Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-11-22
THE CAPUCHIN.

Many years ago, there resided
in a city of Sicily nobleman
named Don Felix, who was en-
tirely master of himself and a
large fortune. Immediately op-
posite'to his mansion lived a pro-
tfessor of the healing art, called
Don eAmbrosio, who, in order to
Eprevent his curious neighbor from
prying into his secrets, kept his
window vases filled with flowers
and sweet. herbs, such as parsley,
thyme, marjorain, etc. The doc
tor was a man verging on to sixty
five, and exceedingly avaricious.
1t happened one morning that
Don Felix rising earlier than usu-
al, caught a glimpse of one of the
loveliest faces he ever beheld peep
ing behind the flowers. He at
once felt himself deeply in love,
and could not rest until be discov-
cred who the beautiful creature
was, for he knew that Don Ambro-
sio had neither wife nor daughter.
He made every inquiry among his
domestics and neighbors, but no
one could satisfy his curiosity, as
the Doctor never admitted any one
into his house except an old wo-
man who served him as housekeep-
er, and whowas sosurly and ill-tem-
pered that no information could be
gotfrom her, as he supposed. How
ever, one day, watching an oppor-
tunity when she left the house, he
introduced himself to her acquaint-
Iance by softly slipping few coins
into her hand, when, instead OF a
grabbed, disagreeable old creature,
as she had been depicted, he found
her one Of the most complais-
ant of her sex. s-a.- ..,,y ~. =
He learned from her that the
young lady was a ward, lately.
left to her masters charge by a
deceased relative; that she was en-
titled to a considerable sum of.
money when she became of age,
which she believed had more
charms for the Doctor than her
person, lovely though she was, as
he proposed to marry her himself,
and was continually urging his
suit. which was most distasteful
to her, He kept her close pris7
oner, not even allowing her to cross
the threshold to go to mass on hol-,
|idays. AGB ~ aLkkg#s sT
To Don Felix's pressing request
for an interview, the old lady re-
piled that the Doctor never stirred
out, and had even given up his
patients; that the only opportuni-
ty he would have of seeing the
young lady nearer would be ON
Christmas-eve, which was then at
handg when Don Ambrosio had,
for q great indulgence, promised to
take her to church, that she
might, witness the ceremony Gus
tomary on that OCCASION, but not
to discover the secret Of having a
ward, or to give cause for suspi-
cion, the jealous Doctor intended
to disguise her as a Capuchin. .
Don Felix then dismissed his
informant with another present
and an impassioned message TO her
beautiful mistress, who sometimes
found an opportunity of eluding
the vigilance of her guardian. and
of showing herself at the windows,
giving Don Felix to understand by
signs that she was not insensible
to his passion. Her beauty, which
had at first kindled a spark IN his
breast, now famed this into a de-
vouring flame. The expected eve
ming at length arrived. Don Fe-
lix watched carefully the Doctors
doors until he saw him leave the
house in company with a monk.
He lost not moment in following,
and entered the church close be-
hind them; then 4 pretending to
meet them accidentally. he ex-
claimed, "Ah, Don Ambrosio, are
you here? And whois this young |
friar who accompanies youga ID
ssOnly a Capuchin novice, a rel
lation whom the Prior has permit
ted to pass the evening with me-"
replied the disciple of Esculapius,
sitting his vexation at the unwel-
come encounter; and, as he spoke,
he dreg the hood closer over the
6ooa of b;s oomnanio,,s wished his |