The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1891-02-05
CORSICAN'S REVENGE.

narrow channel that bristled with
Jagged rocks, the lower coast OF Sar-
DINA. At its feet cut in the cliff, like
q gigantic corridor, leading between
precipitious walls up almost to the
first houses, serves as a port for the
italian and Sandman fishing-boats.
and, twice month, for the wheezy
old steamer from Ajaccio.
On the white mountain side the
group of houses mike u spot yet
more white. They look like the
nests of wild birds, clinging to the
rocks and looking down upon the
terrible passage where few vessels
dare venture. The wind ceaselessly
lashes the waves and beats upon the
rocks, which it has stripped of ver-
dure. The patches of white foam
above the black points OF innumer,
able rocks chat pierce the waves
everywhere look like strips of cloth,
floating and palpitating on the sur
face of the water.
The house OF the widow Saverini,'
set upon the very edge OF the cliff,
has three windows that give light
upon this savage and desolate scene.
| She lived there alone, with her son An
tome and their dog Brisk, big,
gaunt brute, with long, shaggy hair,
which accompanied Antoine on his
hunting-trips.
One evening, after dispute, An
tome Saverini was killed with u
treacherous knife thrust by Nicolas
Ravolati, who fled that night to Sar-
DINA.
When the OLD mother received the
body of her son, which some neigh
bors brought to her, she did not cry,
but remained Tor long time staring
at it motionless; then, extending her
wrinkled hand above the corpse, she
pledged to it the vendetta.
She wanted no neighbors to sit up
with her, and shut herself up with
her dead, keeping with her only
the dog, which howled doleiully.
Crouched at the foot of the bed, with
it's head toward it's masters body
and it's tail pressed between it's legs
the brute howled long and shrill,
while the mother, leaning with fixed
gaze over the corpse, wept silent
tears.
The young man, lying on his back
his heavy cloth vest gaping and tori
at the chest, is,emed to be sleeping
but he was covered with blood-or
his throat, on his trousers, on his
face, on his hands. Clots of blood
matted his hair and his beard.
The old woman began to speak
At the sound of her voice the dog
was stilled.
go, 90 in peace. You shall bt
avenged, my little one, my boy
Sleep, sleep in peace. You shall b'
avenged, do you hear? Your moth
er promises it; and your mother al
; ways keeps her word, as you vel
!. know" And gently she leaned for
| ward and pressed her cold lips to th'
. dead face.
!, Then Brisk began to whine with {
/, monotonous, heart-rending, terrible
: sound.
They remained thus, the woman
and the dog, until morning.
l Antoine Saverini was buried til
; next day, and soon his name wa
: heard no more in Bonifacio.
y He had left neither brothers no
near cousins. No man was there t.
take up the vendetta. The mothe
: alone thought of it, day and night
Across the strait she saw, froI
morning to night, n white spot o
tie coast. 1t was little village
Longosardo, where the Corsica
bandits took refuge when har
pressed. They were almost the ~
iy inhabitants of the hamlet, an
there, in sight of their native lane
they awaited the moment when the
could return to the makis of Corsici
In this village she knew Nicolas RAJ
olati had hidden himself.
All day long would she sit alon
by her window, brooding on he
vengeance. How could she accom-
plish it, alone, infirm, almost 4
deaths door? utshe had promises
, she had sworn on the dead bod.
She could not forget, she could NJ
wait. What should she do? She
longer slept NJ nlSuu, she ho iohS
/ knew rest nor respite, she though
always, seeking a means. The dc
slept at her feet, now and again raj
ing its head to howl mournfull
, Since its master was no longer ther
: it often howled thus, as if it wou
have called him, as if it's brute's so
cherished II memory that nothil
could eiface.
But one night, as Brisk resum
:. it's low bowling, the mother had
sudden idea-the idea OF q vindicti
and ferocious savage. She mus
over it till morning; then, raisi
81 before dawn, she betook herself
81 the church, She prayed, postrate
# the stone flags, imploring God
q aid her. to give her poor worn bo
"a strength to avenge her son.
81 Then she returned. She had
r., her yard an old cask with the he
q knocked out, which served to cat
A. the rnin-water from the caves. )
turned it over, emptied it, secured
n to the ground with stakes and ston
or then she chained Brisk to it, q