Garibaldi's Wife

With the leading events in the life of üaribaldi, wbich have been freshly recalled by his recent death, the public have become well acquainted. But with his Anita, the wife whom he passionately loved, and whose ' influence helped to make him the briive and fearless leader that he was, sympathizing with the oppressed everywhere, and ready to flght Uieir battles, the world is altogether unacquainted. Aud yet her story is butler worth the telling than his, for hers was a character ot' greatcr elovation and nobleness, while she in no dcgree feil behind lier husband in lofty courage and heroism. It was by means of an vent whicb wore the guise of a great disaster that Garibaldi flrst met the woman who soon after becanie his wife. About the year 1836 he took arms in tlie aid of the South American ltepnblic of Uruguay against Brazil. He was ordered to cruise along the Brazil ian coast, for from his early youth he had been bred to the seafanng hfe, wlule his general, Canivarro, should attack theenemy by land. The nightafterhe sailed the vessel was sunk in a violent storm, and of the thirty men whom he had on board MXTEEN WERE DliOWNHE. Garibaldi saved himself by swimming a müe, and helped also to save others by stopping on his way, and placing lloating articles from the sunken vessel within rcach of the less skillful swimmars. The coast on which he was wrecked va;i in the I'rovince of Sb. Catherine. The rude inhabitants showed hira no little kindnese, one of thom giving hiin a horse on which he rode to a bilí called Barra. There in a solitary dwelling, in the midst of rocks and mouutains, he was offered and accepted hospitality. His host was a widower, who had two beautiful daughters, the younger of whom was Anita, of reflned character and of gentle manners. The courtship was short, ending in a happy marriage. Thebridegroom, attended by his bride, was soon again on board another vessel of war, and when, not long after, Garibaldi was engaged in a flerce naval conflict with a Brazilian war ship, his young wife, notwithstauding her unobtnt?ive gentleness, iusisted upon remaining on deck, cheei'ing the sailors, and thus helping to secure the victory which, after flve hours' conflict, her hTisband gained. In another naval encounter which soon followed this, Anita again took and held the post of danger. öhe next appears with the army on the land, riding by her husband's side, and enduring with him hunger, fatigue.and all the viciBsitudes of war. In one of the actions with the enemy, SBB WAS TAKEN PRISONKB. She made her escape, disguised by the cloak of a Brazilian soldier wbich she had procured. Without food or a guide, she rode sixty miles on horseback, a large part of the way by night, and lighted ouly by flasheB of lightning, as a storm oC great violence was raging. At length she found her husband, from whom she had been separated for eight days. As the interval had been one of intense anxiety and suspense, during which both hadpassed through terrible dangers, the joy of their meeting was correspondingly great. But they were aoou again separated, he to respoacl to the demands of the campaign, and she lo puffer from aH illness which detained her. White thus alone, and araong an unfriendly people, herflrst child Menotti, was born, Sept. 16, 1840. Twelve days after his birth Anita departed frorn St. Simon on horseback, with her right hand holding her infant son across the saddle in front of her, while with her left süe guided her horse. They were overtaken by asevere storm, from the fury of which she sought such shelter as she could flnd by distnounting, tying her horse to a tree, and obtainiag the protection of a forest. Mounting again after the rain had ceased, her horse soon stumbled, throwiDg her and her child violently to the ground. The child's head was out, but it was not killed, and so the mother rode onward again until she met the Montevidean army, with which she found her hugband, and in which he held a subordinate command. But her trials were not yet ended, for the army was setting forth on a march through an immense Brazilian forest. The rains were frequent and violent, the streams were swollen, so th.it the infant boy, Menotti, was often carried by his father tied up in a handkerchief slung from his shoulder as he swam the rivera on horseback. THE H6R0IC MOTHEE endurecí all the dreadful hardships of this march without sbrinking, and came safely through them all. When at length Garibaldi returned to bis native Italy, Anita went with him to share with him there the dangers and hardships and glories of war. During the defense of Home against the forcea of France, she distinguished herself by her courage and her huroanity. On the 4th of August, 1849, soon after the fall of ltome, a group of people were gathered around a farm house in the village of Mandrioli, near Ravenna, ïhey were laborera waitinir for their pay. While thus waiting, a phseton drove up in which a woman, deadly ïll, lay beside tho man who drove. A physician who was present pronoimced lier in the last stages of fever. She wascarried inlothe house, water was brought, she tasted it, and died in her husbaud's arms. lt was Anita. Garibaldl gave way to what a papal official called "outburets of inconsolable grief," and charged thefainily to give tho body honorable burial. ïhen he hurriedly (led from Austrian troops, who were hotly purMiiring - fled to appear again afterward at Várese and Como and Sicily. But it is said that he carried a way a lock of hair which he fondly cherished us a momento of his lovcd and hcroic Anita until the dayof his deatli. If she had lived to be still the companion of her husband's daugers and triumphs, it may be that her influenco would have restrained him from that espousal of the causa of cornmunists, by whicb, in his later life, he dimmed the luster of the fame which was justly due to the achievsments of his carlier years. -