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236 ROSA FERRUCCI.
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Transcript
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
« Honiliab, As We Have Now Become With, ...
vated mind , existence was one perpetual enjoyment . One sacrifice only G-od required from her—the sacrifice of her life ! Suddenlyin
, the midst of her summer's cloudless sky . her sun went down . In Pisa , as in every other town on earth , there were those who would
have welcomed death—the widow bereft of all , the childless mother , those worn with long sicknessthose weary of life's " battlesome
, , aged saints longing to depart—but for them all death tarried , and came swiftly to the side of Rosa Ferrucci , the only and cherished
daughter , the fondly idolized bride . How few among us called from _v the very midst of life ' s fairest joys would have been ready for the
summons ! Her illness ( an epidemic of the country ) was sudden and brief . Almost before those around her would acknowledge her
danger , she turned to her lover : " Gaetano , if it be the good pleasure of God that we shall be united on earth , He will not call me ;
but if He has otherwise disposed of us , then , my Gaetano , we must resign ourselves and adore His holy will , must we not ? But
there was no reply . She asked for the last rites of her faith , and received them with devotion . She spent her whole time in prayer
_, rousing from it only to think of others—poor people who would miss her daily alms ; and calling to her the priest who had come to console
her , slie -whispered to him , to help and comfort her poor mother after all was over . Few words were uttered around this death-bed
, the grief was too deep for speech ; only the mother ' s agonizing cry was heard and the _daughter ' s sweet words of consolation . But
smooth She was as entering had been fast Rosa into ' s life the , de _" ath valley was of to the be her shadow battle . ' -ground Fits of .
delirium ensued , causing violent restlessness which nothing could calm . At last her mother said " Rosaif you would calm _yoLirself ,
, , my I could child rest for my my head sake ; on ' and your as she hands spoke and she sle fei ep gned . Calm sleep yourself . There ,
, was instant silence . " Love was stronger than delirium . " But with returning consciousness began the sharper agonies of soul and
spirit . Again her mother tried to calm her . " Fear not , " said her mother" you have always loved God—always been good and
obe-, dient . " For the first time a severe expression appeared on her features . "Plush ! tempt me not with pride , she answered . And now the
full anguish of the parting before her dawned on her spirit . " Motherwhat are you saying of my Gaetano ? Ah ! now I feel indeed
, I should have been happy with him , for the more I know him the more I feel he loves me , —as thou lovest me . But it must be : I
must leave my father ' s house— -I must leave ray betrothed . Ah , no ! I ought to live with him—I ought to make him happy ! " A cry of
sorrow followed , the death pang was very sharp . Suddenly she was silentclasped her handsand bowed her head ; and after a short
, , silence ( From she that said moment clearly , the " name Thy _zvill of be Gaetano clone " never passed her lips ,
and from henceforth there was peace . The bitterness of death was
past .
236 Rosa Ferrucci.
236 ROSA FERRUCCI .
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Dec. 1, 1861, page 236, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01121861/page/20/
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