The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-08-29


generally set by the age of boyhood. The
count saw that the boys soul was large, and
that his mind was mature, and yet he did not
think that the large soul and the matured
( mind would go beyond the thoughts of boy
hood in love, for he still saw the two children
wandering about together, and he seemed on
ly to derive additional pleasure from their hap
piness
In the great gallery, where were hung the
paintings which the long line of the de Cas-.
tros had been for years collecting, Luigi Mar
ino used to wander. He loved to walk up and
down the hall and gaze upon the pictures
which hung there, and sometimes he would
even forget that Irene bore him company.
sWhat makes you love these old pictures
SO 2" asked Irene.
"Because they're such noble things" re-
turned the boy, gazing upon tainted Titan.
sSome of them are pretty, I know" said
the girl; "but surely there is nothing pretty
about that great ugly man you are looking at
| now"
"There is something noble about it," re-
sumcd the boy, still gazing at the picture.
| "See those arms, those muscles, those eyes,
those features. o, what wonderW
| The boy soon turned away from the Titan,
and taking the girls hand within his own, he
smiled. That made Irene happy, and she
/ soon forgot that Luigi sometimes neglected her
for the pictures.
| Another year passed away, and during that
time the Count de Castro locked little after
! Luigi Marino, save to see that he was well
cared for, and that he made himself sometimes
sefu,-the only manner of use ever required
1 of him, being to act as sort of page about
| the person of the Count when he was at home.
But John de Castro was not always to be
blind, though it required other wit than his
own to open his eyes. His wife, the Countess,
was weak, sick woman, confined most OF the
! time to her chamber. She saw Luigi but sell
dom, but she saw her daughter much, and at
lene tn the idea stole into her mind, that Irene
cherished dangerous attachment for the
youth. With this thought forced upon her,
she questioned her daughter. The gentle
girl knew nothing of duplicity-she knew not
how to deceive, and she confessed to her
mother the truth She dreamed not that her
love for young Marino could have caused the
emotion. But the Countess made no explana-
! ton. She determined to trust the matter in
! the hands of her husband.
Luigi Marino was alone in the great picture
| gallery. He had grown much taller than
when he first came to his present home, and
he looked much older. His face was still
pale, but his black eye was as bright as fire
| His hair was wavy in its jetty gloss, and as it
lay swept back ever his shoulders, it formed
an aim, st magic contrast with the pure white
ness of the white and expansive brow. He
stood gazing upon one of the paintings, when
the Count de Castro entered the gallery.
| The noblemau saw that his entrance had
not been noticed, and he stood some tine, and
regarded t 'e boy in silence. He, was more
| than ever struck with the strange intelligence
that beamed upon the lads pale features, and
| while he stood there and watched him he al
most wished that Luigi wers not the son OF a
peasant
At length the boy noticed that his master
was present, and with trembling step he
would kave moved away but de Castro called
him back
Il .Stop, Luigi" he said. "I have come up
here to sedk you. 1 wish to speak with you y
The count was evidently embarrassed, and
the boy noticed it. He had always felt pleas
ed when his master spoke to him, but now
something made him tremble. He saw in an
instant that the count was not in the mood
that usually marked his manner, and he feared
that he had been guilty of some offence.
"Luigi," said the count, "I have been think
ing that you had better leave this place-that
you had better find some other home"
"Leave here, sir 2" uttered the boy in pain
ful accents. "Have done wrong 2" Have
IL"
stStop, stop, Luigi. You have done nothing
out Of the way, but on the contrary, you have
been very good, and very kind. 1t is for youl
own welfare that speak. You are old enough
now to begin to see something of: the world
Surely you would not wish to be shut up here
all your days"
80, 1 should like to see the world, sir," re-
turned the boy with kindness and enthusiasm
"And at the same time be learning some
trade or profession from the fruits of which
you can sustain your manhood, added the
!, count.
.Certainly, sir" said Luigi. "I do moi
wish to eat the bread of idleness."
i ssNo l suppose not. And now l wish to
put you upon the track of an honest livelihood
1 will see some good course for you to pursue
''But 1 shall not go far off" said the boy
"I shall go somewhere from whence can cas-
!, lily come back here, sometimes"
The count bit his lips and looked down up
on the floor.
81 don't know" he said at length, as he
; raised his eyes tc the boys face, at could dc
, you no good to come back here" &
, Luigi Marino felt an impulse to tell how
much Of home the palace had become to hin
7 and how much attachment he felt for the
scenes that clustered about him. But there
was an expression in the counts face that ar
: rested his speech. The boy had not studied
= the thousand painted countt nances in tha
gallery for nothing, he had learned from then
t something of the art of reading thoughts from
e the face; and he at once saw that de Castrt
!, meant more than he said.
e 81 will do just as you please, sir. replied
the boy, after few moments hesitation.
J. "Then / will make arrangements at once
e Tomorrow will speak with you again.
: shall have some point marked out by tina
time."
s When Luigi was left alone, he. was for
a while almost stupifed by what he had heard
a but gradually dim light broke in upon him
J. 1t was dim at first, but it soon became NOR
d apparent, and he felt assured that he had hi
!, upon the truth. The rest of that day he wa
r very unhappy. He looked around for Irene
o but he could not find her e:
Late in the evening, Luigi was upon tn
t broad piazza that opened upon the garden
s He leaned against one of the columns, and wa
buried in. a wild sea of thought, when he wa
d aroused by the fall of a light foot near hin
d. He tr1rnad and hu the dim STARLIGHT he 60,