The ladies' garland. [volume], March 01, 1828, Image 1

About The ladies' garland. [volume] (Harpers-Ferry, Va. [W. Va.]) 1824-1828

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Zi)t EaUirsi' C5mi«n»3>*
HARFERS-FERSY, VIROZNZA, MARCH 1,1823.
VOX,. 4.
NO. 38
HJHLISUKII tvsni S*TI'RI).1T tVKNINU,
HY JOHN H 1; SLLAin.li.
TKK '!S - -One dollar an ! fifty cents ;.er annum,
naya:b. at the expiration of the first quarter, or
' nt d.'rlar and ‘a. n!\ the ecu!?, to he paid at the
t.me of su..-.c.i'i , f* i\ nient in advance, from
distant suits. r:bi r a ho art not known to the pub
:ih<-r, will invariably be expected. Should pay
ment he deferred to the end of the t ear, $>2 will j
:ie required.
1’ostag‘e on all letters Ml ST be paid.
TII3C EEPOSITOKY
THE FORSAKEN.
.•] T.II.E OF ITJL1.1.V HISTORY.
By MISS EMMA ROBERTS.
Amid the numberless memorials which the 1
air and stately city of Florence contains in its j
indent feuds, the tierce and cruel struggle of j
Is nobles for power, and the personal quarrels j
whence sprang its most furious civil wars—one |
tjnely grave stone, lost amid the surrounding
splendours of art, exists, though seldom noticed
by the traveller, putting forth its silent and dis- !
regarded claim to the attention lavished upon j
monuments, unpossessed of half the interests at ■
inched to this frail tablet. The unsculptured !
marble covers ttie allies oi one whose sorrows
and wrongs first kindled the flame of deadly
warfare between the Ghibeiline and Guelph fac
tions, which rendered the chief of the Tuscan i
states a scene ol hatred and disserition. While
all Italy was distracted by the contest between
the Emperor and the Pope, Florence, though
joining thp league against the former, was bless
ed with comparative tranquility; the supporters
of either parly lived within their walls at peace
with each other; but an insult offered to the
daughter of a noble family, plunged the whole
population into strife and bloodshed The moul
dering grave of Altea Uherti. half hidden m the
long rank grass which overshadows it—black
emr.g under the influence of time with its scarce
ly legible inscription, yet inspires mingled feel
mgs of tenderness and melancholy to those who
derive a pensive pleasure in dwelling upon the
recollection of the storied dead Once the fair
est, the proudest beauty ol Florence, all eyes
paid homage to the charms of its loveliest
daughter : every lip was loud in its tribute of ad
miration, and many fond and faithful hearts
were laid in lowly offering at her feet The
young, the gay, and the gallant, crowded in A!
tea s tram, standing behind the lattice-work of
the rich v carved balcony. The troop of cava
hers who daily passed along on their route to
f ht tdtyard. made a linger pause, and bent with
J>ore couMeous revertr.ee before tfc* front of
I lie L'berti palace than they deigned to bestow
upon any other of the splendid residences of the j
Florence nobility, though many were the dark
eyes, and many the fair forms which the crowd
ed windows boasted , and, conscious oi her
beauty, vain of the flattering distinctions which
she continually received, and buoyant with
youthful hope, the happiest auguries of the fu
ture destiny of one, so favored bv nature and bv
ioilune, blessed lie ; waking creams' Sought
in marriage by the noblest families in the city,
Altea exercised the privilege accorded to beau
ty, and became, somewhat fastidious in her
choice ; but if she vacillated between the merits
of the chief of the Cornari, or the heir of Delie
Torre, she hesitated no longer when Guido Du
ondelmonti professed himself her admirer Gay
and graceful in the dance, ever the victor in the
lists and at the ring, and hearing on hi- brow a
wreath won in bloodly strife upon the plains t f
Lombardy, he was exalted by general acclama
tion above all his youthful rotemporaries, and,
like Altea, became the idol of one sex, and the
envy of the other. How gaily and how tapid
ly flew the hours, when, seated side by side, the
lovers whispered tender tales into each other's
rapttired ears, striking the minstrel stung in
praise ui those charms anil accomplishments
which termed the universal tn.unc Ail mdi . -i
"ilh smiles, happiness beamed round the an
gelic countenance of Altea, like a halo; the
half-starved beggar in the street!, blessed the
clad beauty as she passed along, his sunken eye
beaming with an unwonted ray at the sight of
so much happy loveliness. The whole city re
joiced in her felicity ; fur if some taint of earth
had marred the brightness of her perfections,
before she had learned to live foi the sole pur
pose of pleasing one treasured object, the ex
ccss ol her affection lor Buondehnenti had pu
rified her character ft om its dross; she grew
meek and gentle, cultivating each feminine
grace with all the ardor prompted by a pure at
tachment : the charms too proudly displayed to
attract the wondering multitude, were now on
ly prized as the chain which hound her love.—
I he sun-lit eyes ot Alloa were suddenly over
cluuded; and tears coursed each other down
those pale cheeks, so lately dimpled with de
light Buondelmonti, the spoiled child of for
tune, no longer checked his caracoling steed at
the gate of the Uberti palace—but, fascinated
by the charms of some new beauty, rode on,
tossing his white plume on high, and laughing
scornfully as he passed the residence of the wo
man he had abandoned. Altea’s tears fell un
heeded; she possessed kinsmen who surveyed
her altered countenance with looks in which
pity contended with anger. Tho unhappy girl
road the feeling which those around strove t
repress in her presence ; and drying In r etc
and struggling to obtain the command of lea
fares convulsed with internal agony, appeared
again at the open lattice : hut she could not de
ceive the penetrating eyes of those who him;
upon every look, by the outward show of tran
quillity ; and her brothers prepared to avenge
the injury she had sustained; they watched (Yu
'lie u !,'t>- palfrey of the perjured lover, as In
rode through the city, unarmed, and in his gala
dress to the bridal least, and rushing from be
hind the portal where they had so often stood
to welcome him as their guest, they dragged
their enemy from his horse, and plunging thee
daggers in his body, deluged the pavement with
bis life blood. Altea, from the balcony above*
saw the commencement cf the savage scene ;
she rushed to the street too late to prevent the
outrage : but her fate was linked with that ol
Ibiouih Imunti—and throwing herself upon hi:,
yet warm corpse, she breathed cut the last sigh
of a broken heart, arid lived not to witness the
calamities her kinsmen s we —ins entailed upon
Florence. The Guelph rok up arms to
revenge the murder of J inti; the til,,
bellincs, headed by Ihe L'berti, retaliated by
flesh aggressions; and, during the space of
fKr- • : ! !'■ trty v'' ir- the r> lcntb'ss stele cm
tinned in th- massacre of both patties. The
Ghibellinr.s at length prevailing, drove the oj
posite taction from the city ; tint were in turn
expelled by the triumphant Giiclphs and weri
never afterwards able to regain their ancicu'.
power and influence.
THE M lilli'S SI’KLL.
Ci.utv was a wi ll educated and intelligent
girl, but romantic to an extreme. In her ideas
of honour, of friendship, of love, she was an en
thu-iast. but in her observance of them she was
faithful and sincere. Sin: was one of tlio.se sen
sitive creatures that seem born like, sweet but
transient llowcrs, which shed their fragrance
and perish in their youth ; To a heart like
Clara \ love could not long ho a stranger, nor
could it he a passive inmate in her breast Her
whole soul wits fixed on one object Her wishes,
thoughts, and actions, seemed to have but on
origin; but her lover died, and her happiness
died with him. Hv degrees she grew more
calm, bill a settled melancholy hong upon her
heart, and her spirit was utterly broken. Col.
M-, when on the point of leaving Spain,
suggested to her father that change of scene
might in some degree diveit her thoughts from
the dangerous channel which they had taken
and proposed that she should accompany his
own family, to all of whom she was very mud.
attached. The offer was accepted, and she
came to England. The noise and gaiety o;
London, however, ill accorded with her wound
ed feelings, and she felt gratified at accompa
nying her friends into Lincolnshire As the av