The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-05-06

fore her. The ringleadcrs ki: 5 Il the hem
| of her robe. and the throng retired.
The mob had roared for bread; Rosau-
n gave the people Il gracious smile,
and they were satisfied.
Thrice her beauty was denounced by
cnragcd fathers whose sons had fallen
victims to RoSaura's 5 charms. Three
times they accused her of being ''beau-
tiful."
The reality even surpassed the words
was more beautiful than they described
her. And twice the judges decided:
The charge is Just: the crime exists:
set the accused at liberty"
Her beauty was great offence, but
n still greater excuse. When she
looled into the faces Of her Judges, they
f,ryot the law; when she wept, they
vowed she was innocent; and, when she
smiled, they were ready to declare
themselves guilty for her sake.
The third case was one in which tie
steward Of the dukes funds had apprc-
priated the treasure entrusted to his
care, and killed himsclf.a fter squandcr-
ING it all for the beautiful Rosaura
Now mercy could no longer be shown.
She was again brought before the
court, and by one vote 4 majority Of
the judges passed the sentence that she
should have her beautiful body branded
and be forever exiled from Florence.
The pillory, in which the punishment
was to be executed, was erected in
front of the notorious PlaZzo PiZZi. \
dense throng filled the vast square and
the roofs OF the neighboring houses,
whence 4 few could be obtained
The mary"llonSly beautiful woman
was led forwards: the cNccutioner took
the rcd-hot iron in his hand. and tore
|
to press the brand upon it. But. when
he SAW the smooth. snow white shoul-
der, he forgot that he was the cNccu-
toner. and. instead of the ho. iron.
pressed his buring lips upon it.
The Jest cost the cNecutioner his
head, but saved Rosaura, for no one
was found who could intlict the SEN
tence upon this round white shoulder.
Every one who beheld it wished only
to kiss it, not to disfgure it by the
scorching brand. The marvel reached
the grand dukes cars. Cosmo de
Medic was then an old man. and in
cline to piety. Perhaps it was from
Christian motives that. when, by his
desire, the fair woman was brought be-
fore him, he pardoned her and remitted
the sentence IIenccforth Rosacra
Montalboni was permitted to be beau
tiful unpunished. No one returned to
complain against her: no one dared to
accuse her radiant eyes, her smiling
scarlet lips. the brwitching dimplcs in
her rosy checks.
After Cosmo de Medici, Ferdinand
d. Medici ascended the throne.
Ferdinand was mere boy. scarcely
twelve years old, when he began to
reign.
When only Il child, he had become
intimate with Lorenzo Frascati, who
was older than lie, and to whom he
vowed loyal friendship. Lorenzo be
came an artist, Ferdina Id ruler; but
the latter did not forget the old afftc-
tion. He sent for Lorenzo to come
from Padua to his own palace to share
his power and pleasures.
Lorenzo was 4 gay youth, always
ready for jesting, like most artists, and
his droll conceits gave the grand duke
many pleasant hour. Suddenly he
began to grow grave and melancholy,
his merry jokes ceased, and the prince
himself was obliged to try to cheer him.
Ferdinand was having new chapel
erect Il on the bank of the Arno, and.
to afford Lorenzo mental occupation.
commissioned him to adorn the interior
with pictures according to his taste
Lorenzo worked industriouslv. re-
naming in the church from carly morn
ing until late at night. and. even when
him that his work should not he seen
until entirely completed.
Once he remained in the building
three days and would admit no one: so
his assistant, went to the grand duke
to inform him that some misfortune
must have hcfallcn their master. as he
had spent three days in the church
without food or drink
The grand duke FASTENED to the
buill.lg himself. and. after all their
knockil5 at the doors of the house OF
God proved vain, he ordered them to
be broken open and entered the church.
hitherto closed against every one.
He gael around him in amazement
for the ceilings and walls of the sacred
eli.ice bore the likeness Of one and the
same woman: the saints ascending to
heaven with palm branches had the
same face as the angels smiling down
upon them: the pcnitent Magdacn and
the Madonna in the atar-pain,ing were
} the sam -bpwitchinIly beautiful woman.
And the FAC which filled the whole
charrh was 10 other than RnSaura