The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-03-08

leading down by flight of stairs in the garden
through the other arbor before mentioned
suddenly exclaimed, "Tbere's Benigna walk
ing in the garden with a man"
They all looked. and saw Benigna and I
young man, wearing brown tnnic and slip
pers, in n distant alley Of fg-trees, taking
earnestly as they stroled together. Crispina
smiled and said, " / must really tell you tha
my Benigna's betrothed lover came here unex.
pectedly at daybreak He has obtained
weeks holiday, and will spend it, he VOWS, il
| the inn. We have had to use some skill,
promise you, in finding room for him. He il
to sleep in big trunk with the lid of, slowed
away in the angle of a corridor behind a cur
tain. He is very good and well instructed
youth, knows Greek, and is severely worked
as one of the secretaries of Tiberius CAESAR
whose slave he is, as think Benigna has men
toned to my little Lady Agatha yonder."
- When is the marriage of dear BeniSna to
take place :" asked Agatha.
OF course the poor young man." replied
Crispina, "cannot marry until he gets his
freedom. Whenever Tberius CAESAR allows
him to shave his head, and put on the cap of
liberty, we shall have a merry wedding"
"What sort of master is Tiberius Cesar y
asked Paulus.
The landlady said she thankful she did
not personally know him; but she had never
heard any complaint of him made by Claudus,
her future son-fn-law.
Your future son-in-law, Claudiusw ex-
claimed Agatha in amazement. Then it was
your future son-in law who had something to
say to that Dame Pfancins, with the pale face
and black eyebrows ~
Not that know of, my little lady," re.
turned the hostess.
All! but he had though persisted Agatha.
" He came to the arbor door, and distinctly
stated, with low bow, that he had commands
for that lady; and then she said from whom
and he said, my name is Claudius; that is
what he said aud then she jumped mp in q
remarkable Huster and went into the house,
and he followed her. But then why she should
jump up in a ilnster, because q slave said his
name was Claudius, l can't imagine" con.
cluded Agatha, bordering.
The hostess looked surprised.
81 think it could not be because q slave.
name was Claudius," she said nor do under
stand it,
sis that your demon seeing dame, Agatha p
asked Paulus stretching himself; " for hay,
| a notion that whom parted the fellows blow
who wanted to cut me down in so cowardly {
fashion, you know"
"Yes"
"There was female scream DO you re
| MEMBER
EYES,"
Well have been thinking the woman wht
screamed was woman whom your description
| of that fierce dame in the arbor exactly fits
| If so, she was in the train of Tibcrius, and O
those ladies' of whom our good hostess has ius
| given us such an interesting genealogical an,
matrimonial account"
| Then perhaps the commands for PIancin
were from Tiberius Cesar" quoth Agatha.
Crispina shook her head, but appeared lit
tie serious. short silence followed. Paulus
broke it by asking the landiady to get lette
forwarded for him to the military tribune
velleus Peterculus, at Formim Al wish" h
said, Ito take advantage of the delay in tn
| emperors visit, and to see the country, to fis
in the river, to move about far and near pro
| Vided Paterculus, to whom have given pro
mise to report myself, has no objection"
The hostess brought him some second clas
paper, tho best she had, some outtle.fsh ink
| and q reed pen, told him to write his letter
| and undertook to transmit it at once by q run
ner belonging to the hostelry. She then lef
| the room.
CHAPTER xf
The letter was sent, and in the course of tn
| forenoon the letter carrier of the inn returne
from Formie. Crispina brought him to Paulue
who " as in an avenue of tho pArden watcb;n,