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ISwi’fii f ‘abint>r.
VOL. H.
, THE CABINET
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From the Saturday Evening Pott.
THE COTTAGE OF THE VINE
BY MRS. H. H. DoDGE.
Perhaps there never was a mon
lovely scene even in Italy, glowing It
aly, than that which surrounded “Tin
Cottage of the Vine,” as it was usual
ly denominated.— It received this ap
pcHation from the grape vines which
clustered thickly over its thatched
roof, all interwoven with bunches of
their delicious fruit—and, oh! what a
refreshing sight it was to the weary
traveller. But the grateful exterior
lost much of its charm w hen compar
cd with the interior of this dwelling.
Here were neatness and order in tbeh
perfection—and here were piety, har
Uiony and love, beaming from the eye,
whispered in every tone, and visible
in every action. The aged matron
whs surrounded by her son, his able
conipauion, and their little train of
cherub children, full of vivacity, af
section and interest—f ;r who can look
unmoved on the innocence of early
life, when the heart is not polluted by
the touch of sin, and the thoughts are
full of purity and joyousness.
The ground descended every way
from the Cottage, covered with an ar
tifkiai forest, which fornn and refreshing
retreats from the heat of day, and de
lighted walks at evening It yielded a
superabundance of the richest fruits of
the country, r ard extended to the banks
of a clear and gentle river, which see-*
med more like the fabled streams of
the ancients than a modern reality
On ihtfDpposite shore arose a hillock
just revealing above its green top the
remaining towers of a distant convent,
once magnificent, but now falling in
to ruins Far distant were seen vil
Jages and c ities rising in dusky grand
eur; but this rural retreat wan far
dearer to a contemplative and peace
ful mind, than a!i the imposing digni
ties of state.
It was at the close of a fine day,
just as the sun was setting, that th<’
family at the cottage seated themselves
on the bank of the river, to enjoy the
cool fragrance of the twilight hour—
Those who have never beheld a sun
act in Italy, can form no adequate idea
of the richness and glory of the scone.
Every thing appears as though literal
ly tinged with pure gold, and the very
air itself seems to emit a sort of brill
fancy which covers every object w ith
a pure and mellow brightness. The
sky is exceedingly beautiful and glo
rious, and every thing in nature wears
a softened, unearthly splendour which
is imJiscribuble. There is a richness
and fragrance reposing on the folded
wing of the zephyr which, together
with the feathered songsters’ joyous
v* sper hvtnn, soothes the soul into a
thoughtful mood, and fits it for sacred
meditation.
Such was the scene at the Cottage
es the Vine, and su< h were the chas
tened and holy feeling of the interest
ing family seated on the banks of tbeir
own dear river, to contemplate the
works of nature.
~ Tell us now grandma, said a lit
•■•lc innocent sitting at ner knee, agait
about those cruel days in France,
alien granpa and so many good men
were killed wish the guillotine, arid
you and pa——— tnu what music is
that? Every ear was now full of atten
tion, while the sweet sounds of a guit
ar, wakened to a favorite French air,
approached nearer & nearer, until the
minstrel appeared in sight, lie was
an aged man, and apparently borne
down with misfortune. As he advan
ced nearer to the little party, he
changed his tune to a death inarch,
vliicii sometimes was sounded in the
ears ot the unfortunate victims of the
guillotine, when they were going to
the dreadful scene of their more dread
ful fate! The grandmother groaned
heavily, and dropped her face on the
head of the little prattler befor her.
Her son beckoned the minstrel to ap
proach, and invited him to be seated
among them, and cheer them with the
strains of his gentle music. He com
plied in silence, playing several duetts
marches, &r. all strictly French, and
some peculiar to the days of the revo
lotion. At last, after pausing a few
moments, he again struck up the death
march he had before played; at the
close of which the aged matron asked
him, in a voice half stifled with grief,
if he were witness to any of those
jloody scenes in France. ‘Ah ! yes,
madam, he replied, and most heavily
did the distresses of those times fall
upon me. It is from this cause alone
that you now behold me a houseless,
friendless wanderer before you.’’ Be
ing requested to give an account of his
sufferings, he thus proceeded;
“ In the days of peace, I was a no
bleman, in high standing at court* but
the dreadful change of times effected
my downfall- I was accused of favor
ing the royal party, and was thrown
into prison, a candidate for the guillo
tine. The night previous to the ex
ecutiori of the dreadful sentence, I
almost miraculously effected my es
cape, and in the disguise which a min
steel's habit afforded me, hastened to
my once happy home.— But, oh, what
a scene of desolation it now was ! I
was told by tho peasantry that the
owner of that mansion was executed
the day r before, that his property was
all confiscated, and that his family, on
receiving the distressing intelligence
of his death fled no one knew whither.
My agony of soul was indiscrable; but
there was no redress, and t:o alterna
tive but to die or to wear the hurnilita
ring disguise I had assumed. After
some reflection on the subject, I came
to the conclusion, from the three fold
purpose of necessity, of safety, ami of
searching out,"if possible, my family s
place of exile, to procure me a guitar,
and make my calling indeed corres
pond to my disguise. In this manner
1 have traveled the whole kingdom
entirely over, but could discover no
traces of my lamented, unfortunate
family. Since that time 1 have wan
dered any where, with no motive bui
to relieve my sorrows by change of
place, and to support my misera lc
existence until I am called to my last
rest.
The little children greatly pitied the
poor aged minstrel, and one of them
asked her grandma if she should bring
him some refreshments; but the old la
dy bade her be seated; and then she
asked the stranger how many children
he had when he last saw his family.
On being answered one only, and that
one a beloved son, she instantly raised
herself to her feet, and eagerly enqui
red the minstrel's name. “De la
Carlton,* was the reply. The old la
dy sprang towards him, and clinging
round his >ie k, exclaimed, * My hus
band, my lamented husband !’
It would be impossible to discribe a
scene so touching as that which row
followed. The separation, had been
long and sorrowful, but the bliss of
I W
ivarrcnton, May 1830.
meeting seemed to cover all past af
flictions with forgetfulness. At length
j the inquiry was made, why she left
1 ranee in so secret a manner and sud
| den manner. She informed her hus
band, that when she received tho in
! telligcuce of his execution, a friend
iufmned her that her son, who had
r.TDtly come of age, would also be
accused, and doubtless suffer the same
fate of his unfortunate father. It was
for his sake alone that she fled into
Italy, where they had since resided
with peace and a competency, and
they never desired to behold their na
tive laud again, for the remembrance
of it was full of bitterness.
Twenty years from that joyful eve
ning, a traveller pas&ed near the Cot
tage ol the Vine, and, although it
looked more ancient, it was as neat
and beautiful as ever? but it was not
now solitary in the midst of its char
ming retreat; others had risen up
around it, and while it was still the!
residence of the Row aged
grandparents, their children's chil
dren, and children's children's chil
dren, were all settled around them;
and with tho enjoyment of unmolested
devotion, and an humble competence,
they were far happier than when sur
rounded with all the splendours and
honors that rank and nobility could
afford. They felt inded that real en
joyment more unfrcquently existed in
tho higher walks of life than whs usu
ally imagined, and that peace of mind,
and true piety, may be oftener found
in the cottage than in the palace,
WOMANS HEART.
There is nothing under heaven so
delirious as the possession of pure,
fresh, immurable affections. The most
felicious moment of man's life—the
most extatict of ail his emotions and
sympathies, is that in which ho re
elves an avowal of affection from the
idol of his heart. The spring* feel
ing when in their youthful purity, are
fountains of unseated and gushing
tenderness. The spell that once
draws them forth, is the mystic light
of future years, and undying memory.
Nothing in life is so pure and devoted
as a woman's love. It matters not
whether it be for a husband, or child,
or sister, or brother—it is the same
pure unquenchable slime—the same
constant and immaculate glow of feel
ing, whose undeniable touch-stone is
tried Do but give her one token of
“love, one kind word, or one gentle look
—even if it be amid desolation and
death, the feelings of that, faithful
heart will gush forth as a torrent, in
despite of earthly bond or mercenary
tie—More priceless than the gems of
Golconda, is the Female Heart, and
more devoted than the Idolatry of
Mecca, is woman's love. There is no
sordid view qualifying self defence in
the feeling—it is a principle and
characteristic of her nature—a faculty
and infatuation which absorbs and
concentrates all the fervor of her soul;
and ell the depths of her bosom. 1
would rather be the Idol of one un
sullied and unpractised heart, than the
mouareh of empires. 1 would rather
posses the immaculate and impas
sioned devotion of one high souled and
enthusiastic female than the cyco
phantic fawning of millions.
The following singular incident is
said to have occurred near Waterford
a few years ago. There is a bridge
over the Mohaw k just below the Co
lioose falls, a long and dark passage,
some fifty fret above the rocky bed of
the river. It seems they were repair
ing the bridge and forgot to close up
the entrance on the side, when a horse*
man, ignorant of the risque, he was
entered upon the dangerous
passage. When he reached the,ner
side, he found the toll gate closed and
the keeper abed, the bridge being dee
med impassible to any buragiat ora
goblin.- I he traveller, hovto>er, suc
ceeded in knocking the fellow up, and
induced him to come out with his lan
tern, after with some difficulty per
suading him that he had not dropped
from the clouds. The recently a.
wakened man, however, seemed so
shy of the wet and shivering stranger,
and cast so many feai fid favk* to
wards the dark alley from which he
hadl just emerged, that the other im
patiently snatching the lantern from
his ban s, wheeled his horse towards
the bridge. The moment however, the
light strut k upon the skeleton beams
and glanced on the waters far beneath,
the traveller Was so shorbed with his
narrow escape from so horrible a fate,
that he fainted upon the spot. His sa
gacious and sure footed horse had
! crossed upon the central timber of the
bridge—the pianking h iving all been
taken up—and if he had swerved tho
width of a fetlock from his perilous
way, would have involved his rider in
the certain death, that awaited him on
either side.—-V. ¥. American
THE Condor?
In the course of the day I had an
opportunity of shooting a condor; It
was so situated with its repast on tho
carcass of a horse, as to suffer me to
approach within pistol shot before it
extended its enormous wings to take
flight, which was to me the signal to
.fire, and having loaded with an ample
charge of pellets, my aim proved ef
fectual and fatal. What a formidable
monster did I behold in the ravine
beneath oie, screaming and flapping in
the convulsive struggles of life ! It
may be difficult to believe that the
most gigantic animal which inhabits
the earth or ocean can be equalled in
size by a tenant of the air. and those
persons who have n ver seen a larger
bird than our mountain eagle, will
probably read with astonishment of a
species of that same bird, in the south
ern hemisphere, being ao large
and strong as to seize an ox with
its talons, and to lift it into the
air, whence it lets it fail to the ground,
in order kill it and to prey upon its
carcass But this astonishment must
in a great degree, subside, when the
dimensions ol the bird are taken into
consideration, and which, incredible
as they may appear, I now insert ver
batim from a note taken down with my
own hand.—When the wings are
spread, they measure sixteen paces
(40 feet) in extent, from point to point
—the feathers are eight paces (20 fret)
in length, and the quill part two palms
(8 inches) in circumference. It is
said to have powers sufficient to carry
off a live rhinoceros.— Temples Trav
els in Feru.
▲ Turk's thought osr
IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.
A captain of a trading ship being
not long since in the city of Constanti
nople lodged iu the house of a seafar
ing Turk. One day he observed to
the Muselroan, that in all his walks
through the immense city of Constan*
tinople and its suberbs, he had not
seen any thing like a jail for imprison
ment for debtors. Christian dog,
said the deciple of Mahomet, do you
suppose that we are so debased as to
copy the Nazarine policy! We take
care to strip a debtor of all bis proper
ty so far as it will go to pay his just
debts, but there we leave him, we in
stantly turn him loose to begin thd
world again. The beieivers in onr ,
prophet are above shotting up their
fellow men in cages in order to starve,
persecute and torment them* W
ftW7.