Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-09-09
The s,Enora Cro11a DI MorlO.


years since, may prove a rich treat
10 our readers, many Of whom. have
never read it, or seen il in print
The incident noted however, actual.
ly transpired:
A whimsical and singular circum~
stance occurred about seven wears
ago in Palermo, Sicily which cast
into the shade the budget, the aris-
tocracy and the press. For the
allotted "nine days" due TO every
new wanderer, the whole city talked
OF nothing but the Sonora Crozza
di Morio. She was a lady OF
twenty years Of age. her person
beautiful and exquisitely propor
toned, her complexion white aud
pure as snow, and her voice soft as a
sirens. She was distinguished alike
by genius and accomplishment. She
played on the piano forte like De
Never, sang like Mademoiselle
Deley. danced like Mademoiselle
Augusta. Her fortune, moreover,
is 100000 a year--an excellent
heart, spotless lame. But as a
fatal, i'll chance would have it, (such
was the story which speedily spread
through Palermo on the arrival of
the fair eccentric stranger. who was
the only daughter of wealthy Russian
parents, though born in France,) her
mother, about tweniy-seven years
ago, saw display of Phantasmagora,
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 hor-
rible deformi.v OF skeleton hand
and face like that of a skull.
The sensation awakened by so
extraordinary case, and so ex-
traordinary a person, among the
lively SiciIians, may be imagined
The lady was known TO be the per-
lection OF all loveliness in every
respect but these two fatal particu-
lars. She was reputed, also, to be
of a wayward and very original
characteF,igery fearless and indepen-
dent, and sole mistress Of her own
liberty and Of her enormous fortune.
She wore her lace covered with a
mask and veil. and the fearful skele-
ton hand carefully gloved.
1t was not long before, in spite Of
these rumored but unseen delormi-
ties, her wealth, singulariiy, and
other charms, attracted many a
suitor to her mysterious but golden
shrin especially gentlemen OF
small fortune and high nobility,
whom the 100000 a year could
have reconciled to the embraces Of
the eldest daughter of Luci(er him.
self; but they had all fearful trial
10 undergo before the coveted prize
was to be won. The Venus with
the face Of a skull-the Crozza di
Morio--receives a. home all her
lovers, her face covered with the
perpetual mask and veil. She sings,
dances, enchapts, transports, and
when ecstacy is at its height, she
suddenly lays aside her glove, and
reveals first the spectacle OF The
scari6ed hand. the hand of a skele-
ton. Some fashionable lovers have
been known TO endure this horrible
spectacle with unflinching courage;
but when this wonderful creature,
who appeared sometimes almost 10
derive "a strange qualification from
the exercise of this dreadful power
10 appal and repulse, went a step
further, and raised her veil and took
off her mask, no one had yet been
found with nerves equal to the fear
ful trial.
Fortune, genius, wit, grace, good
ness, loveliness of form, and heart,
we're all hastily and shudderingly
resigned, rather than encounter the
hideous fate of a life union with
that hand and head of Deathl In
trepid soldiers, who had dared the
dread King Of Terrors many time
when appearing in his own grimmest
form, shrank back appalled,, as we'll
they might, from before his sickening
features, when thus revealed in
monstrous combination with all
other possible charms Of maiden
youth and loVeliness.
AT last the lady met with lover
whose passion she herself could, and
did return; lover would have been
worthy indeed OF her, even had nol
the perfection of her graces. of bott
mind and person, been marred BY
the fatal defects which | have de
scribed. Generous, noble, accom-
plished and intellectual, after visiting
her from the curiosity which al
Palermo was possessed, the mysteri
Gus interest attaching TO her--com
passion for SO unhappy curse rest
ing on the unoffending head of on,
so matchIess in every other charm
AID delight in the singular powers 0
mind and the admirable qualities o