The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-11-18

ed aperture, and 8 trembling voice ask
| ed what was wanted.
1--WE are certain reyerened friars,
Isweeting," answered Gasparoni, in a
canting tone, come at the order of
his holiness to examine into the cOndi-
ton Of his well-belOved."
| +" Away, rude man ~ cried the nun.
Z. Nay, you will force me to be rude
| unless you give me admittance," said
| the bTigand, in his natural tone. "Here
are thirty stout fellows to whom sacril-
| ege is pastime, and who know how to
relic e the unfortunate Of vows it is
| troublesome to keep. I have Obeyed
! the scTiptural injunction, do ye verify
| the Words-'knOck and it shall be0peR-
ed.' You see I am not altogether so
graceless as you believe me-"
But the latter part of his address was
breathed to empty air, for the frighten-
ed nun had fed to the interior of the
building to alarm tho abbess and the
sisterhOod.
Z" To the gate, brigalds, with your
bludgeOns ~ shouted Gasparoni. His
order was obeyed-beneath hea Wy and
repeated blows the wicket gave way.
Anselmo would have entered first.
Way for your captain ~ sternly
shouted Gasparoni. Dispute my pre-
| cedence and die % The appalled, rob
| ber stepped back hastily, and Gaspa-
roni was the first to step within the
hallOwed precincts.
Several doors in the body of the
building were successively forced, and
the armed heels of the brigands rang
along the stone-paved corridors, as,
headed by their captain, they stFOde
onward to their crime. The nuns had
assembled in the chapel and were now
covering within the precincts Of the
altar. The lady abbess alone was self
possessed and dignified. She was
woman of middle age, of lofty stature
and possessing some claims to the
epithet of beautiful, though her cOun-
tenance was somewhat worn and fur
rowed.
Commanding lis band to halt on the
threshold of the chapel, GasparOni
dotted his hat, walked with firm step
up the central aisle, and halted at the
railing of the altar, on the lowest step
of which the abbess stood. There was
something in her b, airing That awed
even the Iawless brigand. Sensible Of
the feeling she inspired, and determin-
ed to profiC by it, The lady addressed
the intruder.
''Ay, pause" she said, "well may
you, for you are in the house of God,
and l shall pronounce His curse, which
,
do notinstantly retire, uOr farther mo-
lest those devoted to His service
Dear lady, l came to do you a SER
vice" answered GasparOni, recovering
his bitterness and self-pOssessiOn. '"Tis
really pity such a bevy of beauties
should die in a convent. I cannot an
swer for you, madam, for you are past
the hey-day of your youth; but for
these sweet girls, l believe they're
ready to quit your roof without compul-
sion"
Hear him!' cried the abbess, lifting
up her hands in holy horror. 50 Hear
the unhallowed infidel.n She gave a
private signal, which was understood
and answered as she wished. The
notes of the organ suddenly broke upon
the midnight air, the echoes rolled
along the Yaulted roof, and died away
like distant thunder. Then rose the
sweet, Wailing voices of the nuns, clus-
teTing around their altar, and chanting
to their rMaker-SdgactItD1 ct terrible no
men ejlls, Iilitllnl s0l0ieIltjO9 tinEOr DOM
mi. Then the voices ceased and all
was mute Perhaps even the brigand
chief would have fed the holy spot,
appalled, and chilled, had he not seen
among the shrinking nuns, a lovely,
a well-knoWn FACET was LeonOra's.
He sprapg over the fretted barrier, and
seized his victim. She shrieked with
pious horror as his burning lips pressed
those she had vowed to purity and
"Each to his nunV' shouted Gaspa-
rOni, lifting the fainting girl from her
feet" and let those who are covetous
bear off the crucifx and plate. Away!
before the morning comes to tell the
tale"
LT;e ,,-(,.,, ,,I,o1-o,J ,,-;tI, oII +l,a-
prOmptness of inclination. Some tore
the loveliast nuns from the pillars to
which they clung eOnvulsiveiy, while
others seized the gold and silver vessels
of ethe chapel. One gigantic rObber
wrenched the golden cross from its pc
destal, and bore it off in triumph.
Long before the daylight dawned, the
sacrilegiouS band had secured its retreat;
still breaking the solemn silence of the
early hour, the mighty bell of the con-
vent was heard tOlling forth dOlOrOus
alarm.
CHAPTER III.
As the weary robbers reached their
mountain fissures, the clear rays Of
broad daylight bathed the heights Of
the AbruZzi. Fatigued with toll they
flung themselves upon the ground to
sleep, regardless of their victims, who,
half dead with terror, awaited the con-
clusion Of their unfortunate adventure.
The captain alone refused to sleep, but
seated on an isolated crag, watched
over the inanimate form Of LeonOra.
AT length sensation revisited the Wret-
ched girl. She arose from her recum-
( bent posture, opened her eyes, and then
closed them again with q heavy sigh.
Where am I ?'' she murmured
family.
ain the arms of lover" answered
GasparOni.
q" am the bride of heaven ~ shrek
Ell the hOrror-stricken nun.
Do I look like a celestial BRIDE
groom ?" asked the rObber, bitterly
" No! am of the eaFth-earthly. But,
LeonOra, you can reform me-you can
make me happy"
Away! your hands are stained with
blood"
" Penitence shall make them as
white as snow, or gold shall purchase
absolutiOn of the Pope himself-Only be
mine.n
"NIy vow y
"Ay-vows do very we'll for the un-
initiated, but Ifgt for us who know the
world. The A6ble takes a VOW Of allie
glance to his sovereign, but he turns
traitor when interest commands him.
/ The sovereign swears to protect the
! people, but, Notwithstanding this, he
betrays the people. Why should the
vows of a nun be more binding than
those of prince or noble~
+ " Gasparoni, abhOr you! Sooner
than submit 10 your sacFilegious en-
braces, I will dash this frail person from
the enlinence on which 1 stand, and
roll mangled cOFse, before your eyes,
to the foot of the mountain. Sooner"
/ More she would have said, but from
, their very feet there broke the wall Of
a solitary trumpet. In a moment the
crags were bristiing with bayonets,
and emerging from cOncealment the
4 ,Aysry