Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1869-08-26
/ laughed and said:
"No! l am very glad"
avon pladi What for2n

because through your love of him
l gained a sister," She smiled such
pleasant, happy smile, and said:
"And have found sister, Alice.
Alice. How strange it sounds-a sis
| ter, Alice! Do you know was afraid
TO come here because
"What mischief are you two brew
ing already?" and Frank stood in
the doorway.
"Nina is telling me that she was
afraid of me-"
eyes, rather; but you are not now,
darling, are you?'
ooh no! not now?p
"There, that was emphatic enough
to suit anybody, and are you not 60
ing to make slight toilet? See,
Marie stands here with an infants
dress in her hand, waiting for you,"
and Frank laughed.
"Now, really, Frank, you ought to
DC ashamed. lie is always laughing
at me, sister Alice, for being such a
little person."
81 beg your pardon, Nina; l will
| try to think Of you as lady of colos-
sal figure, If you will hurry with
your toilet, for | am rather hungry,
and tea is ready any time we are
ready for it,"
Nina followed Marie to the draw
ing-room. Frank caught me in his
arms once more, telling me how hap
Ply he was in being home, and how
blessed he was in the possession OF
his little wife.
"You will love her, Alice, for my
sake, will you not?"
GLOW could | help loving her for
her oWn?n
"True, how could you? She is all
that is amiablo and lovely. Dear
little Nina! I hope She will like her
new home. BE tender to her, Alice,
for the rough winds have scarcely
ever blown upon herr
] needed no such charge, for how
could be otherwise than gentle to
the pretty, chiid-like creature.
After tea we sat in the drawing
room. Ny brother drew me to Il
at beside him, and his wife reclined
on an opposite sofa.
How lovely she looked, clad in q
white Swiss robe-hcr hair falling
in ripping masses to her waist, and
half cOncealing her white shoulders.
Her dark eyes, with their long,
curling Iashes, rested lovingly upon
Frank and curiously upon mo.
My brother looked at her with
pride, and turning to me, said:
"Alice, I know You are wondering
all the while where / found that lit
tie lady yonder, and by her leave, |
will tell you, shall / not, Nina?"
and his looks sought the figure OPP
pOSite. 4 bright smile and deep
blush was all the answer. "WciI,
Alice, we met by chance at Florence.
Nina was visiting at the house of the
American Consul, and one evening
there was a grand ball and a diplO-
matte entertainment given there. !
was fortunate enough to get an invi-
tatiOn. Was | fortunate, Nina?"
Again that smile and blush, but still
silent. SO Frank continued: 81 saw
but one during the whole evening
n little lady in white and 'Glimmer
Of Pearls who was very imperious
in her treatment Of a certain titled,
bearded gentleman, who looked dag
gers at any one who dared raise his
eyes TO that Queen rose of the rose
bud garden Of girls ! suppose ]
must have been gazing in sort Of
idiotic admiration upon the little
lady, for a friend took pity on me
and gave me an introduction. Well,
we talked about the ball and the pcO-
pie. She learned that ] was an
American, SO the little lady was very
gracious, much to the bearded gem
tleman's indignation. ! discovered
that Senorita Nina Castelli was an
orphan, the Spanish ward Of the
Duke de Salla, who was father to the
bearded gentleman. 1t needed no
words to convince me that Tho son
was deeply in love with the fair Nj
ma, and that the arrangement was
anything but agreeable to the fair
lady herself. So / resolved to put
forth all my powers Of conversation
10 relieve her Of as much of his soci-
ETY. as possible.
81 succeeded so well that, before
the entertainment closed, Nina invi-
ted me to cal! upon her ut her guard
ian's, where she would return the
following day.
"The Villa de Salla was about four
miles out Of Florence, and you may
rest assured, Alice, i was not tame
in accepting the invitation. On my
first visit / was received most cor
daily, and the result was that Nina
and / became very good friends. All
this time l had been growing more
and more distasteful to the Dukes