother, no matter what
Il rI 5Un YOU Oh, my God pardonl'
Ten wb .t'-ed her, though l hardly knew,
toniouei VI why, l was promising; but it
alguor Ret little, and she sunk back into
Iany tnaS ''ore morning, she was dead How
0ed with ~. SINCE then, have / wished / had
The L. L. Out God knew better
e'o1sh thu a,D e. plying negroes nursed me
'eek before I Ila' great sorrow; and it was
q clinhaS vent n up to the great house again.
Elapse Of I Co. The gallery steps, caught
g, nv booe ap'ain LIS noble Newfoundland
sie tie ros otloVed playmate. So, putting
q tie psrio oe-'lnes, l danced along the gallery
@n1cb a. never thinking that was not
a laJr nome there as ever.
: thsn nv rna large eyes, blacker and proud
..aAge vran mC99ers had been, lay upon the
ssa1e slp N floating scarf of sky blue
" nm he noson;to woman stood by, and famed
..sSs featbe1rSs' 'Oes with large bunch of pea
w tsy sc ana boy stood at her elbow,
W unY coffee cnns ,ua;4;nn haz