Natalie; Or, A Gem Among the Sea-Weeds

by Emma V. Hallett

Mr. Alboni read the document to his grand-daughter, the effect of which was, that certain sums of specie, deposited in the bank of ----, by the Honorable Paul Sunderland, could by the bearer of this instrument, be withdrawn at sight.

Sampson's tongue was still flying with rapidity, as if his auditors had not been void of a number, while Mr. Alboni and Natalie were holding a consultation aside.

"You are right, my child; you will never miss this from the wealth, which I thank God I have it in my power to place in your hands. Let it be as you say,--divide this sum between your protectors."

"I thank you, my dear, generous father," said Natalie, imprinting a kiss upon the cheek of her relative; "you have made me happy. I will send this most acceptable gift to my dear mother, not paining her feelings with the thought that I would seek to repay her love for her child with gold, but as an expression of her daughter's filial affection; and not only will I reward this honest man with the half of this sum, but he shall have the pleasure of presenting with his own hand this offering to my mother."

To this latter proposition Sampson acquiesced with pleasure; he was delighted with the prospect of once more seeing his young shipmate, whose mysterious allusions to the Sea-flower he could now comprehend; but as to himself receiving so liberal a legacy, he was not prepared to look upon the proposition as favorably.

"Take it, my good fellow," said Mr. Alboni, "it is rightly your own; and should you ever have anything to spare, you cannot do better than to make the investment which you had purposed."

They parted,--the honest tar to take his way to Columbia's happy land, while Mr. Alboni and the Sea-flower would prolong their visit for a little here, then depart to feast their eyes upon Italian skies. Sampson looked long after the gentle form of the Sea-flower, as he left them, for when might he see so fair a sight again?

"And this was the home of my mother," mused Natalie, as arrived in Florence, our tourists entered the arched gateway, which led to the broad domains of the long absent master, just as the sun was sinking to rest, his soft lingering rays kissing the fleecy clouds, o'er which a blush came and went, now deepening as the rose carmine, giving place to the most delicate tinge that e'er sat upon a maiden's cheek,--born of pure modesty. The scent of the delicate jasmine perfumed the air, while the pensive strains of some fair one, soft and clear as the tones of a wind-harp, was borne on the stillness of evening to the ear of the lovely Sea-flower, who, reclining upon the bosom of her father, her sunny tresses mingling with the silvery locks, which told that he had seen many winters, whispered in words low and musical,--"My angel mother,--I can feel her presence near; she has breathed this blissful air; can it be more heavenly there?" With her eyes still upturned, as if their mildness might pierce the veil of azure, her lips moved, as they had ofttimes done before, in praise and thanksgiving for the wondrous beauty which our Father, in his boundless love, hath set before his children. As Mr. Alboni gazed upon each familiar object, surrounding his beautiful villa, he was greatly surprised to find everything in the same state of preservation as when he had last beheld his home, once so dear; instead of an air of desolation, everything falling to decay, as would be a natural consequence attendant upon the long absence of the family, the scrupulous care and attention of some interested one, was apparent on all sides. Even the little ivied bower, which Mr. Sunderland had arranged with his own hands, when he first smiled upon his beautiful bride, was still in existence; and here did Natalie dream away many a happy hour, during her stay in dear Florence.

The old man and his frugal wife, to whose keeping the premises had been entrusted, and who occupied a small tenement upon the grounds, could not have been more surprised if one had appeared to them from the dead, than were they when Mr. Alboni stood in the door of their cottage.

"I told you his honor would come again!" said the woman, turning to her husband; "but I was really afeared it mightn't be in our time; and as we've no one to leave in our shoes, I'm of the 'pinion that the place would've dropped off to some stranger."