The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-09-12

| And both kneel down with Faith to
meekly pray.
Lifted from earth, Peace shall immor-
talize
The heart that its own anguish purifies.
THE IRON CAGE.
! 1t was at the time when all sorts of plots
| ice, that certain private individual Luca
| Orioli by name, lived in the town along
with his sister Brigida, who kept house for
him, and looked after his wants. Brigida
was altogether devoted to her brother, and
seemed to live but for him, to attend to his
comforts, and forward in all things what
ever objects he had in view. There are
some women like this who devote them
selves to others, and seem to lose sight of
themselves altogether. There are not too
many of them, but they exist.
Oriol was, by calling, missal painter,
an illumination of ancient manuscripts, but
the concerns in which (at the time 1 speak
Of he was entirely absorbed, were neither
literary nor artistic. He was altogether
occupied with politics and Vaccinations
against the existing government, plans for
overthrowng it, and setting up in its place
commonwealth, in which equal rights
were to be accorded to all, in which the
highest noble in Venice was to enjoy no
privileges whatever beyond those which
were to be accorded to the meanest citizen
in the town.
1t was most hazardous plot against the
State in which this Orioli was engaged; he,
and l know not how many others; some
living at Venice, some elsewhere, at Chi
ogga, at Verona, at Ravenna even, who
| knows? AT all events they were scattered
hither and thither, and had to be commun-
icated with, when any intelligence was to
be made known to the fraternity, by letter.
| Altogether there was deal of writing to
be got through; not letters only, but re-
ports, statements, projects drawn up on
paper to be circulated among the different
conspirators. And it was in copying such
writings out, or taking down, the matter
of which they were to consist from her
brothers. lips, that Brigida made herself
more useful than in almost any other way.
The girl was an excellent writer, and could
copy out document so that it should be
as readable as print. This was rare
accomplishment in those days, and Brigida
was kept hard at it, you may be assured,
writing from dictation, copying papers of
which duplicates were wanted, and SO on,
all through the day, and part of the night
as well.
But for all she was so hard worked, the
young lady found time to do little writ
ing on her own account. The fact is, that
the signorna had lover, one Filipp, ordi-
narily called Lippo, Rinaldi, living at
Padua, and with this young fellow she
would correspond whenever she got a
change of sending a letter. She would
write to him of everything that was going
on, both of her brothers doings and her
own, and very pretty letters they were, no
doubt, and such any young gentleman, as
much in love as Lippo was, would be very
glad to get
This brother and sister lived, as l have
heard the story told, in a little piazzet,a at
the back of the Riva del Schiavoni, and
not far from the church of St. Giergio de
Greci. 1t was an out of the-way kind OF
place. for it was very important for Orioli
that he should live as retired as possible,
and be as much as possible unobserved by
anybody. Here, then, it was that for the
most part all those plots and Vaccinations
in which Orioli was so deeply implicated
were concocted, and sometimes, one OF
more of the conspirators would come to
confabulate with him, at times when there
seemed to be the least chance of discovery.
One autumn afternoon the brother and
sister were engaged in preparing docu,
ment to be sent to Verona by special mes
senger that night. AS often happened,
Luca was debating, and his sister was
writing. The light was fast fading, and
window to take advantage of all that was
to be had. Orioli was at the window too,
but he was standing, leaning his forehead
against one of the cross mullons which
enclosed the small panes of glass, and gaz.
ing out into the little piazza behind the
house, which had, it may be mentioned
two entrances, one going on the piazzetta
and the other on one of the small canals
which intersect the town in all directions
There was little light in the room, except
Just close to the window, and the gather.
ing darkness held undisputed possession OF
the other end of the apartment.
Orioli stood and looked out on the piaz
zetta, but his eyes took in, as far as he
was conscious, nothing of the scene before
him. He was absorbed in the letter which
he was debating to his sister, and which
related to final meeting of the brother
hood to which he longed, which was te
take place in few days, and the time
place, and object of which he was notify
ing to his Veronese friend. Now and thel
he would pause in the work of dictation
to say few words to his sister on some
subject connected with the matter in hand
Brigida," he said or one of these occa
sions, 81 think l was followed last night
when l partedfrom Tito Grimani and his
brother Bartolommeo. in the enclosure al
the back of the palace. The vile spies
and secret officers of the Senate are every
where, and I surely think that | detected
one of them logging my footsteps last
night"
Brigda looked quickly up from her writ
ing with anxious, frightened eyes.
81 am always fearing it," she said
"Dear Luca, the thought that this plot