The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-12-17

A Leaf from The History ofItsly.

4 Leaf from the History of1taly
In the year 1879 Pisa was one q
the most Aourishing cities in Italy. Not
- powerful - Venice or Geooa. nol
% famous for it, literary and artistie
culture q Florence. Pisa vas noted
for the wealth Of its merchants and
for the surprising beauty Of il.
women.
Ie fact, Pian commerce extended
all over the Old World, and some oil
it, mercantile 6rms counted their
riches by millions.
A. for the women Of Pisa, their
beauty Vas Of . peculiar style. Their
hair. a. . rule, WAS auburn; their
complexion very white. delicate and
transparent, aud their forms iall,
slender and graceful. In short. it Wa
then Q common saying throughout
Italy. AS pretty - = Pisan girl"
For years past considerable mer-
camille rivalry had existed between
Florence and Pisa. and when the
merchants Of the latter city. IN the
above mentioned year, learned that
the Florentines were negotiating q
treaty OF commerce With the Dey Of
Tunis. they immediately resolved to
enter Into m active competition with
them. So they dispatched on the LIST
of June. 1879. . small galleon to
Tunis. The vessel Was freighted with
q great many valuable presents for
the Dey. and the passengers we're six
prominent citizens Of Pisa. who we're.
If possible. to persuade the Dey tn
cut loose from the Florentines and tn
conclude . commercial treaty with
their own city. The galleon reached
Tunis . few DAYS later. and the six
Pissn ENJOYS landed, soliciting an
early interview with the Dey. The
Day Was Lamar Ben Harueddin.
still . young but very bad man. He
Vas . pirate. remorselessly treacher-
Gus. cruel and greedy in the extreme.
When he heard Of the arrival Of the
Pisans. he ordered them to be brought
before him without delay. They
we're ushered By two Moorish attend
ants into q small apartment. furnished
after the gorgeous but semi-barbarous
Saracen fashion. Ga q low throne sat
Harueddin. who fixed his eyes with
IN inquisitive expression upon the
Pisan ENJOYS. They knelt down be-
fore him. for he was proud as the
Sultan himself.
''What do you want? ," he asked at
last.
"Afost gracious DEFY. powerful
ruler Of Tuni.." re ,lied the .pokes-
man Of the envovs. I'VE come with
present, for you from the city Of Pisa
to solicit from you the conclusion of
. commercial treaty with u.s.
"What is the value Of the presents
YOU bring to met" demanded tie
Dey.
They are worth a: least $4,000
gold ducats."
Fifty thousand gold ducat y
echoed tho Dey. scornfully. why,
the presents l received from the
Florentines amounted to more than
double that sum-"
"Gracious Dew"
"Silence. in6del dog!" thundersd
the irate Dey; "you have come to
insult me-! You shall be punished for
your insolence! l shall take your
presents. but you. too. One of you
may 90 hack to Pisa and inform your
citizens that unless they send me at
once 100, 600 gold ducats and the
seven most beautiful girls in your city
for nv harem, shall cause you to be
impaled !"
So saying, he ordered them from
his presence. They selected Andre
Memoir to 60 back to Pisa. The rest
of them were loaded With chains and
thrown in loathsoms dungeons.
Memoir was sent on board the galleon,
the valuable cargo Of which Was con-
6scated BY the greedy Dey. When
Memoir reached Pisa and told his |
doIeful story. the people were filed
with the utmost condemnation. One |
hnndred thousand gold ducats Vas at |
that time an almost fabulous sum. |
And what girls could be induced tn
surrender themselves to the foul
embraces of the Tunisisn tyrant? Yet
i Was out Of the question to leave the
captive ENJOYS in the clutches Of the
Dey. A popular meeting Was called.
There. under tho presidency Of the
podesta. the whole painful subject Was
aiken into consideration, but the
Meeting adjourned without coming to
my definite understanding. In the
evening the podesta was pacing the
Dom in state Of extreme depression
shen suddenly . beautiful maiden
vas usheresi into his presence.
"Margherita Pezzi!" he exclaimed,
what brings you here :"
IL am ready to 20 to Tunis, she re-
lied, with flushed cheeks.
ITO Tuuis !" cried the podesta, in
urpriss. ITO 'ecome IN inmate of
he Deys harem"
ut may turn out otherwise" she
aid. with mysterious smile.
but you alone are not enough"
"Six Of my fair young friends are
eady to accompany me"
This h very strange"
freight . small vessel with, 1O0..
90 gold ducats. conceal in the hold
weniy wellarmed courageous men.
ut rs on hoard and send u 70 Tunis.
The podesta ehook his head.
I'VE shall all return, slay Hurued.
en-. and bring back the captive
nvoys."
Next day the counsel Of Pisa &C.
rpted the proposition. and twenty
,ur hours later. . small galleon