The Davenport daily gazette., 1857-04-16
THE DAILY GAZETTE.
DlSGFIIANEODS.
RUSE.OF AN ITALIAN GIRL IN
LOVE


home from An American correspon-
dent in Italy. Whether true or not,
il will serve to amuse our lady read
ers. II true, the young Italian prin-
cess certainly showed better taste in
the selection ofa husband than did
Mary Ann Boxer, the educated and
pretty daughter OF New York mer-
chant, who, the other day, married
John Dean, her fathers ignorant, red
faced, and vulgar Irish cpachman:
One Of our famous American sculp-
tors, residing in Florence, that city
whittier all the genius OF England and
America seems to tend, was one day
seated in his studio at work on an
Apollo, when his attention was at
tracted by tremendous trampling of
horses in his court yard He looked
out Of the win low, and beheld mag
nifcent c1rriage, with out riders.
drawn up in front Of his door. Pres.
entity a gentleman claimed admission
10 his studio, and announced himself
as the Prince di B. He came to
give the sculptor large commission.
His daughter, who had been struck
by some statues Of the American
which she had seen, wished TO sit to
him for her bust. She was then be-
low in the carriage. Was the sculp.
tor at leisursl Prince was no object;
all that was necessary was to crafty
ht daughter, who was al invalid
The sculptor expressed his willing.
ness to begin the work instantly, and
the Prince making sign to his lack
eys from the window, they proceeded
10 liit pretty girl, who seemed about
eighteen, out Of the carriage, and bore
her in their arms carefully up the
stairs to the artists studio. The
sculptor could not repress look Of
surprise d, this curious mode of loco
motion, par ticularly az the young
lady did not bear the slightest trace
Of illness in her countenance. The
Prince interpreted mis- glance, and re-
piled 10 it
my daughter has been pAralyzed
in all her lirlbs, for the last two
months. 1t is sad thing. She has
had all the medical aid in Florence,
but without avail
The sculptor looked again at the
invalid. through her delicate mus.
lin robe the contours of a divinely
moulded form were indicated, and
when the young Signorina cast upon
the sculptor a rapid glance, soft as
starlight, piercing IS electric fire, he
felt his heart leap with mysterious
lresage of some inde6nable catastro-
phe.
She sat. The sculptor worked at
his model like enc inspired, and 4
pang struck his heart as the hour for
her retiring came. The Prince and
hislaekeys bore her down stairs The
carriage door closed on her, and the
horses SWEPT through the gate. The
artist worked no more that day.
Tomorrow she was to come again.
He lay awake all night DIRE aiming Of
her. Then he would shudder ard say
to himself, 1T is not love, but pity
that | feel. She is paralyticP
The next day the same scene was
repeated, with this difference, that
the Prince having seen his daughter
posed (placed in attitude) by he ar
tist, excused himself on the plea of a
business engagement, saying he would
return in time to conduct his daugh-
ter to her home.
Poor girl, although, the sculptor
was q handsome man, her deplorable
condition was, in her father opinion,
safeguard against any o: the dangers
which he might otherwise have an
ticipated, lie lett the room and drove
away in his carriage.
A silence snsued. The sculptor
dared not look at his model, but work
ed away on the clay image without
raising his eyes. Still silence
Then it seemed as ifs slight rustic
filed the room. A small white hand
stole across his mouth, and a burning
kiss was imprinted On his forehead.
With almost shrek, livery exciting!)
he leaped to his feet, and there, with
bushes crilnscning her pale cheeks
and alabaster neck, knelt the paialy,
tic girl, with her beautiful eyes, inn
ploring pardon.
4 saw you long time ago. she
said, ian Italian woman, when she
loves, knows no half measures, 'and
| loved yeu. My father was very
strict with me. | could not move
without being watched. 1t was i'm
possible Tor me to meet you or to SCI
you. | ieigned paralysis. For tw'
months | have scarcely moved. Ii
his pity for nay condition my fathe
relaxed his surveillance of my mo
tons. He gratifed every wish, ant
{. an invalid l excited no suspicion
by desiring to become your sitter.
have said that | loved You. If yo'
do not return my love, | can onl.
de-
What answer made the american
We need not inquire, only when tn
Prince di B. returned, he found moth
ing in the studio by clay model c
his paralytic daughter. The origins
could not be found. A few days a
terward, in small town of France
the pretty Florentins princess sun
her nobility in the name ofan Amer
can sculptor.