The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-04-04
The Bag of Gold.

The Bag of Gold.
There lived, near Bologna, in northern
Italy, a widow lady OF the La:nbertini fam
lily, called Madonna Lucrexia, who in a
revolution of the State had known the
bitterness of poverty, and had even begged
her bread, kneeling, day after day like a
| statue, at the gate of the cathedral, ner
rosary in her left hand, and her right held
out for charity, her long black veil con-
cealing a face that once adorned "A court
aad had received the homage Of as many
sonnets as Petrarch has written on Laura.
But fortune had at length relented; a
! legacy from a distant relation had come to
/ her relief, and she was the mistress Of
small inn at the foot Of the A2penincs,
where she entertained as well as she could,
and where those only stopped who were
contented with little. The house was
stiii standing, when in my youth passed
that way, though the sign of the white
cross-the cross Of the Hospitallers-was
no longer to be seen over the door a sign
which she had taken, if we may believe
the tradition there, in honor of IA maternal
uncle, grand master of that order, whose
achievements at Palestine she would some
times relate mountain stream ran
through the garden; and at no great dis
tance, where the road turned on its way to
Bologna, stood little Chapel, in which q
lamp was always burning before picture
of the Nirgine-a picture of great antiqui-
ty, the work of some Greek artist.
Here she was dwelling respected by all
that knew her, when an event toek place
which threw her into the deepest affiiction.
1t was at MONDAY, in September, that
three foot travellers arrived and seating
themselves on a bench under her vine
trells, were supplied With fagon of Alea
tlco by a lovely girl, her only child, the
imma9e Of her former self The eldest
spoke like Venetian and his beard was
short and pointed, after the fashion of
enlce. IN demeanor he affected great
courtesy, but his lips inspired little conf
dence; for when he smiled, which he did
continually, it was with his lips only, not
with hls eyes-and they were always turned
from yours.
His companions were bluff AMI frank in
their manners, and on their tongues were
many a soldiers oath In their hats they
Wore n medal such as in that age was
often distributed in war; and they were
ev.deL tIy suba!teru> in one of those free
bands which were always ready TO serve in
any quarrel. if service 1t could be called,
where battle was little more than "A mock
cry, and the slain, as on an opera stage,
were up and fighting again to morrow.
Overcome with the heat. they threw
aside their cloakS, and with their gloves
tucked vuder their belts. continued for
some time in earnest conversation.
At length they rose TO 60, and the Neue
tIaD thus addressed their hostess:
Excellent laiy, may We leave under
t1r Al h,v pf
gold
d" ou may, She replied gailv. But re-
member, We only ta,ten with latch. Bars
and bolts we have none In our village;
and even If we had where then would be
your security
n your word, Iany
Dut what II diei 10 HiGht, Wnefe
would 1t be then sad she, iauGhinGly
" Ihe money would surely go to the
church, TOR none could claim 1t.
Perhaps You VII! favor US with an ac-
knowledgnent?
1t you viii write It.
An ACKNOWLEDGEMENT was written ac-
cordinGiy, and she signed 1t before Master
Bartoio, the village physician, who had
Just called by chance TO learn the news OF
the day the Sotd to be delivered when
app!ied Tor out TO De Delivered (these
were the words not to one nor 10 Two,
put to three-words wisely introduced oy
those to whom It belonged, knowing what
they knew OF each other
The gold they had just released from
HnlSers chest IL PerugIa, and they were on
sent that promised more
They and their shadows were no sooner
departed, ihan the NenetIan hurr'ediy re-
tnrner saying
trFE % "a n 20
bag, IS the Others have done,
she placed II on a table before hiTh out
IN that moment she was called away TO
ed from his horse. hen she came BACK
1t was gone. The temptation proved IT.
re>!stoie- and the man and the money
had vanished together from the inn.
retched woman that l am she
cried, "a, IN an agony OF grief she fell on
her oau2hte' neck nal VIII become
OF Us Are We again TO be cast out INTO
me VIDE "ofld thhaPpy ch'id, "ould
that thou hndst never been born
And all day long she lamented; but her
tears aval!et ner Ittie ihe others were
not slow IN ieturnin. 10 cla'i' thrif due
and there were 10 tidlnSs OF the 'hlei-he
had fled far away with his piunder.
process against her was instantly begun at
bologna; and what defence could she
make? how release herself from the oblI-
cation oi the bondE Niifu!iy, or In neslI-
Sence, she parted with II to one, when she
should have kept 1t Tor all; and inevitable
rum awaited her.
20, Ulanetta' she sa'd 10 hef daughter
take thls vel "hlch your hother mas
weP' uhoef so o''eh, ana inhp'ore tie
counselor Caiderno to plead tor US Oh the
day OF trial. He Is generous and Will list
en- to the unfortunate. But if he will not,
90 from door to door; Monaldl connot re-
fuse US Make haste, my child; but re-
member the chapel as you pass by it,