The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-08-16
Gts 9aiIg Arsns.
Saturday, August ls, 1873.
The Countess,


Speaking Of the heavy tide of travel to |
Europe this summer, n romanciug news-
paper correspondent con6des TO his journal
story that, while possibly fanciful in it.
self, conveys the moral Of many well
known reality, During the engagement
for marriage of a lady Of New York City
with gentleman Of suitable means and
position, one of the several equivocal for
eign noblemen who circulate in metropoli-
tan society at oil times of year, threw him
self Systematically IN the way Of the be
trothed woman, and, by specious wiles,
shook her allegiance to the man whose wife
she had promised IN be. He called HIM
self a German count, spoke OF castles on
the Rhine, and so infatuated the object OF
his bold addresses that she finally confess
ed the feeling TO her family, and desired
her father 10 secure her release from a
matrimonial engagement into when her
heart could no longer enter. Shocked at
the request, and confident that the intrud-
ing foreigner had anything but a clear
character, the father tempOrized until he
could institute certain inquiries, and then
placed before the girl such proofs OF the
Germans disreputable habits that she
seemed TO realize her folly and be willing
TO abide by the original marriage promise
Hence the preparations for the wedding
were resumed, passengerships were secured
on the steamer Australia for the bridal
pair whose tour was to be European, and
only the return of the bridegroom from an
exipent Southern business trip was await
ed before the solemuization Of the union,
By some perverse fate the return in ques-
ton was delayed beyond the appointed day,
and thence, perhaps, ensued the opportun-
ity for what followed As the steamer
Australia was drawing away from her
wharf" says a correspondent OF the W ash
ington Capital, when the gangway- plank
had its last instant Of practicability, there
came hurrying on board, with a train OF
hastily handled trunks, "A gentleman and
lady who seemed anxious TO avoid obser-
walton on shore as quickly as possible. AT
ter the ship, however, lost sight OF land,
the captain was taken into the confidence
of the gentleman and told of an elopement.
The groom was a man of about forty years,
a foreigner and a count, with coal-black
moustache on his face and castle on the
Rhine He had the hard, handsome face
common TO Mississippi gamblers, and dress
ed himself in the same gorgeous style.
The bride, without being handsome had
large, winning blue eyes, that in their help
less, conhding sort Of expression won the
sympathy Of all on board. The Count
treated his bride with elaborate courtesy
always getting ost of the way when the
poor thing suffered from sea sickness ant
after expressing his concern for madam ii
the choicest phrase. He expressed him
self ennued terribly with the monotony o
the sea, and tried hard tn inveigle certain
gentlemen into games of chance, only Il
pass the tune, however He was strongly
averse TO gambling. At the end of tn,
voyage the pair disappeared, aud the TIVE
fugitives were heard OF no more unit
months after, when the Australia was oI
her way back to New York, when the kind
hearted Captain learned that a woman
travelling alone was very i'll III the steer
age. Seeking her with the ships phySi
clan, he was astonished to find IL the sici
Storage passenger the Count bride Of
few months before He vacated his state
room 70 the poor woman IN her fadet
hnery, and little by little he learned he
story. Said story has already been told
While awaiting the arrival Of the bethroth
ed lover from the South, and believing
that her fidelity to him was fully restored
the unhappy young woman fell again un
der the pernlcious magnetism of the Ger
man adyeuturer and listened to his temp
tation. Her wardrobe all packed for Eu
rope. and the bridegroom not yet arrived
she consented to clandestine marriag,
with the Count and fed with him acros
the ocean as above described In Europ,
the husband confessed his true characte
and design. His title was legitimate ; ~
he was penniless and gamest+- a,d La'
married an American f." r;.he. ~"
learning, therefore, i-,m the terrified W,
man that her ar .oln lle 'eI tlheu W.
I" .' ' iid ''e' Try family would not civ
80 nv. +" 'tO" he first abused and then de
ner and only by selling her jewe
> and wedding outfit had she been able I
travel back to England and take passag
for home. The captain of the steame
and few Of the Older passengers 10 whul
he entrusted the story, spared no pains
s0othe the heartbroken Countess and in
spire her with hope Of a loving weluonl
from her family but when the Australi
was nearing Sandy Hook, a barely fru,
trated effort to cast herself overheard wa
significant Of the hapless creature Ettl
capacity for comfort 1t is presumed tn,
she did reach her old home at last, and
now in cherishing refuge there from Il
curiosity and mOckery Of the world b
such an experience as hers has bee
leaves 80 little in life worth living 4
that real peace can scarcely be hers unit
she finds it in the Oblivious mercy of Il
grave.