National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-10-24
Buried Alive.

In the year 14O0, Ginevra dc Amiera,
Florentine beauty, married, under pa
to win her heart, that she had given to
Antonio Rondinelli. Soon afterward
the plague broke out in Florence; Gi-
nevra fell i'll, apparently succumbed to
the malady, and being pronounced
dead, was the same day consigned to
the family tomb.
Some one, however, had blundered
in the matter, for in the middle of the
night. the entombed bride woke out of
her trance, and badly as her living rela-
tives had behaved, found her dead ones
still less to her liking, and lost no time
in quitting the silent company upon
whose quietude she had unwillingly in.
truded. Speeding through the sleep
wrapped streets as swiftly as herclingine
cerements allowed, Ginevra sought the
home from which she had so lately
been borne.
Reused from his slumbers by q
knocking at the door, the disconsolate
widow r of day cautiously opened an
upper window, and seeing a shrouded
figure waiting below, in whose upturn-
ed face he recognized the lineaments of
the dear departed, he cried, $50 in
peace, blessed spirit" and shut the
window precipitately. With, sinking
heart and slackened step, the repulsed
wife made her way to her fathers door,
to receive the like benison from her
dismayed parent.
Then she crawled on to an uncle's,
l. ,,Iaa1 ooarn1 h,,t
] only to be slammed in her face by the
frightened man, who, in his hurry, for
got even to bless his ghostly caller.
The cool night air penetrating the un-
dress of the hapless wanderer,
made her tremble and shiver, as
she thought she had walked to life only
to die again in the cruel streets. "Ah y
she sighed, "Antonio would not have
proved so unkind."
This thought naturally suggested it
was her duty to test his love and cour-
age; it would be time enough to die if
he proved like the rest. The way was
long, but hope renewed her limbs. and
soon Ginevra was knocking timidly at
Rondinelli's door. He opened it him
self, and although startled by the ghast-
ly vision, calmly inquired what the spirit
wanted with him.
Throwing her shroud away from her
face, Ginevra exclaimed 81 am no
spirit, Antonio; 1 am that Ginevra you
once loved, who was buried yesterday
buried alive - and fell senseless into
the welcome arms OF her astonished, de-
lighted lover, whose cries for help soon
brought down his sympathizing family
to hear the wondrous story, and bear
its heroine to bed, to be tenderly tend
ed until she had recovered from the
shock, and was as beautiful as ever
again.
Then came the difficulty. Was Gil
nevra to return to the man who had
buried her, and shut his doors against
her, or give herself to the man who had
saved her from a second death? With
such powerful spec al pleaders as love
and gratitude on his side, of course,
Rondineili won the day, and a private
marriage made the lovers amends for
previous disappointment.
They, however, had no intention of
keeping in hiding. but the very first
Sunday after they became man and wife,
appeared in public together at the
Cathedral, to the confusion and wonder
of Ginevra's friends. An explanation
ensued, which satisfied everybody ex-
cept the lady's first husband, who in
sisted that nothing but her dying in
genuine earnest could dissolve the orig
inal matrimonial bond.
The case was referred to the bishop,
who, having no precedent to curb his
decision, rose superior to technicalities,
and declared that the first husband had
forfeited all right to Ginevra, and must
pay over to Rondineili the dowry he had
received with her-a decree at which all
true lovers in Florence heartily rejoic-
a1