AFFECTING CASE OF BENINCASA.

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bandits, named Benincasa, was surprised asleep in the forestof Cassano, and being taken to Cosenza , General Manhesordered his hands to be chopped off, and then that heshould be conveyed to his native village of San Giovanni,in Fiore, and hanged. The cool intrepidity with which thisman suffered the amputation of his hands, astonished thebeholders. On the same day he walked fifteen miles to theplace of execution with his hands hung to his neck ; he drankwine and ate with his escort, and sang some airs that quitecharmed the hearers. Many of the gendarmes were movedto tears when he sang, all’ improviso, of his wife and infantchildren, who would never see him more but at the day ofexecution. Arrived at San Giovanni, in Fiore, his young andbeautiful wife, with two lovely little children, were allowedto see him. ' A most convulsive and heart-rending sight wasit to behold the noble-looking Benincasa fed by his tenderwife, whilst two little angelic infants each kissed his hand-less wrists, and bathed them with their tears. Far more thanany others had he command of his feelings. That nighthe slept as well as ever in his life; the next morning he break-fasted, his wife feeding him. Being offered the assistanceof a priest he calmly, but decidedly, refused any suchministration;—then, with a step as firm and graceful as mytravelled readers well remember to be so striking in theItalian peasantry, he approached the gallows, ascended theladder, and threw himself off. A simultaneous shriek, orrather convulsive sob, : resounded over the entire space;all felt a pang—-and hundreds rushed to raise the swoonedwidow of poor Benincasa, who had insisted upon staying byher husband to the last .—I must breath awhile !

Another chief of brigands, whose case I will sketch, wasnamed Parafanti. He was audacious, crafty, active, ofgigantic make and strength; but cruel and remorseless.Now about forty-five years old, from his earliest youth he