The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-09-12
Revenge.

"My sweet little Louisa-my beloved
wifer'
These words were uttered by young and
noble-looking man-evidently Spanish
while he stood at the threshold Of his rude
dwelling, and pressed to his bosom one Of
the loveliest women whom it was ever my
lot to describe.
Her beauty was opposite to his own. He
was in complexion brunette she, as fair as
lily, when the red sun of the early morning
gave it a roseate hue. His eyes were as dark
as night, when no star can pierce the clouds
hers, as blue as the spotless heavens in win
ter day his hair, black as the ravens wing ;
hers Of that soft brown which melts away in
to shadows when light and shade alternately
fall upon it.
In figure, almost as tall as he form, per-
feet and voluptuous; features, regular and
classical; her face expressive-she was a
a splendid specimen of Anglo-Saxon beauty.
In her countcnance you could, at glance,
read her character-even if you had not
studied the science of Lavater. She was in
telectua, gentle, full Of natural affection, en-
thusiastic, poetica, romantic. Had she not
been so, she would not have been there in
that wild gorge of the Sierras, where cloud
capped heights rose around her, and the
thunder of hundred waterfalls came rum
bling down from the distance on her ear
There, alone, with him of her hearts first
glad, free choice-far from the sunny child
hoods home-far from all her kindred.
The hunting equipments upon his person,
and the rifle leaned against the door-post,
showed that he was about starting upon a
hunting expedition and to judge from the
many trophies of the chase hanging on the
long walls of his house, such expeditions
were frequent and successful with him.
Her great blue eyes were liquid with ri
sing tears, which her strong will could scarce
ly hold back; and she said, as she clung to
him, even as the Towering vine clings to the
oak.
"Do not go out to hunt to-day, dearest
Benedetto. Ny heart is almost wild with
the foreboding that some evil will fall upon
you-and, alas not less upon me, because it
strikes your
"Dismiss fears SO unworthy of your brave
heart 1t is favorable day for hunting, and
You know that now while may must lay
up our stores, for when the winter sets in
| can do nothing that way. But, ah how
happy then we will be with our music, our
songs of the past, our dreams of the future,
when another"
"Hush," said she, blushingly. "Yet for
the sake of that other, stay at home this
day ~
"For your own sake l would do so gladly,
dear one, had | not promised James Champe,
the miner, to meet him some miles from
here, to show him a new 'lead,' for which he
and his company promise to pay richly"
81 regret the promise all the more" she
sighed "for that man, though know that
he is coward, is yet the more villain
He claims to be Tennesseean, but the noble
State of Tennessee never gave birth on her
soil to such a recreant dog as / feel in my
heart that he is. Remember that he has
been here often"
ayes, on business for the company, Of
which he is the head"
"On the pretence of business rather His
eyes, lustful, vicious, sensual, have often made
me shudder when he looked on me-"
Il will attend to his case, and give him
warning this day, never to enter my house
again." said Benedetto, while his face paled
and his eyes flashed. "But, Louisa, you
know better than all the world how sacredly
l hold and keep my promises. l must 60"
She said no more, but kissed him; and as
he passed down the ravine in which their
house stood, she watched his form as long as
she could see it through the mist and tears,
and whispered low prayer for his safety.
Woman-lke, she thought not Of danger for
herself all her fears were for him.
On the evening, or rather well along in the
night, which preceded the morning which
opened this story, band Of rude, cOarsely-
dressed men, whose faces were repulsive with
the signs Of debauchery, sensuality and dis
sipation, were seated in a rude shanty, about
three or four miles from the home Of Bene-
detto. The mining tools around them pro-
claimed their ostensible occupation but the
weapons hanging about, and in their belts,
coupled with their scoundrslly looks, told
them to be ready and truly bad enough for
any crime, whenever its chance came in their
way.
A long table Of hewn plsnks occupied the
centre Of the shsuty-a greasy and dirty
pisoe Of furniture-upon which stood =