The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1846-03-25
SELECT TALE,
From the Democratic ReUse,c for March.
THE SHGNORA CROZZA DE RTORTO.

/ A whimsical and singular circumstance oc
CURED about eighteen months ago in Palermo
which cast into the shade the budget, the aristo
cracy and the press. For the allotted "nine days'
due TO every new wonder, the whole city talked
OF nothing but the Signora Crozza di Morto. She
IS lady oftwenty years of age, her person beau
tiful and exquistely proporlioned, her complex
ION white and pure as snow, and her voice soft
Jas SIRENS She is distinguished alike by ge-
mus and accomplishment. She plays on the pi-
ano forte like De Meyer, sings like Mademoi-
Iselle Delcy, and dances like Mademoiselle Au-
Igusta. Her fortune, moreover, is 100000 a
Iyear--an excellent heart, and spotess fame.
But as fatal iIl-chance would have it.. -(such
was the story which speedily spread through Pa
lermo on the arrival Of the fair and eccentric
stranger, who was the only daughter of wealthy
Russian parents, though born in France)-her
mother, about twenty years ago, saw display of
the Phantasmagoria, and was so strongly struck
with one horrible spectre in particular, that after
eight months she was delivered of a child who
would have been beautiful as an angel, if she
had not been born with the strange but horrible
deformty of a skeleton hand and a face like that
Of a SkUU.
The sensation awakened by so extraordinary
case, and so extraordinary person, among the
lively SIcIlIans, may be imagined. The lady was
known to be the perfection of all loveliness in
every respect but these two fatal particulars.-
She was reputed, also, to be of wayward and
very original character, very fearless and indie.
pendent, and now the sole mistress of her own
liberty and OF her enormous fortune. She wore
her face covered with a mask and veil, and the |
earful skeleton hand carefully gloved
IL was not long before, in spite of these rumor-
% put unseen deformities, her wealth, singular
" ana oiher charms, attracted many q sutor to
ler mysterious but golden shr:ne-especially
gentlemen OF small fortune and high nobility.
whom the $3O0,0OO year could have reconci-
ed to the embraces of the eldest daughter of Lu
'lfer hmself;-but they had all fearful trial to
lndergo before the coveted prize was TO be won.
lhe Venus with the face of skuIl--the Cros- Il
a dt Morto-receives al home all her lovers.
er face covered with the perpetual mask and
ell. She sings, dances, enchants, transports.
nd when ecstacp is at its height, she suddenIv If
lys aside her glove, aud reveals first The specta
lie ofthe scari6ed hand, the hand of skeleton h
ome fashionable lovers have been known 70 en- q
ure this horrible spectacle with unflinching .
ourage; but when this wonderful creature, who i
ppeared sometimes almost TO derive strange \
ratification from the exercise Of this dreadful c
oweF to appal and repulse, went step farther. Ii
I'D raised her veil and took off her mask, no one =
I'd yet been found with nerves equal 70 The a.
arful trial. Fortune, genius, wit, grace, good. Io
sss, loveliness of form, mind and heart, were alI
'stlly and shudderingly resigned, rather than pI
lcounteT the hdeous fate of ife.union with
at hand and head of Deatb Intrepid soldiers n,
no had dared the dread King of Terrors MANY ii
time when appearing in his own erimmest Of
Trn, shrank back appalled,, as we'll they might. ey
I'm before bis sickeningfeatures, when thus re- "a
aled in monsIrous combination with all the IG
her possible charms Of maiden youth and love. IN
ess =.
~ last the lady met with u lover whose pas ev
= she herself could, and did return; a lover en-
Q would have been worthy indeed Of her. even m
not the perfection Of her graces, Of both Ida
nd and person, been marred BY the fatal de- an
lsl have described. Generous. noble. ac- wr
nplished and intellectual, after visiting her y,
p the curiosity with which Ill Palermo was ow
cFossa q lNorio signifes Deaths Head. - !,