The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-10-08
Selert Sfurg
THE FALCON

eSiucips the most iveE h.ssspa0On,,
and pregnant with tenderness NfNS,
preston and warmth of feeling, have
supplied themes for so many writers who
came after him, was born at Paris in
1913. He was the son of NoSnine
merchant, and the friend Of Reirarch,
His principal work is "The Decanieron."
Died 1875.
There lived in Florence a young man,
called FEDERICO Alberigi, who surpassed
all the youth Of Tuscany at feais OF arms,
and in accomplished manners. de ltor
gallant men will fall in lOVe) became
/ enamoured Of Monna GiovSnna, at that
time considered the finest woman IN
Florence; and that he might inspire her
with a reciprocal passion, he sQuandered
his fortune at tiltS and tournaments, in
entertainments and presents But the
lady, who was viriuoOS rs she was
beautiful, could on no account be pre-
vailed upon TO return his love. While
he lived thus extravagNntly, and without
the means of recruiting his Golfers, pow
erty, the usual attendant of the thought
less, came on apa6e; his money was
speflt. and nothing remained TO him but
4 small farm, barely sufficient for his
subsistence, and 4 hlcon, which was
however the finest in the world. When
he found il impossible therefore to live
longer in town, he retired to his little
farm, where be went a birding in his
leisure hours; and disdaining to ask
fyours Of any one, he submitted pa
tiently to his, poverty, while he cher
ished in secret d hopeless passion.
Il happened about this time, that the
father Of Mdnna Giovanna died, leaving
great fortune to their only son, who
was yet Youth and that the boy came
along with his mother to spend the
summer months in the country las our
custom usually isl, at a villa in the
neighbourhood of Federigo's farm. In
this way ne became acquainted with
FEDERICO, and began to delight in birds
and dogs, and having seen his falcon, he
took great longing for it, but was
afraid TO ask it of him when he saw how
highly he priced it. This desire, how
ever, so much affected the boys spirits,
that he fell sick; and his mother, who
doated upon this her only child, be-
came alarmed, and to soothe him, press
ed him again and again to ask whatever
he wished, and promised, that if it were |
possible, he should have all that he de- |
sired. The youth at last confessed, that |
if he had the falcon he would soon be |
well again. When the lady heard this, !
she began to consider what she should |
do. She knew that FEDERICO had long |
loved her, and had received from her |
nothing but coldness; and how could |
she ask the falcon, which she heard was
the finest in the world, and which was
now his only consolation? Could she |
be SO cruel as to deprive him of his last |
remaining support? Perplexed with |
these thoughts, which the full belief that |
she should have the bird if she asked it, |
did not relieve, she knew not what to |
think, or how to return her son an an
swer. A mothers love, however, at last
prevailed! she resolved to satisfy him. |
ami determined, whatever might be the |
consequences, not 10 send, but to 90 her |
self and procure the falcon. She told
her son, therefore, to take courage, and
think Of getting better, for that she
would herself 60 on the morrow and
fetch what he desired; and the hope
was so agreeable to the boy, that he be-
gan to mend apace On the next morn
ing Monna Giovanna, having taken an
other lady along with her, went as If
for amusement to the little cabin of Fed !
erigo, and inquired for him. 1t was not |
the birding season, and he was at work |
in his garden; when he heard, therefore,
that Monna Giovanna, was calling upon
him, he ran with joyful surprise to the
door. She, on the other hand, when
she saw him coming, advanced with |
delicate politeness; and when he had re-
spectfully saluted her, she said, "All
happiness attend you, FEDERICO; l am
come to repay you for the loss you have
suffered from loving me to we'll for this |
lady and intend to dine with you in
any easy way this forenoon" To this |
FEDERICO huihbly answered: 81 do not |
remember, Madam, having suffered any
loss at your hands, but, on the contrary,
have received so much good, that if
everI had any worth, 1t sprung from |
you, and from the love with which you
inspired me. And this generous visit
to your poor host is much more dear to
me than would be the spending again of
what l have already spent" Having
said this, he invited them respectfully
into his house, and from thence con-
Quoted them to the garden, where hay
ing nobody else to keep them company,
he requested that they would allow the
labourer's wife to do her best to amuse
them, while he went to order dinner.
FEDERICO, however great his poverty,
had not yet learned all the prudence
which the loss of fortune might have
taught him; and it thus happened that
he had nothing in the house with which
he could honourably entertain the lady,
for whose love he had formerly given so
many entertainments. Cursing his evil
fortune, therefore, he stood like one be-
side himself, and looked in vain for
money or pledge. The hour was al
ready late, and his desire extreme to
find something worthy of his mistress;
he felt repugnant, too, to ask of his own
labourer. While he was thus perplexed
he chanced to cast his eyes upon his fine
falcon, which was sitting upon bar in
the ante-chamber Having no other re-
source, therefore, he took it into his
hand, and finding it fat, he thought it
would be proper for such a lady. He
accordingly pulled its neck without de-
lay, and gave it to a little girl to be
plucked; and having put it upon a spit,
he made it be carefully roasted. He
then covered the table with beautiful
cloth, wreck of his former splendour;
and everything beingready, he returned
TO the garden TO tell the lady and her
companion that dinner was served.
They accordingly want in and sat down
to table with FEDERICO, and ate the good
falcon without knowing it. a
/, When they had finished dinner, and
spent short time in agreeable conver-
sation, the lady thought it time to tell
FEDERICO for what she had come. She
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