The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-08-20
SPARTAN.
Italian Sketches.

- A,tady writer oil celebrity, who recently
visited Florence, and thence journeyed, by
easy stages, TO Rome, gives us some interest
sing anecdotes relative to those extfaordina-
ry characters, the Italian brigands. On
leaving one day, a place called Monte Var
Chi, where she and her companions had
stopped TO refresh themselves, they found
the road leading through dense and tan.
gled forest. But we viii let our traveller
tell her own story: }
We at length came to clearing in the
middle of the oak forest, Just like land
scape by Salvador Rosa, FAR from comforta-
Lle in appearance. II was kind of am
phitheape.s formed in the middle of what
seemed TO have been an old gravel-pi,, half
q mile perhaps in circumference. The sides
were high and rugged, wild goblin trees
standing on the extreme points in an alarm.
ing manner, while below, The low cliffs
were indented with various holes and mar
row arertures, admirably calculated for con-
cealmeut, peepng out from the underwood
~ n mysterious chiar'oscuro, anything but
reassuring. A long stone bridge occupied
the bottom of this pass. ascending the or
posite side OF the amphitheatre. This i'll.
looking locality was called Palazzaccio, and
was not wanting in its tales of brigands, be.
ing The favorite haunt Of the we'll known
Spadolino.
This man was n sort Of hero in his way,
affecting TO rob the rich in order TO assist
the poor-gaioipg by this reputation no
end of partisans among the peasants, who
invariably wink at all that sort of work
There was, il is said. a certain miller. who
bad long kneaded his loaves in peace, with
= large family rising around him, until
hard times came: the stream was no longer
needed 10 turn the oIee merry wheel, star
vation came upon him, he could not pay
his rent, and was to be turned ont Of the
place he had looked upon as his home.
The miller, IN despair, sought The deep re-
cesses of this very wood, wandering up and
down its park-like glades, and at last seat.
ing himself on a rock, he burst out into
sighs and greans with true Italian .tarore.
Chance had led him into tho immediate
haunt OF Spadolino, who, hearing a noise,
suddenly appeared, no one knew whence.
as true brigand always should. But the
miller, who had nothing to lose. was bold
with the confidence of utter poverty, and
cared neither for his stiletto nor his gun, but
wept on. and wrung his hands unmoved.
% What is the matter?" quoth Spadolno;
land, diavolo, why are you making such a
noise In my woodw
"Ah" cried the miller, 'I care neither
Tor you nor the devil, who you may he for
aught | know. | am ruined and undone.
unless by this time tomorrow / can pro-
duce ntaety filncisconi to pay my rent
Santa Maria! .iave not n pualtrao, and
we shall be turned out of the country. me
and my poor children, TO starye." And
with that he buried his face in his hands
and wept louder than before.
'Do you know me?" said Spadolino. 4
"No." replied the miller; "but guess YOU
are brigand by your dress. But what is
that TO meg"
Because" answered Spadolino, "f vou
knew me you might expect help from me,
for have the power-to do that, and much
more, if please. When has il ever been
said that SpadoliRe has refused to assist a
poor man in distress? AMIGO mio, YOU
shall have the money-my hand upon it.n
"Santa Maria" cried the miller, starting
up and seizing the brigand's iron fist, ais i
possible! Can this be true? Oh, angel Of
my life! savior of my family! Thanks
thanks" And down he tumbled on his
knees and kissed Spadolino's feet.
"Be here" returned the latter, "by sun. !
rise tomorrow, and ! will give you the
money. Go home and drink the health of
SpadoIino the Briganti, the friend of the
poor and the terror Of the rich, aud beware.
in future, for he may not again be at hand
To assist you. The hell-hounds hunt me
sore, and have often dreampt of late of
the domes OF Florence--a bad sign for me
as / shall only see them when my time is
come"
That evening carriage was stopped |
crossing the very bridge at the bottom of
the pass aud rich booty secured. Spade
limo, as cruel to the rich as he was merciful |
10 the poor, deliberately cut ihe throats Of
a the road mourning over their corpses
Women, he told his band, were no subjects |
or him. and he would neither injure nor
INSULT them, nor carry them into the wood.
IS the younger among the amable brethren
As soon as the earliest streaks
If morning tinged the neighboring Apen.
lincs, the miller returned to the spot where
hey had met the previous night, and found
,padoIino somewhat pale and anxious, but
,olding in his hand the promised money
led up IN bag.
"Here," said he, "is the gold. Let one
nan, at least, bless my name, though my
lands be bloody"
The miller shuddered as he saw that so
indeed they were; but, without asking in.
onveniont questions, clutched the bag. earn
silly thanking the brigand as the savior OF
is fortunes.