The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-11-18
#isfellauy.
THE BRIGAND AND THE NUN.

CHAPTER /.
Lovely as that of Eden is the SIX,
that bends over the terraces of Naples
arches the rocky castle ofSt. Elmo, ant
lends its magic coloring to the roman
tic bay. Beneath its sunny infiuenc,
fair flowers and fairer women spring h
early maturity, and passionate heart.
glow with its pervading warmth bu
stern as we'll as gentle passions are nur
tured by its sun, and love, hate, re
venge and cruelty grow in unison to-
gether.
Gasparoni was a gay and passionate
Neapolitan; young, brave and ardent
and at sixteen years of age he had the
form and feelings of man. Passion
shone in the eyes that cleaned be.
meath their black brows; daring and
resolution might be read in the lines
prematurely traced in the lower portion
of his face. He was not without ac-
complishments, for he could troll a
6arcurOle and touch guitar, danced
with grace and spirit, and handled q
stiletto and reined steed in a manner
which proclaimed him gentleman.
But alas he was poor, and on his bear
ing alone rested his claims to noble
origin, for he was the offspring of a love
on which the priest had never breathed
his benison, and he knew neither his
father nor his mother. At stated times
he received small sums of money, but
they were conveyed to him with such
precaution that he could not discover
the person who sent him his slender
remitances. None of the youth of
Naples dared reproach him with his
birth, for they knew the blood of Gas
paroni to be fiery as the lava of Vesu.
vius, and his hand as prompt to crush
as to caress. 1t was in his seventeenth
year that the young NeapOlitan saw
and loved the beautiful LeOnOra, the
only daughter of rich old merchant
of the city. He loved her with all the
fervor of which his passionate heart
was capable, and had the happiness of
being loved in return. The lovers met
only by stealth, for LeOnora's father
had conceived q violent dislike to Gas
paroni from his poverty and from the
guilt of his unknown parents. But Ie-
onora's kindness compensated her low
er for every rebuff, and when, awaken
ed by his nightly serenades, she bent
from her window and dropped some
flowers as token of her presence and
her love, he felt that he lived for her
alone.
One night when GasparOni repaired
as usual to the dwelling of his beloved
he suddenly encountered her enraged
father, who, in the tones of the widest
excitement, bade him begone. Gaspa-
roni replied with equal warmth; q war
of words ensued, and, in the heighth
and frenzy of passion, the young man
struck his opponent to the earth. An
instant after, the lovely LeonOra, pale
and with disordered tresses, rushed
from the house.
"You have slain him !" she cried.
"'1'is truew answered Gasparoni,
still gasping with passion; "he was
insolent and 1 have chastised him."
BegoneW exclaimed the excited
girl. Monster, begone! The hard
that has been raised against my faith
er's person shall never clasp mine in
love, amity, or marriagen' ~
"Leonora, hear me ~
81 swear it. Begone
"You will think better of this"
"Neverw
With a glance of scOrn and indigna-
ton, she waved him of. Gasparoni
stood one moment looking at her with
a den1oniack expression; then he bow
edlow with mock respect and gravity,
and quilted the scene of his quarrel
with hasty step.