The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-10-08

! beautiful Rosalie has remained true to htf
! love for Nicelc. His fame as swimmer
has resounded through the island, and it 10
| even reported that he had spent whole days
and nights at sea, as If it were his native
element.
After the first hurs. of anger, King Fer
dinaad regretted that he had displayed so
much asperity against the preserver of his
! daughters life, in presence of his courtIers,
and he offered bribes to conciliate the young
fisherman, but they were disdainfully re-
fused. Nothing would content the aspiring
Nicols, but the hand Of Kosalie.
As we have stated, it was in an age when
warrior, or he who had the slightest claim
to noble birth, might hope to mount a
throne; but between the princess and a
humble fisherman, the gulf was deemed too
broad.
One day the monarch called the Lord
Gabaldri to private council, and explained
his meaning. -.
81 pledged my kingly word,o he said to
the courter, sto grant whatever this Nicolo
| Pesk might ask, If it was in my power"
'The royal will is law" said the courtier.
''He should have been as moderate in de-
mand as you were lenient in promise. In
!
! if YOU fail to keep your promise"
sNot so, Gabaldri," said the monarch.
ssAll the world would see the part | had
played, and should forfeit the bright name
! Of Ferdinand the just. l cannot solve the
spell this water merman has thrown about
my child. but am well aware she loves him.
Her tell tale check and haggard looks have
proved that he has made strong impres-
sion on her heart"
"Your majesty will surely not consent
that he should wed the matchless Rosalie?"
81 havea scheme Iwot off, said the willy
monarch, "that shall battle all his hopes,
and still preserve my daughter for "a nob!er
mate. long have wished to learn the awful
secrets of Charybdls, the dread whirlpool
of our kingdom and who SO tit rs this same
Nico!o, to bring MS back intelligence from
the dark. wondrous caverns of the sea -
Should he succeed" exclaimed the
courtier. "what then 20
"AS Ferdinand the Just, | may no more
refuse that he should wed the Princess
! RO>nlie''
! "And what if he declines the task:'
. | will post him through the Isle as a
mere braggurt and coward, who IS unwor-
thy Of her love. But still think he will
accept the task, although the chances are
all in our favor; for who of woman born
could ever hope to search the vast Tartarian
abyss, where Neptune holds his choicest
secrets, and yet return to mother earth
AGAIN."
"And has your highness made the Prin-
cess Rosa!ie aware yet Of your purpose ~
Tonight | will unfold my scheme to
her, and at the same time dispatch a mes
s"nger to Nicolo to ac1uaint him with my
whim, to which, if he accedes, he shall pos
sess the maiden he dared to love. Good
night, my lord; but by the mOrrow's dawn,
let it be trumpeted throughout the isle hat
| Nicolo Pesk viii brave the dangers of Cha.
, rybdis, to win the hand Of Princess Rosa
! lie.;
The cour.er bowed low and left the
apartment, after promising to fulfil the
! kings wishes to the very letter. X
The sun had scarcely RAISED his golden
, banner in the east, ere brilliant throng Of
hish-born danes and lords assembled to-
gethcr, on lofty pinnacle of rock that
ju,ted far ous from the mainland into the
open sea. 1t was an eyre for the eagle,
where the king and courtiers stood, while
futhoms deep below, the NAL ltrom currents
Of Charybli. Kissed and boiled.
And in the centre of this group of lords
| and ladies' TAR. stands Ferdinand the just,
and by his side, his pure and peerless
daughter, v DO las learned to love a humble
fisherman.
Her cheek is dcathly pale, her auburn
/ ringlets scattered TO the morning breeze.
Her white lips seem to utter something like
a whispered prayer as she gazas on the form
of him she loves, who, though be cannot
boast Of noble birth. has still nobler mien
than any titled lord of all THAI gay and bril-
liant throng.
s.ls all Freparcde" exclaimed the mon
arch, as be held n golden cup aloft, about
to hurl it in the black abyss below.
''Yet stay one moment, father" said fair
Rosaiie, imploringly. 81 have a boon to
crave, ere this brave youth, who perlls life
and limb to prove the earnestne>s Of his
love. performs thy strange behest."
( - What is it, daughter % said King Fer
dinand, while the courtiers drew near to
listen.
"a single kiss, dear father, from the lips
of him love-perhaps the first and last"
The monarch frowncd, but among the
crowd of courtiers there were none but what
deemed that Nicoo would never more return
to earth. and many felt kindly sympathy,
and pressed the ma!den's SUIT.
Ferdinand at length granted the request,
and long and feryeDt Was the embrace OF
the two lovers.
She spoke no words of hope to him she
knew to be the hravest Of the brave, and he
had learned the awful perlIS OF the deep too
well to breathe encouragement to her; but
for her fond embrace he would have bar
tered all her fathers broad domains, had he
possessed them; aye, freely would he have
offered up his life to win from her one single
) smile.
The monarch gave the signal word fol
, preparation. and hurled the golden goblet
far beyond the cliff, where it glittered like
, meteor in the boiling vortex of the waters
And all heI watched its fight, but none will
: such an eager gaze as Nicolo and Rosalie
lie marked the spot where the brigh
golden goblet sank into the waves, drew IL
his breath, and. with one last fond look a
her he loved. lcaped from the dizzy parape
: into the fooming sea.
1t was an act SO brave, that not all tn
respect due to the monarch's presence coui'
rcpreSs IL loud huzza Of admiration from
the courticr., at the daring feat, and thcl
there followeda long interva! Of silence an
, suspense.
u With cheeks as pale as death, her form a
motionless as any marble statue, fair Ro
!, sale is gazing on the spot where all he
4 Joys and hopes Of life went down, whe
T., suddenly she shrleks-
, "lie lives! he lives Father, he bring
e thee back thy goldeh emp, and comes t
q claim thy daug ghter's hand''
The eyes of love discerned what other
= sought in vain--the form of Nicoio. tin
g speck upon the sea, but soon they all defn
the gallant fisherman holding aloft hi
i prize. and then shout of triumph rend
{ the air.
V In few moments afterwards he laid tn
!, treasure at the monarch's feet. and then b
+ had the right that even Ferdinand could nc
DENY. to fold his betrothed TO his arms.
d He gave wondrous history of all he sa
). in the dark caverns Of the sea; large SNAKE
V IN hundred fathoms long gigantic polyl
: that sought to twne him in their Shiny folc
| "a magic history of things till then III
known. He stated that the current OF ii
&c whirlpool had dashed the cup beneath
ledge of rock, and that the suction of II
-, b,rp. b,,,