Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-12-23
antaestina Storn.
THE FISHERMAN'S LOVE.
A Tale Of Sicily.
By JOHN COOPER VAIL. 8
CHAPTER /

j A long time ago-so long that history,
lide fairy tale verges back to the times of
romancs-lhere reigned in Sicily, mon
arch by the name of Ferdinand. 1t was
in those happy days when a subject, no
matter how poor in purse or lowly in birth,
if he excelled in deeds of arms or other
accomplishments, was received with equal
favor at the court of the king as the great
est lord Of the soil.
A high state of civilization has oblitera
ted these old landmarks, and noble birth
and gold are now the only roads that lead
.th kingly favor, where once virtue and mer-
jttook the prize. L
How strange it seems to us, when we
read of he Guelphs and Planta enets,
that in those good old times a monarch's
daughters did not think the service menial
when they washed the the feet of their IA
ther's guests as did Clotaire, for her future
husband, ChiIpenc, at The gates of Paris.
y: The king we write of was one of the no.
blest and best of men. Under his mild
sway the island fourished bravely. The
strong did not opp.ess the weak, nor the
rich grind the face of the poor. He was a
liberal patron of the arts and sciences, for
he was scholar himself, and many of the
noble and talented of other lands were at
tracted to the genial cline and sunny skies,
where they were sure of protection and
patronage from the generous Ferdinand.
heInonarch was widower, but he had
one fair daughter, so beautiful that poets
Rad written epics concerning her wonderful
charms, and many titled lord had sued
for The hand Of the charming Rosalie, but
sued in vain.
nasFerdinand, who was far advanced in years,
often wondered that his daughter did not
choose a mate from the rich and noble
born of the court. But fair Rosalie pre-
served her secret, and lhelnonarch did not
dictate to her as 10 her choice. She had
given her heart to one beneath her, SO far
that even in that romantic age she had
never dared to breathe her secret in her
fathers. ear. oss,,s5, ~ q.iiY
= Some two years previous to the episode
of our story, on a beautiful autumn day,
the fair Rosalie bantered her maids of hon
or to- take q bathe in the sea. They ac-
quiesced, and as the troop of you maidens
were expert swimmers, they had a joyous
time, each challenging the other to dive
ip The depths Of, ,Lhe trepid waters; or, with
A merry laugh and the chalienge, follow
my leader breasting the. pillows far out
from the mainland.
ln the gay pastime, Rosalie outstripped
her competitors, sporting like maid on
the blue bosom Of the pillows. while her an
burn hair flashed in the sunlight like a
banner Of gold, spangled with diamonds
and anon disappearing from sight. as sv,
rem who had sought her coral labor below
Very tame seemed the skill of the other
nfaiaens compared to the king fair dauph-
ter, snd thought one Nicolo Pesk, young
fisherman, who peering from behind q
friendly rock, had long watched the damsels
sporting the waters, when, suddenly the prin
cess, who in her mad enthusiasm to exec
all her companions, had ventnred long
way from shore,. cried out Help! or per
'sh! and disappeared from their view. Hel
companions were sparalized with fear, but
notso with Nicolo, who was accounted the
best swimmer of any agsor cline. In an
i0stantahe dove into the sea and bent his
breast to the billews with so much skill
and celebrity, thatin q few moments he was
sttbe spot where Rosalis went down. 15I
-eIhsa he, too Disappeared from their
view, and remained so long time beneath