New-York tribune., 1841-10-01
From the metropolitan for Sept
THE COUNTESS AND HER FRIENDS.
rALE or coouErRY.
BY Warner oLIrHAxr.


the society Of an old college friend, Ned Hay
leigh, with whom | had long been on terms ct
the most confidential intercourse, induced me TO
90 forthwith 10 Milan Had | reflected on nj
confirmed social habits, some hesitation might
have DELAYED this step | should have reH'eil.
beIed that wheresoever Ned Haylelgn was 'nsie
was no room for the indulgence OF moon! II"
NOR since he was an infalible aurac'cr -
the merry spirits like himself that came i''''-.
sphere and one was certain 70 md MN tne
OF AS ro;ous group as gave food iof 'iie Po'
lice sheet of Bow-street oihce' or touo' - ''1
painting proctors of our Alma Mater AZ II P'o'e''
boyeyer nv seeking him the wisest course
,ba, eonIJ r,ossibly have been adopted, tor under
rho ysrv worst circumstances high spirits more
or less contagious, and the melancholy that might
have rursed itself into madness, frequently gives
way before the exharating influence OF surround
ing nir,h Poor Ned finer fellow never breath
ed; he would have dared earth and sea 10 serve
friend and so well was lis nature apprecia
led. tina, his friends would and all, have done
Their utmost TO serve him in turn He was drown
ed some yeats after IN Norway, and there hes MS
dust
"Noll, my dear boy" said he, when joined
him. YOU are as welcome as if you brought news
Of legacy. Sit down here, old fellow. Dined
! suppose Sullivan, shove round the bottle
Gnmme,t, bring glasses Sullivan, Jack Forby,
Macne Wilson-ny friend Warner Oirhant.
This brief introduction paved the way TO de-
lightful addition 10 my circle of acquaintance
Forby had been cur Contemporary at ST. Johns
Major Sullivan was stranger, but / had known
his brother; Macneil and Wilson were new faces,
but being very young, very merry, and very good
injured, familiar at once, and intiinate5 IN
m hour.
1--WE are to adjourn to the la Scala said
Macneil, a young Scotch laird Z" are you inclined
10 Join us You will hear the finest singing in
Italy tonight, if Hayleigh permits you To listen
Every true said Major Sullivan. " Velluti
was in magnificent voice at rehearsal though |
prophesy that this Aureliano' will disappoint the
hopes of its STRIPPING composer. The thing will
be failure, unless that wonderful voice, with lis
incompatible power and execution, avails to save
il. However, with yeuti you do not risk disap-
pointment"
And as all the world will be there said Will
son. a. you can have n catalogue with notes and
illustrations of all the mentionubles in Milan. 1t
will be vast saving of time to you in that prem-
mary branch of your education"
:" shall be delighted to visit n theatre which
has the credit of being the first in the world lie,
me finish my glass Of claret, and am much at
your service
After few minutes further conversation, we
rose to go. Ned heard Sullivan say, you
know it is quite against rule allow your friend
sit with us that is, in the Soccty's box least.
Nonsense will be his surety that he Joins
us in week, said Hayeigh.
In that may for once break the rule,
said Sullivan. The fact Is, he added, turning /
TO me, "the Amici, society ,e which we all be-
long but you, has box at la Scala; and we have
agreed to suspend our rule against the admission
of strangers in your favor; Huycigh here Will eN-
plain the somewhat unusual method OF gaining |
dp,it, ofl
ns."
In half an hour we were al! seated in the thea /
ire ENJOYING the second act of Rossini's Aureiia-
no, and surveying the varied and numerous au
dience. There was only ono person in our box be-
sides our own party; he young who
seemed to take very little interest in the opera and
great deal in box on the same tier as osrS, bu
The opposite side. | concluded he was one OF the
Amici.
"Pray, Oliphant," said Ned, where did you
pick up that funeral aspect You not dressed
in mourning, or ! should fancy your grand-aunt had
died. Where geitest thou tha, goose look
- Do not ask me now; you shall hear the story
soon and fearful one i, is. But come, tell me
how one Is admitted the privilege. of this So
ciety; | have serious thoughts of becoming men,
ber Are YOU any relations to the Arcadians, or
The Oxiosi or the Umai 2"
Meme in the least, except that our title, like
those OF the fantastic corporations YOU name, EN-
bodies Joke. Look across the theatre-,here-
IN line with The chandelier and tell me what
YOU see
| see very beautiful srl. OF dminu,ive figure
sitting alone, and stealing frequent slances ut this
side-to this very box.
No wonder said Ned, for she is the pat
reness of the Amici.'
That is the Countess ", said Macnc :"
rich widow of II poor Italian count aged nineteen
m wears but twice nineteen in cunning. She is an
English GIRL and her father kept fruit-shop on
rhe Strand She travelled in Italy after his death,
aud met Count V. who fell in love with her to
distraction; II she did not love him, she de-
lighted with his tite, and her mother, capuvated
with his moustache, gave consent To marriage
AT seventeen she was bride, at eighteen widow,
and now all the English in Milan anxious to
make her bride nineteen.
e But what has this history to do with the Ann
CO ?" | inquired.
g Wait a lutte, proceeded Macneil. She is
said 10 have killed the count; for, the little
lure being selfish that to love any one but her
self is an imposSibility. he grew miserable at find
ing his raptures unrequited, pined 10 shadow.
and u fever, which he caught at Rome, made him
an easy prey. Her fortune is very large, but there
is no chance of her layishing il on any one who
cannot give her an English title in return
= But what has this asked again. . to do with
The Amici7"
Why this, said Sullivan, that all the men,
bers of this our band OF friends are declared low
4erS of the Countess V"
9 should rather have expected to find YOU dis
posed 10 cut each others hroats than to go shares
IN an eper-boN, returned l.
A reasonable expectation enough said Ned;
" but the truth Is net of Us cares he value of
an 0pera-,icket about her nor she about US; so we