The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-05-02

I he Idiot remained motionless and mute,
and the stranger stared at the statue like T
form as he advanced, and announced that he =
had lost his way.
"Guide me, if you can, man. I'm veal
thy, and will reward you amply. You seem =.
to doubt but the name of Adrian Loretti
carries belief with it in his own country
Why do you stare SO ! Speak to me-"
A frantic shrek, and tiger-like leap up
on the stranger, was the answer of Andravi,
who bore the slruggler fercely to the ground,
while his cry was echoed from every gorge
and hill around.
But, if the Idiot was ugile, the stranger
was no less SO; and though taken by sur
! prise, as he fell he drew pistol, and iD.
stantIy discharged it at the heOd of his wild
looking ass1ilnnt.
The ball whistled harmlessly by, and the
, surer weapon of the Idiots grasp, was EN-.
poyed to as deadly purpose. The stran
ger felt that he was being dragged to the
very edge of the precipiee !
0 The desperation Of intense fear lent him
, strength to resist, but in vain for his own
# preservation Slowly The struggling twain
neared the horrid brink, till they stood upon
e its direct verge, when despairing of future
/, attempts to save himself, Adrian Loretti
}, fastened with vice. like grip upon the belt OF
!, his adversary, whose last reckless effort
. precipitated bo th into the dreaded gulf to
gether
$ But they were not yet to die. A shelf in
III tervened, at short distance, between them
e and the uttermost chasm, and here, bruised,
n but not stunned, the struggle was continued.
ir "Who are you? Ruffian !-robber-you
1t need not murder me. will give you all
le have. But release me here" was the hoarse
c. expostuation OF Loretti, as soon as he could
speak.
h But the iron knee Of the idiot was upon
ce his painting chest and the fall on the occa-
ii. sion had wrought magic change upon his
he reason !; if not en- his purpose. That reason
ch had returned as unclouded as ever and now
Nv while retaining the advantage he had ac'
ls- quired, he looked into the face Of his pros
trate foe, md spoke to him in tones, fearful
to but well remembered.
ny "Adrian Lorett, behold in me the frient
,e. you sough, to murder. This is I, Alonz:
Andrav! Ay, shrink, murderous traitor
ok, for this is your death hour. and the tomb
avi impatient to receive you. What Ind done
The o, ialsest of friends, that you should hurI m
ed from the mountain pass, even as now sha
ot, ness, had you received, what but wealth an
ich fair equality of ompanionship hip-exaltn
Mt you, as did, from poverty and fricn1ln
igh o viper ! how treated you, how truste
Of you, to fad. on that last journey, you mean
hat it indeed to be our last. What act wa
tn, yours, when knowing yourself to be m
md heir, no kindred living to dispute my kint
ness, you hurled me-, as you thought, int
la. the cold abyss of death Till now, it ht
ood seemed to me but dream both what yo
us did, and what God has done for me.
est weight since then has been upon my brail
4 A spell has bound me to these regions
i've The momory Of all that went before WI
lost to me, and set my reason free. StriV
SIN, not, slave, traitor, child your efforts are
lie vain. Die ! Thus fling you to the deaf
YOU you designed for me !"
YOU Even as he spoke, and while the fir
words OF half prayer were upon II
,ext lips of the struggling Loretti, Andra
Their loosened his victims hold with giant blo'
An and then cast him to the white eternity b
his low !
ton The sharp scream of the falling man q
ten cended to the ears of his destroyer sou
lps, seconds before his body fell upon the i
the rocks hundred fathoms down. The dl
Gu sound reached Andravi's hearing, and Sc
avenged, his reason restored, like one ava
all ened from long dream, he turned away
ever winding path, and was soon at his mou
his tain home again. ...."
the Those who are familiar with the phenon
non of insanity, in its innumerable phas
less, pronounc ce that the causes and cores OF mil
gem distraught are often wonderful and un
acts countable nor, to such judges, Will I
the sudden imbecity, and its as sudden dls
re he pearance, as narrated, seem improbable
nued nature-co conversant as they are with
more remarkable cas- es, TO be found in m
,lers, ancholy histories of the insane. An ave-
tude, ing Providence might have implanted m
ndly; tic instinct in the mind of the Idiot, to b
n re- him to those cheeress regions till the h
which of retribution ). or the simple gratitude
, him his reason might have detained him ami
,hose his preservers, to become his restoration
revenge. rt T..
" OF Whatever the causes Andravi soon an
ether, ed his Alpine neigh bors with his true hi
foot ry and their verdict upon the justice of
mum. tragic deed was mingled with but one rel
npla- the regret Of parting with him.
if he The parting soon took place, though
some forever for having regained possessio
the ample estates to which he made the t
We an friend the heir, Andrav often visited
mountain scenes of his madness, his expl
ava and his revenge, and he did much for
ried lasting comforts OF the friends Of that pc
ltains Of his life. And to this day are remem
iatled cd in adporin0 Tradition the brnVa d