Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1861-05-08


what she did not have. One day she
took it into her head to add the little
Isela tothe number of her acquisitions.
With the easy grace of aristocracy, she
reached out her jewolcd hand and took
Elsie's one flower to add to her conser-
vatory,-and Elsie was only too proud
to have it so.
Her daughter was kept constantly
about the person of the Duchess, and in
structed in all the wisdom which would
have been allowed her, had she bee the
Duchess own daughter, which, to speak
the nth, was in those days nothing very
profound, -consisting of little singing
and Instrumentation, little embroidery
and dancing, with the power of writing
her own name and of reading Il love-let-
ter.
All the world knows that the very
idea ola pet is something TO be spoiled for
the amusement of the petowner; and
Isela was spoiled in the most particular
and circumstantial manner. She had
suits ofapparel for every day in the year.
and Jewels without enc, -for the Duchess
was never weary of trying the effect OF
he. beauty in this and that costume; so
Il at she sported through the great grend
halls and down the long aisle of the gar
den much like brightwinged hum
ming bird. or damsel-fls all green and
gold. She was a genuine child OF Italy,
full of feeling, spirit, and genius
alive in every nerve to the finger tips;
and under the tropical sunshine Of her
mistress favor she grew as an Italian
bush does, throwing It's branches
freakishly over everything in wild
labyrinth of perfume, brightness, and
til rms.
For a while her life was triumph, and
her mother triumphed with her at an
humble distance. The Duchess had 10
daughter, and was devoted to lcr with
the bind fatuity with which ladies Of
rank at times will invest themselves in a
caprice She arrogated to herself all the
praises Of her beauty and wit, allowed
| LEI 10 tlirt and make conquests to her
h, ats content, and engaged to marry
her to some handsome young officer Of
her train, when she had done being
amused with her.
Now We must not wonder that a
youne head cf fifteen sh, uld have becu
turned bv this aiddy elevation, nor that
an old head of fifty should have thought
| all things were possible in the fortune Of
such tavorite. Nor must we wonder
that the young coquette, rich in the laH-
rels of hundred )nquests, should have
turned her bright eyes on the son and
heir. when he came home from the I'm
iversty Of Bologna. Nor is it to lie
wondered at that this same son and ne;r,
being man as well as dukes son,
should have done rs other men did -
fal'en desperately in love with this daz-
zling, sparkling, piquant mixture Of mat
ter and spirit, which 30 university can
prepare young man to comprehend
which always seemed to run from him,
and yet always threw Parthiau shot
behind her as she fled. Nor is it to be
wondered at, if this Same dukes sou, af
ter a week or two, did not know wheth-
| err the sun rose in the east or tho south,
or where he stood or whittier he was
going.
In fact. the youthful pair very soon
came tito that dream-land where are no
more any points of the compass, no more
division of time, no more latitude and
longitude, no more up and down, but
only general wandering among en-
chanted groves and singing nightlngales.
1t was entirely owing to old Elsle's
watchful shrewdness and address that the
lovers came into this paradise by the gate
Of marriage; for the young man was
ready to offer anything at the feet of his
divinity, as the old mother was not slow
10 preceive.
So they stood at the altar. for the time
being pair of as true lovers as Romeo
and juliet: but then, what has true love
to do with The son of a hundred genera
tions and heir to Roman principality!
Of course. the rose of love, having gone
through all its stages of bud and blossom
into full flower, must next begin 70 drop
its leaves. Of course. Who ever heard
of an immortal rose?
The time of discovery came. Isella
was found to be mother: and then the
storm burst upon her and drabbled her
in tho dust as fearlessly as the summer
wind sweeps down and besmirches the
lily it has all summer been wooing and
fiattering.
The Duchess was a very pious and
moral lady, and of course threw her "a
vorite out into the street as a vile weed.
and virtuously ground her down under
her iewelled high-heeled shoes.
She could have forgiven her any COM
mon fraity of course it was natural
that the girl should have been sedueed
by the all-conquering charms of her son ;
but aspire to marriage with their
house ell pretend to be her sons wife
Since the time of Judas had such treach-
cry ever been heard of?
| Something was said of the proprety
of walling up the culprit aliye.--a mode
Of disposing of small family matters some
la mode in those times. But the
Duchess acknowledged herself foolishly
tender, and unal le quite to allow this
very obvious propriety in the case
She contented herself with turning
/ 4 49, L. -. <.1k-