, 1864-03-05
NO. 49,.

"Dead! Count-dead dead dust in
the grave. Listen to my story. Twenty
years since, sorrOwing and blushing with
wrongs, left the gatdy mansion Of my
shame, and sought, in distant shades, an
Humble refuge with my child. Desolate
as l was, when l pressed my baby .to-my
Heart I still felt s6mforted. began again
to dream Of peace, when, suddenly, ma
lignant fever seized upon MY blooming in
FAINT. For three days and nights l watched
by its bed necessarily; and Heaven knows
how fervcnt were my prayers. But watch
and prayer We're vain; and the angel Of
death tore from my weak afnts the. only So
lace | retained on earth. A direful dreary
blank succeeded; my wits wandered; and;
fSr many months, l becatne helpless luna.
tic. Suddenly, recollection visited iis
again-twa at the dead hoif Of the night.
had escaped from the Kind peasants who
tended me, and was sitting in the church.
yard where my baby lay buried. As from
o dream my senses seemed to start and
wake. No human shape or sound was
near but the cold breeze Of midnight
played freshly on my temples, and ! heard
the fallen leaf rustic as It passed me. !
felt was alose, and slowly gazed around.
The moon ut its cloudless zenith, and the
silent march Of the stars were above me;
and at my feet new-mads grave, which
my unconscious hand had been strewing
DER with flowers. l looked, and ! knew IL
for my baby's. / could not weep--fre
had dried up the source Of tears; but 4
new spirit, fierce and iend-like, rose within
my breast. knelt down amidst the moon
light dews, and, calling on my infants in.
jured shade, pronounced dreadful oath Of
vengeance-'twas on the father Of my child
l swore to be avenged. Both day and
night travelled on my wild design. At
last, the towers Of Baisseaux rose proudly
on my sight-a thick bower concealed me,
and / watched the spot, unsettled in my
aim, but fixed upon revenge! The castle
gates unfolded, and child, q lovely child,
came tripping Ger the lawn, plucking the
flowers, and weaving thcmih playfulwreaths.
He approached the ambush where | stood
concealed. gazed upon his features, and
knew their stamp. Twas your son, De
Baisseaux, your legitimate son, whom l be-
held. Revenge p I cried; and as the
fearless infant gambolled near the bower,
sudden and unseen snatched him in my
arms. The waters of the Arno Iiurmured
near. ewift to the rivers brink few, and
bore my victim With lie. Nay, start not;
De Baisse aux, I did not kill him | I cast
his hat and mantle on the wave, but held
the infant closely nestled to my heart
My cruel fraud succeeded-the clothes
we're found, the weater's death believed;
and, unpursued, / bore De Baisseaux's heir
to distant realms. Hither / fed and
here, in peasants weeds, I hid q noblsis
form and reared hitfi Is my own. Ny
race of crime at last ID run. Walter Nam
deyille, l lose my child forever but you,
in the Count de Baisseaux, rejoicea father"
At this announcement, the Count de
Baisseadx embodied his long-lost boy within
his arms.
Matilda" !" sssa the Count, "oitr offences
have been fGutuai-let our ezpiStion be
the same: one son is lost to us, yet another
still is ours" s-gei. s,sai g.ca
All was joy--dll was glad6ess. Ere long
the sorrowing Matilda found comfort for
all past griefs in fond husbands arms
and 0H that day on which the Connt Dc
Baisseaux led her 70 the altar, Walter
Vaudeville and Margaret MsxYell obtained
the blessing ana consent Of theft parents
to their nuptials, Which were afterwards
soleniEizsd, amid the tejOiciHgs Of tho vasI
sails Of Glenavif.' ..