The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-05-20
THE JEALOUS WIFE.

Nearly three centuries ago an extern
eive portion of that part of the country
which lies on the Wallachian banks OF
the Danube belonged to Demetri c., a
powerful Boyard, descending from one
of the Greek Princes who had been
driven from Constantinople at the fall Of
the Lower Empire. He was wealthy,
generous, and magnificent, the father of
a promising son-who, at the period
this history relates, was Is years DID,
and the husband of the most beautiful
woman in the country. Thyra C-was
looked upon as the happiest and most
envied of her sex and she might have
just1tied the general belief, for nature
had endowed her with mental powers no
less remarkable than her personal per-
fections, had it not unfortunately hap
pened that, amid the countless roses
with which her path in life had been
strewn, one sharp thorn had lurked and
pierced her to the heart, rendering her,
In the intolerable anguish it occasioned,
regardless of the many other blessings
which had been showered upon her.
In word, she was of q suspicious and
jealous disposition; passionately attach
ed to her husband, and, to all appear
ance, devoted to her children, she, never
theless, lived in constant distrust of him,
which his character and manner were
too well calculated to justify, for his
general admiration of beauty was mat
ter of notoriety. And although, from
knowledge of his wife's disposition, he
had taken such precautions in his inf
delities towards her that she had never
yet been able to detect him in love in
trigue, she, nevertheless, felt SO persua-
ded that he was constantly involved in
such purs uits that she became q prey to
vague jealousy, which imbittered every
hour of her existence.
At last her suspicious appeared to
find an object on which to settle.
Among her female attendants was a
young and pretty Pennsylvania, named
Media, whose superior education had
rendered her favorite with her lady.
All at once the damsel became neglect
iul of her duties, absent in mind, and
inattentive to the wishes of her mistress:
when reprimanded by her she betrayed
violence and hauteur. Thyra threatened
to dismiss her from her service. The
Prince opposed such measure; and in
proportion as the displeasure of his wife
was evinced towards the delinquent, the
voice and manner of her husband soft
ened in her favor
This was more than sufficient to fire
the suspicious of the Princess. Eager
to ascertain the reality of that which she
dreaded, and resolved to rush upon
knowledge that would break her heart,
she forgot her dignity so much as to
play the eaves-dropper and spy over her
attendant, for some time without any
result. One day, however, when the
young girl had been sent for by her,
and had neglected to attend the sum-
mons, Thyra treacherously crept up a
back way to her menil's chamber, or
room door, aud noiselessly stationing
herself outside of it listened to what
was passing within. A murmur of
voices In the room convinced her that
Media was not alone, and almost imme-
diateiy that of the suspected damsel
broke upon her ear in accents the pur-
port of which could not be mistaken.
Leave me-" she said, 'for heavens
sake, leave mel If my mistress were to
know you were here, would be lost
forever. Already she suspects and
watches me, and live in daily terror of
her discovering a love which would
draw upon me eternal enmity. Go,
Prince-go, Demetrii This evening SO
soon as tbs dark, I will contrive to steal
out to the fountain in the sycamore
grove-meet me there at S-your pretext
for absenting yourself from home will
prevent tee Princess from suspecting
Here the voice became fainter, as the
person speaking moved toward ON oppo-
site door the footsteps of man were
plainly to be distinguished moving in the