The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-05-15
TONTNA.

y
and took its way at the Ave Maria to-
ward the Porta San Nicolo, followed by
great concourse OF all ranks OF per-
sons. 1t was the funeral Of Tonina
Marinello, a young Venetian woman In
the bloom OF life, who had fought brave
ly by her husbands siue in the ranks OF
Garibaldps gallant "thousand" when
they swept .viotoriously through Sicily,
from Mars sala to Messena, and thence to
Naples and Capua, carrying all before
them.
The carrying home of the poor Carl
baldina, whose short lie had ended sadly
in Florence amid the straits OF plnching
poverty, would at any time have called
forth manifestation of public respect
and sympathy. Now, of course, the
crowd following the procession was
swelled by those Of the ultra-red party,
who would fain have given it the appear
ance OF a demonstration.
The little story of Toniua is moving
touch OF romance in real lite, yet is sim
pie and winning, as were her slender
ngure and fair, pale face, shaded win tne
gOlden-brown hair which SO often shines
out from the canvases of the old
Venetian painters. Nothing of assump-
ton. nothing of unteminine or theatrical
sternness contributed TO shape the atti-
tude OF her quiet courage. Her hus-
band, who in early youth had fougat the
battle of 184S, when the war OF 1893 broke
out, and the youth OF Venice emigrated
by hundreds into the neighborlng lib
erateu provinces, was employed In the
dangerous service Of guide TO these iugI-
tiyes from Austrian vengeance, across
| the desolate tract OF country lald waste
| by the capricious foundations OF the 70,
which lie between them and the longed.
l IL tan or
across into land OF safety.
The secret liberal committees of the
Venetian territory had in their employ
many such trusty servants, ready to
dare all risks to convey the ardent
| young volunteers, penniless and friend
LESS, across the perilous ground, and to
pass them from one to another under
cover of night, unscathed by Austrian
bullets, to the frontier. Marinello and
his wife were among the bravest and
| trustiest Of these guides, until, after
| many months exercise OF their danger
Gus PROBES sion, the suspicious or the
Austrian authorities fell on them, and
they, TOO, were forced to fly with their
only child, little girl OF tender age, and
| take refuge at Mooena.
| Garibaldrs noble forlorn hope was
lust then setting forth for Sicily. Mari
nello quilted his temporary refuge, and
hurried to join it; and his wi e, refusing
| to he separated from him, left her little
one to the care of dear friend, VINO
| promised to adopt her as his own. They
| went to Genoa, where, finding that the
expedition had already started, they set
sall in the first fshing-boat that left the
port for Marsala.
| Once there, Marinello Joined the Sac
Chi brigade OF volunteers; but though
, Il l., In Il
| for bravery ana good conduct TO Colonel
Farracini, who commanded it, the strin-
gent orders issued from headquarters
against the admission Of women into
| the ranks rendered it a mat
ter of no small difficulty for
Tonina to remain at her husbands side.
| She did, however, at length prevail with
| the colonel, and her name was entered
on the rolls as that OF Antonio Marinel-
10, the boy brother Of her husband; nor
did any individual of the corps in which
she served during the whole campaign
guess her sex, which was known only to
| Colonels Farracini and Bossi. Her
slight figure and youthful appearance
| tailed we'll with that of a number OF
The striplings VINO fought in the ranks
beside her. She wore The common Carl
baIdian uniform, and endured fatigue
and hardship to the full as we'll as ner
comrades; and the hardships and IA
tigues of that campaign were neither
slight nor few.
Her commanding officers gave high
testimony to the Valor, the discipline,
and the untlagging spirit of this unas.
lsuming little Venetian heroine, who
was decorated by the generals own
hand on the field of battle. They say
she was ever the first TO volunteer for
some dangerous duty, the last to quit
her post while that duty was unlulfl ed
and all agree that she gained the aztec
ton, respect and admiration Of her tel.
low-soldlers, by her bravery in the field
and her good-humored helpfulness in
camp-life.
Tonina fought through the campaign
Iunscathed, though her husband re.
ceived several but not severe wounds
When Capua was taken, and the volun.
teer corps was disbanded, husband and
W ife turned their steps again toward
Modena; and, finding the friend dead
who had given home to their child,
brought her on with them to Florence,
and tnere lived poorly on from day tG
day, partly on their own small earnings,
and partly on the assistance given 70
them by the Committee for the Venetian
Emigration. 1t was not before the vile
was far gone in wasting disease of the
lung that the extreme distress of the
poor household was fully known to
those who mad means 10 relieve it. Sue
cor was Immediately and gener
was placed under the bes,
medical care, and the delicate little grl
was sent to the east-side, and admitted
into the admirable Ospizij Marini, hos
pital for sickly children, at Via Reggie
But the help so mucn needed came toe
late for poor Tonlna, though the same
care two or three months earlier nigh
have saved her life. She died as meekl,
as she had lived, in the home where she
had struggled through her last suffering
year of existence. The arms she haC
borne in battle and her faded red Carl
baldi shirt were laid amo 6 the gar
lands on her coffin; and simple grave
stone will be placed above her AZ Sal
Miniato, wnere the beautiful church ter.
race looks out over the towers ant
, Duomo of Florence 70 the sunlit hills.