The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-04-04
Nrttru for the R,FhI>sNAN's ADVOCATE
UNDER A SPELL!
OR
CLOSE PlAYF0R A FORTUNE!
~ MILLION ,. C"EE, IE
HAPTER ~


Nnat u is ht tnt present IAN. ana Drlt1
explanation Is here necessary IN order thai
the reader may follow the thread Of, anG
understand our story The Capitolint
Hill was then as II Is how, one If thoS,
intellectual shrines t. which the world
must ever turn with interest Gray and
wasted by time. It still overlooked the
desnlate Forum. The magnificent temple
which once crowned its southern peak
where Cato wnrshiped or Scipio dreamed
Of triumph, whose majestic coionadr out
lvtd the republic and persisted with the
empire, had passed away s. perfectly that
even the memory of its site was lost. bu,
the Campus Martius, the Tarp,Ian Rock,
and other spots hallpwed by the memory
of how the Romans swore over LucretIa
bleeding corpse tu live forever free. how
Appias Clau)lus. the chief Of dema
gogues died ~ nolsotne prison. how the
sacred geese clamurrd IN the Temple Of
juno and changed the fate If nations,
how ScIpio assembled the sacred hill. and
tile GracchI perished, and hos the Arch Of
Titus behcld the forms Of suhdued thous-
auds march to slavery, those spots were
then as uuw the center III interest of
wondering multtudes
Nor far removed from the city. and in
whose erection was traceable much of the
antique. were villas and residences in
which resided the gay votarles and c0ur-
tiers of the fashionable circles uf Southern
Europe Men and women who either
from choice or necessity abdIcated their
citizenship to other lands, found i'll Italy
all that was calculated to render life a
pleasing dream, and all its benefits more
enjoyable than in any other country Law,
ever difficult of execution in Italy, allowed
the widest range Of excesses. and the ban
quets and dIssolute courts of the Golden
Era found prototypes in the Nineteenth
Century IN the prohgacy, licentiousnes:
and fearlessness Of public criticism Of
the royal circles OF Milan, Naples,
Palermo and Rome While one half OF
Rome starved, begged and lived in abject
poverty, the remainder sought to enlIven
life in the ancient relic Of departed glory
by perpetual round Of pleasure and
frvulity.
Among the reigning bells Of society at
the time Of our story was the Countess
Blanca Tuttl, the widow of a nObleman OF
means and high reputation, who after q
year NJ welded bliss of sorrOw-rumol
said the latter found herself cast upon
the gay Italian world with an ample for
tune, youth, beauty and intellect t.
which the wisest courtiers paid homage.
Scarcely twenty-three years Of age wheT
her period Of mourning was passed, SHE
took up her abode at one Of the mos
beautiful villas near Rome, reigning witt
rising ascendancy over the hearts Of tn,
many devotees of pleasure then in the
Eternal City.
The flush Of operate glory was then a
/ the zenith, and, despite her widely known
I unprlncIpled measures, her coquetry ans
\ faIseness of heart. she aided many poo
singer and composer to "A comfortable lIv
ing and to celebrity. A constant attend
7 ant upon the opera, she hid one night at
4 tracted the attention Of Clarence Thurston
and he, too, infatuated like many other
by her faultless beauty, became victim
to passion as deep as though founded
upon something more than the Fictitious
basis Of mere smile and a sparkle Of th'
eye Of the beautiful Countess.
II is not physical beauty hat IS, sym
metry Of feature and form, that enchants ;
man-but grace Of motion, intense emo
tlonal expression and fascinating eye
The whole secret of the Countess Tutti'
power lay in these qualifications, and he
apparent sincerity went far to gain vic
tory over the heart Of many an old veteran
III the lists. Rather small in stature, he
delicate features, flushed with youth anC
health, abetted those indices Of high birth
the curved lines Of high breeding and re
tinement about the mouth, and the blu,
veins iii the neck and throat. At times
pIquant expression of archness lent All
additional charm to her face, and the sun
ny smile, and rich, luscious lips made
heart bow down at the shrine of an inhu
ence which was as total and strong as i
was invisible.
1t was the day following the return 0
! Monsieur Bernard Burdois to Rome. an,
! his brief interview with Clarence Thurs
| ton. Cantering slowly along the road from
Rome which led to the charming villa 0
the Countess Tutt., Burdois RECALLED him
self with snatches from the last opera, anC
an occasional anathema upon some miser A
bic lazzaroni who infested every shrin,
and by-path, OF bestowing an approvin;
nod upon some pretty maiden. To judg'
| from the mans face, the chief char
dcteristic of his nature was a selfish enjoy
ment of excitement coupled with crue
disregard OF the feelings Of others, an,
every minor Thought and emotion was ben
! into subservience TO this predominant ele
ment Of his nature. Excitement an'
change, an endless variety of ehjoymen
or suffering, pleased him, and, finally
wearylng OF the mOnotony of lelsurel!
trot, he urged ON his steed and soon dashet
up othe gates Of the Tutti Villa
Whether it was the pre- eminent char
acteristic Of his nature to boldly assume
right OF way in every place, Or because h
was familiar with the place and had fire.,