The pilot. [volume] (Baltimore [Md.]) 1840-1840, 1840-04-25
THE MYSTERIOUS HUSBAND.
Ifmarriages
A., made in Heaven, they should be happier ;
arc "aUN ~. wretch? Isabella.

II, s,opd in the market place TO take lessons
IN he unrest Italian - that is TO say, IN 10
renee There lived two Italian ladies', who were
s;s,ers The elder, the Signora Bald, had
hapn widow for several years. and, as wen ny
the gravity of her temper, as by her reli-
praciices, was fond of retirement. ohe hau'
however, sacrificed her taste IN TINS respect
and had mingled TO a considerable extent, III
the world, because she thought that ny tii'S
means she could accomplish WISH winch was
Of oil others nearest TO her heart-the marriage
of her sister Camilla. The hau9htlnesS ahu
the difi,ultv of this latter lady'S temper had,
hitherto. thwarted all her designs; and the Sig
nora Bald, at length despairng OF success
had resumed her accustomed manner oil living
She had been chiefly induced 10 this by her
sister bavnr recently refused an advantageous
offer of MARRIAGE, which had been made 10 her
nv SiCnor creole Grandma, notary OF tne
Oominican Convent of st. Mark. certain
GOODNESS had ensued between the SISTERS WHICH,
although il did not produce any tii'"S inc
quarrel between them, increased the hoho'ony
of their lives ..- 80.
One n,ocninr. however, when the sisters met
,+ braakC,st t6e Srnora Bald observed That
Camilla greeted her with an air OF unaccuSlom
ed cheeruness. Instead of that !Stless ana
DISCONTINUED air which she had OF late dlS)iay-
ed. smile lowered upon her llps' ana a her
whole aDpearance expressed delight Slshora
Raldi. with an eager affection, asked hef the
cause Of this change. ~ ,,.,,
NV dear sister, replied Camilla, cohooie
with YOU On the loss you are about 10 SuS'ain
ofthe subject of your most frequent harahSueS'
NV aversion for matnmony VIII no lo"Se' Oe
the text of all your long sermons.
sIndeed dear Camilu, nothing will give me
> 81 bn SnDnra.
fer all the whims YOU have INDUCED in, can
not helm doubling whether you aie even now IN
earnest. You know, if you had listened TO my
advice, vou would long ago have been happily
married, and the Signor Grandonlo'--
Il de ber YOU not 10 mention that disagreed
ble name to me, interrupted Camilla, III is
really cruel that you should thus wish to marry
me 10 man who not only cannot appreciate
but cannot even comprehend any thing Ike
deIicacy of sentiment; 0ne who dreams OF no
tbin0 hut the records of the Dominicans, whose
notary he has the honor 10 be. and the chronI-
.cles Of the Gonlalonieri. Now, although these
THINGS NAV be very important, and even inter
es,in1r TO you, is it Just that should become
the victim of your passion for antiquities
III is because he is grave and respectable
and would put stop TO the caprlceS you are
so fond Of INDUCING in, said the Signora Baidl,
that YOU speak of him thus
Very well. sister, replied Camilla, with an
offended air, Il shall, at least be discreet enough
to hold my tongue; one day, perhaps, you VIII
be Obliged to think more justly OF me-
After this the Signora'S endeavers to Obtain
from her sister an explanation were IN VAN -
Camilla kent to her resolution, and her sister
remained in total ignorance OF the circumstances
which had caused so sudden an alteration IN
Camilla did not know enough of the subject tn
discuss it with her sister, who she was sure
would have required much more explicit ac-
count than it was in her power TO give.
Camilla, whom il is now time to introduce to
our readers. was person of considerable at
traction. Her naturally good understanding,
and the accomplishments OF her education,
would have made her very agreeable, Out
habit of reading romances had spoiled her taste,
and Given an exalted turn 10 her imagination,
which. while it made her difkcultin the choice
of n husband. deferred many men from seeklfg
her hand who would otherwise have beea glad
to marry her, She had now, however, reach
ed that certain age which, as Lord Byron says,
is sthe most uncertain age OF att and she ieIt
the critical nature of her situation. An old
man. who is on the very brink OF the grave,
does not count with more anxiety and appre-
hension the grains OF sand as they iall from the
hour-class ,sf time, than a lady who has been
surprised by the age Of thirty without having
tasted the sweets of matrlmony' Every DAY
increases her wish to secure happiness winch
seems brighter as it becomes more creduious
in relying on whatever seems to afford nope. |
This was exactly the situation OF Camilla.
From her thoughts being constantly fixed upon
one subject, she became superstilious, and
gave in to all the ioHies to which superstition
leads Sometimes she went to consult for
tune-teller; sometimes the bottom on tea-cup
revealed To her the secrets of luturlty. She
practced frequently the almost absolete custom
of the far rerde !" and her sister had often
found her pale and detected, for no other rea-
son than because the green leaves, which she
had placed in her bosom had faded almost I'M
mediately.
At length, she had dream, in which she
thought a young man of attractive person aud
agreeable manners, wooed her for his bride;
she listened to his suit, and he was about to
place bridal wreath upon her head, when she
awoke. Provoking as this interruption was,
Camilla was reconcied to it by hearing, at the
same moment, the sound Of guitar beneath
her window, accompanied by mans voice.
She at first thought it was continuation Of
her dream, but was soon convinced OF It's re-
aiiv aud listened with tremulous delight, until
4 ,e singer had flushed Perarch's delightful