The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1865-07-25
FRANCESCA ROD0EgI.
a Story Of @ siollian grigand.

Ny childhood was passed in v'llsgs al the foot
Of he--mounh,ius. An elderly aunt sni Piled TO
10 INC The place parents whoso sncolr Ak alton
tons had never known OF did no, iemeu.l or.
We were very poor, but no, unhappy and tTo
pas,ed on, aud II became my turn TO labor Tor her
Who had 30 long supported me- would frequently
gaze With . con,entod Joy or the pcsce'ul wales
and hanging forests THAI uurrouu led our humble
bona, and lbsnh the raiu,, TO- having reno7ei
90 far from tie luiy haunu Of men, with al
their oaitant Woes and miferes Those day
were indeed llsst,i. nj .hted aud miserable "a I
now sw, The rCeollsc;ons Of childhood come over
my ruined sp.r't Ike tbc cooling breeze TIE
parchsd traveller, and my soul for moment al
most forgc,s .,s lood II crrns AMI despair Alas!
when tiieei IN tho simple PIC .sues OF ha. rue
raj sooiuson. dii not reflect that m ,iuriuno does
nc! tislaiu tho lowuH vic I'm, sad that crime,
though In fersau sarb, on'ors tho wrcicl ed
how'd Of the lsyysr as vol ~ TIE palace a sic
weai,hy. Love, Viii n las creA, d moro happiness
AID moro N scry IN our word then I'll the otlor
pass cas- together, a. the frsi grand cause Of my
desolAnon and WOO. LAURA d'ES iuoa was two
or 'hrec years youn gor ihsn myself sni the mcs'
enchanting creature thas ever trod !h!s earth. II
was nc'hsr SoVely nEurs, her rounded limbs aud
Hsbe like bust no- her poI ing lips np1 lefty cur's,
that won ny aim ration. No p.siant though wa,
my bp rit rose sppcIer 10 such s!irseuonA which
sho shan cd in common with many d our viii re
girls u was the soul thst burnt In thosa eyes the
so'tness and dsiescy, the rcAr,ng modss,y and
rrdearing Innocence Of her ohsl'ater so different
from tho Sencrah:y ofher eounnywo ulsu, that en-
ehEnied me. Wretch ths, tm, / can count over
hat which IA 10 ~ and
cribe thoss beauties whdsh have s1rnaliy ruined
In our rural empioym ents and rec~ahons We OF
course often met, but, much ws- she removed
shove mo in wealth and station, that neillT our.
s'vo, nor any else yer Suspected ,hat we low
ed. An unexpected oSc urreucs revealed to US TO
tEdo state OF our foel.n. =, and eruoly destroyed
the golleu vision Of bal ,pluosS which bad 10 long
deiutsd us rich yI,ung farmer In the neigh
bou'hood prop sod for uiis hand Of Laura, And was
sceep.sd by her father. 7
The Inhabitants Il ~ north dignity their cold
calculating affections b. the nars Of ove bu, they
have no .doa q the pssi on Which We call by that
name Tie feeling, of 10 glowing south ore all
Gerce and ardent "a the SIl which ScorchSs q cir
tiiin such were my 'sl cations wbep heard Of
the PROPOSAL for Lsurs. sisli my ts,rr swell with
II rne,-sll my sensa;ons md idcas underwent
sudden revllslon, and ray who's long Changed;
ry brain swam round, sudden Gre ran through
all my veins and know FOR tho Grsi tuNs how
deeply, how desperately, bow maC1y, I loyeLii
l can mover forget The mingled ,ngush and bllSs
Of ths, very evening, when crsdsA IA ny A.. ~,
bar blushiug cheeks and hoavlns sosom bs.rsy!. ~
her confusion, Laura whispered into ny saraptureN
ear her rof, conies,ion OF reciprocal attachment,
That unv ,r.tC ltaJ L.
To o.t, slssi knew thls her rich hAushty "a
ncr would spurn ms as son-ln-law, and sntro,s-
oil her 70 esesTo with uso to some psee whore We
nigh. DO united in spite Of his opposition bu, her
mo est and retiring mature, and sense OF flial
duty, made her shrink from such step, and ~rs
OBJ igei to part nom hor with the poor sollce Of
rc'''tei ssSeverstop, .siflcd with ,oos, that she
Noul never never wod, or oven look on another,
Tue night was passa In hopeless nu,i,pa.io-,
and early ths noII No rnipg | ptoctel,d 10 Is
rinoa'a hoiss. Ny ~, lings were strung 10 tho
tst, and calmly s,atp TO the stern old fnLn tiai
lie oshfl Id saitor for hi dAughisT's hand.
Al nrsi lie lookod as II not quite sure ,hA' he bad
heard urgL1 but whom, from my p rsJresAnee he
Iereeved hat vas In sslnesi, he cEs oui into a
Storm OF mingled iptuls snd e1earaGon. | was IA
vain vat po ded my love 'or Laura, -" rnou,"
cred he besgar AZ thou art presume % spes. 81
my dalshtsr' Bs,one snah!"
what !" SAID "Is m,3noY, than YOUR ONLY
object Do you barter her who should TO CHARS
70 your hear for pal;ry mreI Of goldr'
"uArkyo, friend" rephe c ssya1e with q grim
smile, you undcrrate he Va no OF monsy AMI
come psun less OuCas; 70 eus ia conlp with
Tue HcLes tft.y neg4b 1Lou shA,L IA ave 10
cauSo to complain of iniuslee, hut must jls so
also 10 others s-sI !aou tais Iurssr tN g uou-
te1ts are to 9 my daughters dowpy,-tll 4 with
gold buI ouee, snd tGe IA yC ufsl" aud de wretch
IL shed me ~ scorn as he thraw down ahe purse,
which years of my labour oud hereby have sun.
eed 10 ~. How the laugh Iung 10 my eAfs;I nad
pon.arded him whore he s,o',d, --Lut, h llr.'A
hth T, knI safe.
hSIdened with rsge and dcspsir rishe from
~ presence un,onsc ally my ieel iurn,d owsrds
tue mountains, aud folG sort oi res in bound
ing over tnsn erasgy summiEa aud co lr tn de.th
neas OF my ry / threw myaelf on th ) ruunl,
tore my hair and garments With iTantc rag G, and