The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-10-18
ROBBING 4 PRIMA DONNA.
The Modern Fra Diavolo and His APP.
pearance.

The Modern Fra Diavolo and His Ap
p~earance.
Miss Violetta Colyllle, the young American
prlma donna, and her mother were waylaid BY
highway robbers while enjoying a carriage
ride between AlbIsola and savona, Italy. The
letter relating The adventure Ia 30 Interesting
that We deem 1t worthy of making some ex.
tracts:
The day before we left Savona l thought II
would do Vloletta good to 20 to the beach and
walk In the sea air, she being yet not entirely
strong, 30 we took q carriage and drove to The
little village of AlbIsOla. Alter walking about
an hour on the shore of this very beautiful
beach-hard and clean from Its billions oil
many-colored pebbles-we started TO return
home. We had got about half a mile from
AlbIsola when the carriage stopped, and The
driver said that something was the matter
with the vehicle, and Lhat 1t could 60 no fur
Their. He said we must walt there and he
would 20 into town for another carriage. !
was not at all suspicious nor alarmed, and the
beauty of the place where We we're made me
The hour that must ensue before our driver
could return. We were In q little valley, or
rather a gorge, tor the hills rose on each side
and the mountains lay behind when we faced
the sea, which was Just Visible through The
gorge. We strolled about enjoying ourselves,
when I heard VloletIa say, "For mercy 3 sake,
who are these peoplem turned round and
saw advancing from the seaside i've rough
looking men, who, from the shape OF The
road, had managed to remain concealed from
view until they were within about q rod or 30
of US. To run would have been ridiculous; IL
would have shown fear where, perhaps, none
WAS necessary; or, If so, We had no place to
run TO; and 30, although inWardly trembling,
I did not allow Violella to think / was fright
ened, but said, ''0h, they are laborers proba.
bly, returning home" But we were quickly
undeceived when one OF them advanced anu
asked In q tone not ut all agreeing with his
language If we had not a few centlsslml for a
poor mali? To gain time, or, rather, gather
INV thoughts, I pretended not to understand
Italian, and asked him IN French what he'de-
sired, In The meantime I had slid my hand Ia
nv pocket and slipped of my. Rugs from my
fingers. He said that ne aud his comraoes
would like a little assistance 10 the way Of
money from the mesdames. l had drawn out
my pockelbook and was proceeding TO open 1t
when our brigands, not at all like The bril-
gands OF The drama, did not walt 10 accept
with polite phrase any Offering I might cnoUse
to give him, but Internationally snalcned ~ from
my hand. When he opened lt TIE Others
crowded around him, and seeing Its contents
(thoro were ABOUT Blk nuuQTeQ lTauCS III QOl6S
OF various denominaLions,) appeared highly
contented; but Wishing doubtless to have q
souvenir of their unwilling benefactresss, re-
CURED of me my watch also; which, when
had given them, they made of with, frat
convincing themselves that Yloletta had
neither watch nor purse about her. As L,
happy that We had escaped Without further
loss or injury, looked after the rascals, / could
help thinking OF lhe decline OF the bill
gand species. Alasi where were the steeple-
crowned hats aud flowing ribbons? Where
were the silken hose wound about with many
tapes that make The legs OF The opera
singers Look like eccentric barUer-poles? Alasl
these real brlgands were dirty, halt clad and
wholly ragged specimens OF that humanity
most nearly allied 10 The brute family. Now,
If they had only been stage bligands they
would have recognized Inc young prlma
donna assoluta SIgnorina VIoletta Colyille;
they would have compelled her 10 sing an
aria Oh he spot, &C., &C.; but, oh, shame Tor
the romance Of real lie! we lost our money to
q set OF ragamuf1ns, and had net even the
consolation OF having it taken from us by q
gentleman q with a high.crowned ha:, with
. tall of gorgeous ribbons, and who would
sing while he took 1t, 10 soolhe our wounded
feelings. There's where IL stings; there's
where we are humbled. But to return to
A.bisola. The driver came shortly alter the
OF the thieves, and, although, It
could not be proved against him, l WILL
believe that he was IN league Win
them.