The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-11-03
had been dead for some /

years, ana the Drllllant WIDOW mAuC suCk
attractive use of the millions he had lef
her that she soon ceased to number hel
courtiers on her fingers. One night she
discovered a man in the assembly at hel
palace whom it was her destiny to love.
| He, too, was remarkably handsome, and
| for a time the fairest couple whom the
society of Florence in those stately days
| had looked upon were thought to be des-
tined to life of mutual happiness. But
one more pIissant than the French coun-
tess, or more dexterous, at least, sudden
ly descended from the north and captl-
waited Adonis. This was a Russian wo-
man of high rank, whose residence and
acres were scattered through every coun-
try in Europe. She departed with her
bridegroom at the close of triumphant
season of revels, after inviting her Cali
can rival TO become her guest for fort
night in the course of the approaching
summer. The Frenchwoman surprised
the victor by accepting the invitation, and
in the brief July of 1892, at q superb
summer residence on the southern shore
of the Gulf of Finland, hard by the
DRY of the antagonism at Florence was
The beautiful countess did not leave
her friends without obtaining from them
a promise to visit her at her own favori:e
retreat the very next year. In the fol-
lowing July she welcomed them to an
immense ancient country-seat on slope
of the Western range of the Carpathian
mountains. From the day of their ar
rival, they were treated, day and night,
to a succession of pleasures far surpass-
ing any that she had received at their
hands. Her retainers were numerous,
trained to perfection, and obeyed their
mistress with the celebrity, silence and
humility of slaves. Her horses were of
the noblest breeds, and the bridle-paths
led through wild and charming scenery.
Her suppers, laid with the glittering dis
play of that age, offered the dishes and
the wines of three countries. Harpers
and singers joined at distance in giving
the zest of Martins, Pedestrians and
Gasparini's music to these feasts, which
were followed almost nightly by theatre
cal representations, or performances of
magicians, or dances by young men and
girls, which sometimes took on dishev-
elled and bewildering gayety.
The last week of the visit was rem
dered still more bRilliant and delightful
by the presence of a large number of
guests from various quar-
tiers of Europe-friends of the countess,
who seldom let summer pass without
accepting her Bohemian hospitality. And
the last night before their departure was
set for an entertainment which promised |
to surpass everything that had preceded |
it in the respects of novelty and beauty. |
The countess had arranged series of |
and Biblical tGbLeaur ~ |
wants, and number of the guests of both
sexes, including her former lover, the |
husband of the Russian, had been pre-
vailed on to take parts in them.
AT the close Of magnificent feast and |
wassail, the company separated. Those
who were to appear in the representation
were conducted to their firing rosms, |
while the rest stayed to take seats or lie |
at case as an audience upon the vast
lounges, stuffed leathern ottomans and |
heaps of skins, by which the servants
quickly replaced the chairs and tables at
one end of the great dining-hall. The
Russian bride occupied an elevated seat |
of honor in front of the throng, and when |
all was ready the hostess entered and sat |
beside her. The entertainment met with |
acceptance, and no wonder. |
The comeliest men and women whom the |
countess could entice from the circle of !,
her friends and select from her large re.
tinue, displayed in pastures initiated from
the most celebrated groups of Greek and |
Italian statuary and the best known sa-
cred paintings, likenesses breathing with |
vulgar life, yet not unworthy, in the |
eyes of the company, to be |
with their classic models.
At last the heavy curtains were drawn
close after splendid allegorical tableau,
which had comprised more than one hun
1red human figures, and the company
to dispense.
'EStay!" cried the countess, rising with
4 graceful and commanding gesture, ''the
asst scene ought always to be the best,
md the best is yet to come. l pray you,
resume your seats"
All obeyed, and an interval of few
minutes occurred, during which converse
ion gradually ceased, and the great hall
became profoundly silent. Then the
curtains were slowly withdrawn, reveal
ng against background of storm-clouds
md darkness and appallingly realistic
of the crucifixion of Christ.
At the foot of rugged cross, whose up
light beam reached nearly to the ceiling,
we're clustered in every variety of attitude
.wo or three scores of mocking Jews, all
lifting fingers of scorn and hatred, some
gazing in each others faces with looks of |
ylee, some gloating on the spectacle above
heir heads. The figure against the cross,
On which, and on several upturned faces,
a bright light was cast from torches be- |
hind a screen, WAS seen to be actually |
spiked through the hands and feet, from |
which the blood had not ceased trickling. |
The body dropped, the knees were slight
ly bent, the head fell forward with its
crown of thorns. The whole figure,
which was that of man in the flower of
physical beauty, was CHASTITY with the
pallor of a cruel DEATH
A shudder and then murmer of hor
ror infected the spectators of this scene.
From the dais, on which she had been
gaily chatting with her hostess, the lovely
Russian was seen to bend forward with
terrible cry, and then to rush screaming
down the room to the foot of the cross,
the countess mental mimics,
who were gathered there. Reaching up,
she clasped the knees of the man crucifed,
and called, to ears forever deaf, her muir
dered husbands name
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