The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-07-30
The Bodkin.

Two daughters had the count Montageno;
but they differed from each other in every re-
spect. Bianca the eldest, was tall and sym
metrical in figure, with a countenance whose
touching beauty took the heart captive at
glance. Her mind was not less lovely than her
person. and her heart was the tenderest and
nobest in the world. .r
Giulia, the younger sister, was low and dwarf:
ish, with repulsive features, and nothing in the
least attractive in her disposition OF manner
She was not, indeed, destitute of intellect Or
cultivation, but as she never took pains to ex
ercise the art of pleasing, she was beloved by
no one. ... zT w..
Thus Giulia was treated with attention solely
on her fathers and sisters account, by the
young mobiles and knights Of their acquaintance,
while the most distinguished in the country were
suitors for the hand of the fair Blanca. The
younger sister could not but perceive and feel
the difference, and cherished in the depth Of her
soul feelings ofenvy and bitterness, which yet
she had art enough to conceal. i.ss. ....
Blanca had reached her seventeenth year,
when the count Cordora, the handsomest man
in Sicily, made proposals for her hand. His
possessions and iustrious descent-as well as
his bravery and other splendid qualities Of mind
and person-gaye him claims to be received
with distinguished favor. But the count was
modest as brave, and looked upon it as his sig
nal and undeserved good fortune that Montag-
emo listened approvingly to his suit, and that
the beautiful Blanca seemed quite willing to
obey the command of her father. ...a,;
The day Of the betrothal was fxed-and the
count ordered magnificent banquet prepared
in honor Of the occasion, to which many Of his
knsmen were bidden. ...Z..
| Giulia had envied her sister all her suitors,
but more especially the stately count Cordoro.
His manly beauty and accomplishments had in
fact strongly impressed her, and she resolved
to prevent the marriage, if possible.
At the remotest end of the grounds pertain
ing to her fathers castle stood desolate look
ing hut. This had long been occupied by an
old woman, to whom popular superstition ascrib-
| ed the knowledge Of the arts Of witchcraft.-
The oldest people in the region many leagues
around remembered her always as ugly as now;
with the same crooked back and the same yell
low, wrnkled yisage. Her great age, as well
as her supposed Egyptian origin, gave her a
wide reputation.
| The countess Giulia might have been seen,
I Just at dusk one evening, walking toward the
| hut, wrapt in dark mantle, her face concealed
| by thick veil. She had thought of sending for
the witch, but On second thought resolved to
visit her.
The aspect Of the hag was not calculated to
inspire confidence; the gaze of her dark, pier
cling eyes was fearful, but the young countess,
after an effort, gained courage to make her
wishes known, and 10 ask the SYPHILIS aid She
did not forget to accompany her request with
the gift Of full purse
The old woman surveyed her visitor without
any manifestation of surprise, and answered
.coldly at length:
''The best thing to be done then, is--if you
so resoive-to turn the counts affection from
your sister to yourself. You may then be hap
py-without the sacrifice Of anothers life; for
the pain your sister will endure from unrequit-
ted affection, is not worth being taken into the
calculation
"And what must I door give demanded
Giuia, "to turn the counts heart unto MYSELF"
"Only-noble countess-come to me the
first night of the next new moon and give me
drop Of the blood that flows in your veins.''
'Be assured" )" said the countess, tthat shall
not fail. And when am the bride Of the count,
your reward shall be great -"
So saying, and wrapping herself again in veil
and mantle, she went homeward. Unpercelv-
ed she entered the castle, unrobed herself, and
lay down to sleep; but the tumut of her
thoughts denied her repose.
The evening appointed came. It was the
night before the day fixed for the solemn be-
trothal of the count with the beautiful Blanca.
|'The espousals shall indeed take place, -
murmured the younger sister, "but they shall
be with Giulia, not Blanca
The expectation impaired to her manner so
much gayety and cordially, that all remarked
the change. She even overheard Cordoro say:
"The countess Giuia has SO good heart,
she deserves, in truth, to be less hideous''
The young girl laughed scornfuly.
s.Soon,'' she exclaimed, ''t shall be Giulia
who appears to thee the fairest upon earth.'
1t was the night of the new moon. All the
castle was alive with preparations for the ap-
preaching feast, to which were expected not on
y the kinsmen Of Montagenc, but many of the
neighboring mobiles, and some friends Of the
count Cordoro from Sicily. .-.s
At the appointed hour Giulia entered the
witch's hut, and found her waiting her arrival.
The old woman first repeated the baptismal
names OF the countess and Cordoro, with the
year, day and hour Of the birth of each. Then
she produced two hearts made of wax; inscrib-
ed one with the counts name and age; and ta-
king Giulia's bodkin, cleaning with its jeweled
head, marked her name, etc, upon the other
heart. Taking a drop Of blood from the young
girls arm, she introduced it into the waxen
heart which she had appropriated to the count.
klndllng fire on the hearth, she then put the
hearts over it, and as they melted together,
sang the words: '1...
"By the new moon, at midnight hour ..M
| weave the spell Of mghtiest power,
Two hearts were these-once each alone
Henceforth these two hearts shall be one
Gulia watched the flame as it consumed the
waxen forms. When they were burnt up, the
witch gave her back the bodkin, saying:
''The charm is now complete. Tomorrow
at midnight shall the count become thy lover;
and remain SO, if thou take heed, for the rest of
his life. Wear in thy hair this bodkin, with
which / wounded his heart, but never let him
touch it, or the spell is broken for ever"
Giulia placed the little implement Of mas gic in
her hair, and giving the witch another purse
of gold, ~ .5
..Receiye nv thanks' she renlied ssand he