The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-05-10

| VA - SouAes "uiCu 10 my natUIaI sphere, were
circlipg around me, was obliged to amuse my
self by listening to some low seafaring man
in state of partial intoxisation, who was
making people laugh by telling them that he
had gained as much money for dressing up
two boys in women's clothes, and rowing them
in skiff to his ship, off the coast al Caiet;c
as if he had performed his intended voyage 10
Spain and back. When they asked for an cx.
PLANTATION, he declared that, if they couli keep
n secret, 50 could he; but although Ii; vessel
was in the port at Naples, that it was god rol
him to be court where men had lie
spirit to spend as much money a freak OF Il
whim as low people would venture on Il tr,-
! ding voyage"
! Agatha and Aglas exchanged glauces. TIE
triumvir was afraid to look toward them. lie
remarked that the seafaring churl was doubt.
less swindler, pretending to be tpsy and to
have funds in order to lure some dler into
playing with him. and thus to win his money.
81 dare say" drawled the youth. 81 want
money, too, grandfather; and know you will
supply me sufficiently"
"Well, WE'LL" replied the triumvir "you
must be tired. Let me order you some supper.
and recommend you to so at once to bed. To-
morrow we will speak of business"
Asking his grandson to follow him. he left
the room, and shortly afterward returned
alone.
He was in low spirits. He cautioned the
ladies to say nothing about the contrivances
for conccalment which existed in the CASTLE
and OF which the youth had no real knowledge,
but merely a mysterious memory from childish
days, concluding the facts with notions of
necromancy and enchantment. He added that
it would be well for all purposes if Marcus
should at once depart, and that he would ac-
coTding'y somewhat strain his own plans in
regard TO the pecunialy demands of the youth
Notwithstanding the liberal supply of money
which this declaration intimated, young Mar
Gus suddenly changed his mind, and for some
days was not apparently in q hurry to tear
himself entirely away from that bewitching
abode. lie went, indeed, to Form;p, but soon
returned with airs of Importance, and, indeed,
of inquisitiveness, which awakened in the
hearts Of the sojourners there inexpressible
anxiety and an underlined alarm. He pa ssed
from marks of admiration for Agatha poig-
nantly displeasing to her, to studiously care
less questions, which sounded like the con-
tinuations of some conference which he must
have held with mighty personages in a dan
gerous sphere. And it was then that he began
regularly to go in the afternoons to Formia,
(where he slept, and to return for an hour or
two nearly every forenoon to the castle of en-
chantments.
One day, toward noon, the triumvir was lust
coming home after little fishing excursion,
and, stepping from his boat upon ietty which |
he had built to run out of the very courtyard
of the mansion to an iron gate in the lofty
sea-wall, he was about to cross the ward, |
separated from the garden by paliDg, and so
to enter the house at the usual door on the |
sea side, when, over the pales he saw the
ladies sitting in an ivy-thatched arbor at the |
end of one of the garden-walks Passing
through a little wicket shutter in the paling, |
he sauntered toward them AS he approached |
he perceived that Agatha was in tcsrs an
sobbins, While her mothcr: "a hos Irr.- . 2 foe
ed upon her own IL 'm tb- Nnuls ~. !. lead,
was e!.;i,'"' "jrn. ,r s,.nrI.r !..r
Nri'i'rr 'i''. 6 .rt '.dl the ",fue girl
Pc .r't = ttt",a>ir. tInw CT. % i.u,ts of
.i..tt g., !.'i.'!"a' ne and III %. Instances
Il "'"' h''':. 49,. "''~' Il Dixie J.. would lave
acted, to" n"r. hnt ne ,,m"e,,.t, aud, turn
ing i'ti7HIcss'y, reuaced his eicps Having
entered the house, changed his fishing cos
tune, and refreshed himself, he rested awhile
in deep reflection. In less than an hour, he
sent servant to order Melena, the Greek slave
of Aglais, to announce to her mistress and to
Agatha that he had returned, and would be
glad to have their company at his repast in
their favorite sitting-room on the third story.
They came, and the three sat down together
TO delicious little banquet, at which the tri-
usnvir compelled both Aglais aud Agatha to
drink ono cyathus more than they usually
would drink of a wine the fame of which alone
has reached US across all those centuries. The
servants soon retired.
"WLy are you so sad ~ demanded til, t,i
unvir cheerily.
81 wsh," said Agatha, chat we coa,l hear.
do not say from, but even of, my brother
Panlus."
You "llisee him here before long, hardly
able to bear up under tho Pelion-upou-Os sa
of his DONORS" said the old man.
"Ah' groaned the young girl, while the
Lady Aglais perceptibly suppressed sigh.
There was pause.
IIac