The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-09-29
GERONIMO AND GHISOLA.

GERONIMO AND GlilSOLA.
THIS small, small thing you say is venomous,
Its bite deadly, though but very pins prick,
Now ought death to he called Fairy
For he might creep in, look you, through a key
hole. OLD PLAY.
THERE are many tragical instances on
record Of cruel parents who have tried
to control the affections of their chill
drcn; but as well might they endcavor
to force backward the pure mountain
current into base and unnatural chan
nCls. Such attempts, whether of sordid
parents or ungCnerouS rivals, rebound
only to the disgrace of the cOntrivers
for love is Il jealous deity, and common
lyavenges himself by some memorable
catastrophe.
Thus it befCi the ambitious Marquis
of Cianpoio, when he aimed at match
ing his only daughter, Ghisola, with the
unfortunate Alhcri; whereas her young
heart was already devoted to her faith
FIJI Geronimo, IL person Of gentle birth
and much merit, though of slender es-
tatc. For this reason, his virtues were
sighted by all but Ghisola, who had
much cause to grieve at her fathers
blindness; for Altieri was proud and
jealous man, and did not scorn to dis
parage his rival by the most unworthy
reports. lie had, indeed, so little gem
crosity, that although she pleaded the
prcposscssion of her heart by another,
he did not cease to pursue her; and
finally the Marquis, discovering the rea-
son of her rejection, the unhappy Gero-
nimO was impcratiVcly bnnished from
her presence.
In this extremity the disconsolatc
: lovers made friends with Il venerable
oak, in tho Marquis's park, which pre-
scntcd convenient cavity for the re-
ccption Of their scrolls; and in this
way this aged tree became the mute and
| faithful contidant of their secret COrre-
spOndCncc. Its mOSsy and knOttcd
/ trunk was inhabited by several squir-
rels, and it, branches by various birds;
and in its gnurIod roots, Il family of red
ants had made their fortress, which af-
/ fOrdcd sufficient excuse for GhisOla to
stop often before the tree, as if to OBJ
serve their curious and instructive la
bors. IN this manner they exchanged
their fondest professions, and conveyed
the dearest aspirations of their hearts to
each other.
But love is purblind and imprudcnt
passion, which, like the ostrich, con-
! l.. and
then foolishly imagincs that it is shroud-
ed from all other eyes. Thus, whenever
Ghisola walked abroad, her steps wan
derod by attraction to the sclf-same
spot, her very existence seeming linked,
like the life of Il dryad, to her favorite
tree. At last these repeated visits at
tracting the curiosity of the Nigllant
Alncri, his ingenuity soon OWNED the
cause; and Wurily taking care to cX-
Iamine all the scrolls that passed be-
tween them, it happened that several
schemes, which they plotted for Sc
crct interview, were NeNatiouSly dis
concerted. The unsuspicious lovers,
however, attributed these spiteful dis
lappointmcnts to the malice of chance ;
and thus their correspondence continued
, till toward the end OF Autumn, when
the oak-trec began to shed its last with
cred leaves but Ghisola needed not,
so long as it afforded those other ones,
which were more golden in her eyes
t than any upon the boughs.
one evil day, however, repairing a-
usual to the cavity, it was empty and
trcasurclcss, although her own deposit
had been removed as heretofore; and
the dcws beneath, ii appeared, had been
lately brushed away by the foot Of hcl
dear Geronimo. She knew, notwith
standing, that at any risk he would MOI
, so have grieVed her; wherefore, return
! ing home with heavy heart, she dread
= ed, not unreasonably, that she shoulC
3 discover what she pinned form the hand.
of her mcenscd father; but being de
>, ceived in this expectation, she spent thu
/ rest Of the day in tears and dependence
!, for, rather than believe any negligence
c of Geronimo, she resolved that he mus
have met with some tragical adventure
. wherefore his bleeding ghost, will
e many more such horrible phantases
i did not fail 10 visit her in her thought
and dreams.
@ In the meantime, Geronimo was il
h equal despair Mt NOT havingreceived an!
0 writings from Ghisola; but his doubt
took another turn from hers, and justly
= alightcd on the treacherous Altieri. a
a the first hints Of hiosuspicion, therefore
he ran to the house Of his rival, Whep