The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1859-09-08

iuIc ucI CIuSiuAs PtoJH'Gs WIZ I" 80
trembling lips, the Virgin Mary to save
her family from the impending trouble.
Rising, she by violent effort controlled
her feelings, and returned to the sitting,
room VIII, re her mother sat spinning. All
the rest Of that day a shadow hung over
Blanca; every noise made her start pain
fully, and when the hour for her father
to return home came and past, and still
he fingered, she snatched up her hat and
set out to meet him across the fields.--
She had not gone far, when she met q
body of peasants bearing glitter. Anto-
nio Brndisi was in front, and immediate
ly upon seeieg Blanca, he sprang forward,
and seizing her hand, endeavored to lead
her hack; but Blanca resisted steadily,
and suddenly by little impethons mo.
tion, drew her hand from Antonio, and
stepping to the side of the litter, she rails
ed the cloth which covered the body, and
saw the features Of her father. me
dreadful shrek, and she sank senseless
in her lovers arms. Slowly she recov-
tered and the peasants bore their sad load
into the little G, ttage. Bianca's father
! had fallen from high rock, struck upon
his head, and died without groan. So
said the kind peasants; but upon going
to her room Blanca saw folded upon
the window-sill, which she opened, and
read as follows:
"A push for Blanca, / said, and the
old man fell headlong over the rocks
Do you not falter now 7"
A week later, and Blanca again felt
the vengeance of her tormentor, for An
tonic Brindisi, her betrothed, was missing.
and no clue could he obtained as to his
place Of confinement, although every
search was made. Another note lay up
on the window sill in Bianca's little room.
1.-Two gone, dear to Bianca's heart
Will she repent =
This note was shown to all in the VII
lage, together with the other, but so close
did the robbers keep themselves, tiIat
though search was continued night and
day, no trace of their hiding place could
be discovered. Blanca, for time, SEEM
ed Frustrated by her trouble, but her
youth and health enabled her to recover,
and in few months after the death of
her athpr, her mother and herself left
the village, and went to Rome, where
throus h the influence of her friends, she
was enabled to study, and become an ac-
tress. and in short time very success
fil one. At the end of four years, when
she was about twenty. three, she was sez-
ed with a longing to return to her native
village, and she did SO When Blanca
arrvedS at Chieti, she found there had
been established small theatre, at which
she agreed to act for d few nights. The
VILLAGERS were in ecstacies. The day be-
lore her inleni,'i appearance, to her in
tnle i,orror, Slephano, grown older, aud
un,e witk.1 looking, intrudel himself mp
| "a 'tPr Blanca was alone III The house,
and her heart Sauk within her when he
tegan to plead his suir.
= You iiave come back to the village a
lonely. sad woman, and may, perhaps, BIZ
willing to look with more favor upon the
snit of one who has worn your image in
his heart for long years. | am powerful
and rich. What will be your answer now,
when ask you to be mine r.
my answer" said Blanca, slowly, sis
that despise you, and it is with greater
loathing and hate than ever that | look
upon you. You are powerless now to do
me any more harm.'
"Fair lady," said Stephano, with a
sneer, 81 am not so powerless as you
think for; can again make your proud
heart quiver, and perhaps falter. Listen /:
Antonia Brindisi is not dead as you have
supposed him to be, but is imprisoned in
q cave, which alone can enter---and,
though kept from starving, he is ill-treat-
cd, and hard. worked. Say that you will
be mine, and he shall be set free, given
gold enough to last him his whole life.
"Villian robber!" exclaimed Blanca.
{" Life and freedom to Antonio, purchased
at such price would be only curses, no
boons. He can only die and ] follow him.
No will live to bring your head to its
proper place, the block. Beware for
no matter how close you keep nprself,
my eyes shall find out your hiding place,
and my voice seal your just DOOM
i With q low. mocking laugh. Stephano
sprang from the room, and Blanca sank
almost senseless upon the floor.
\ The eventful evening arrived. and the
theatre was crowded to overhowing; ma.
ny anxious to see their playmate and
friend in her new life. and all eager to
see the popular Bandestini. The play
was far below any Of Bianca's accustonl-
ed pieces, being . simple comedy, suited
to the capacity Of the actors. The first
scene was Of scarcely any note. being
merely and intervieYsWjth Blanca and
her lover. In scene Necpna, the heroine
Is proceeding to the chnsoh to be married.
accompanied BY the girls Of the village,
ss ) train Of honor. when they err sur.