Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-08-12
MISCELLANY.
4 story Of Love ana Revenge.


Pa1akian journal relates the follow
idg story of unlawful love and revenge.
The chief actor is one of those Be-
douin Englishmen who live alternately
IN all the European capitals, except
when they are ON an occasional jaunt tC
Egypt, or to China, or to India, or Il
the Holy Land. He never Travelled
alone his wife was with him, his bonn
teIe wife, for Notwithstanding his errant
Iife-so apt to weaken ones mOrals-he
had all the English respect for the sex,
and a true Englishman's love for his
wife.
She was a beautiful woman, one OF
those keepsake" beauties that once
seen makes a man dream forever. HeI
social success was very great In all the
the cities they visited.
In Rome, after some years marriage,
they became acquainted with German
artist, of a good deal of reputation,
who, to his art, joined the learning of a
Benedictine, and knew the city of Rome
as well as Winkleman or Viscenti. The
German volunteered to be their cicerons
in the Eternal City they lady ac-
eepted his offer. Many were the hours
tItN PASS u Will ullu Ill the uluStuIl Oh
the capital, the Vatican, in st. Peters.
and in the delightful excursions they
made in the envirOns of Rome. The
artist became in love with the English
lady, and she reciprOcated his affections.
The husband was a long while in see
ing the stain upon his honor; several
years had passed away before he per-
ceived it, for he was very much pleased
with the artist, and they had long been
upon the most intimate footing. Al
though stung to the quick by such
faithlessness and such gross violation of
the laws of hospitality and friendship,
he said nothing; he disiked scenes; he
was, nevertheless, determined upon a
complete revenge, and he appealed to
cooler reflections to furnish a suitable
punishment.
The passions are bad counsellors. He
left Italy and retired with his wife to
England, saying nothing but az reUOir
to the artist When he reached England
he told his wife of the painful discov.
cry he had made, and gave her back into
her fathers hands. He then returned
to the Continent alone, and visited G. r
many, Russia and France, where he
purchased a great many paintings; he
then went to Italy, meanwhile continu-
ing to purchase paintings, and at last
two years have now passed away since
their last meeting-he called on the
German painter, who yet lived in Rome,
and demanded satisfaction from him.
His challenge was accepted and the
Englishman, according to the European
custOm-much better than ours-being
the offended party, selected the weap-
ons. He chose pistols.
During the past two years he had
practiced daily for several hours, and
his known address with the pistol had
become an uneTring certainty of shot.
He sent the shot wherever he wished Ii
to go. The parties went on the ground;
they were placed at thirty PAGES apart,
with the privilege of advancing ten
steps before firing. The signal was
then given Onei Two Three! FIRE.
The word was scarcely out of the Sec
ond's mouth when the Englishman fired,
without moving; his antagonists pistol
fell from his hand, and was discharged
by the fall, the ball burying itself in the
ground. The Englishman's ball had
shattered the artists hand and amputa-
ton was necessary; his career was
ended-and forever.
A few days after the amputation the
Englishman called upon him, and with
out noticing the angry reception he met,
said to the suffering artist:
eff you think my vengeance is salts
fed with your shattered hand and the
wreck of your artist s career, you strange
iy underrate the agony of a deceived,
dishonored husband. Though l have
condemned you to life of vain regrets,
10 a neEer-ending series of impotcnt
signs, total oblivion by all amateurs and
historians of art"
"Oh, no, sir" interrupted the artist,
his face beaming with a ray of hope,
:'the last you can not do. My Madden
a.. at st. Petersburg; my Luther at Ber-
lin; my fight into Egypt, at Paris;
my"
The Englishman interrupted him in
turni
your works, but look over this catalogue,
and see if 1 have not the exact list of
them all.
''Yes, they are all there-even the
painting ] finished the day before the
duel"
$50 was persuaded. All the paint
ings on this catalogue are my property;
being my property, l do with them what
/ please. 1 please to burn them, aye,
burn every one of them, that your
name may be effaced from the glorious
roll of artists. In two hours from this
time, your toll, your conceptions, your
skill, will be as completely efiaced from
lhis world, as the lines which the urchin
traced in the sand are effaeed by the
rising tide; fire is as destructive as wa
ter"
In vain the poor artist begged for
mercy; the. wronged husband was insen-
sible to his supplieations, and in two
hours the servant brought to the artists
room q large eartnen vessel, commonly
used to contain oil, filed with ashes
it was all that remained of his paint
ings.
-''My DEAR" said Mrs. Bundle to
her daughter, ''you must have some