Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1875-09-03
DEcEITFUL APPEARANCES.

enjoying . lew weeks at one of the large
hotels that are SO numerously dotted along
the Mediterranean coast 1t might have
been at Hyeres. Cannes, or Nice, at Mona
co or Mentooe, Bord,ghera or San Reno,
Savona or Pegll; or it might have been at
no one Of all these. We had been stayinp
1t Is sufficient to say-at the Hotel du
Bon Vivant about week, when there ap-
pcared at the table d'hote a very striking
parsonage. AS soon as dinner was over.
my wife found herself-by accident-ncar
the visitors book, and discovered that the
new arrival had entered himself as the
Barr q Monte ggla . Tavernelle. We were
chiefly English at The hotel, there was Lo
Italian there. and our acquaintance with
the national Burke was 50 limited; weeasily
accepted the theory that this lengthy ap-
pellation was one of the most ancient titles
in the land. We were subsequently IN.
formed by the Baron that it was Sicilian,
which made our ignorance more excusable
don't think it was his title. or at least
It was only that, which m.dc us all so
charmed with him. 1t must have been
his mobile bearing, his perfect manner,
his evident desire to please, his modes,
evasion of all topics bearing on his own
career, and his handsome face. He ap.
peared to be about 33 years of age, his
black hair was as glossy as ravens plc.
mage, and his black, flashing eyes betraJ
ed passionate SOUL while his thick mus
tache framed. rather than concealed, o
smile that irradiated his intellectual coun-
tenance with sweetness and light" Such,
at least, waI the description given of him
il one of my wife's letters to my mother
in-law; and ! am glad l happened to look
into that letter, as it has saved me some
little trouble in attempting to describe him
in words of my own.
The Baron mixed very little with his
own countrymen, and as ventured tc
suggest TO my wife, seemed rather shy OF
them. He never went to the public amuse-
ments, and declined to subscribe to the
Circolo. She explained to me in reply,
that he was the only nobleman in the
place, and was, perhaps, little naughty
toward hrs compatriots of lower rank.
tie bad also informed her himself that he
had selected our hotel for ths express pur.
pose of mixing with the English, as he
was expecting shortly to receive govern
ment appointment, and, for the better dis
charge of his prospective duties. little
of English was desirable.
should have mentioned before that only
;pcak my own language; bat my wife can
converse in Italian with ease and fluency,
and the Baron very naturally talked with
her great deal, and occasionally conde-
scended to speak to me by her interpreta-
tiOn.
Shortly after the arrival of the Baion
Montegg'ana-T -TaverDelle, we were further
enliveDed by another. This time it was
q Russian lady, attended by her maid.
There were no other Russians 1t the Hotel
du Bon Vivant, and she appeared to have
come there rather from necessity than
from choice, Is there were no rooms va
cant In the inn usually frequented BY those
of her nation She declined to enter her
name in the visitors book, and for the
first two or three days dined in her owr
room, holding herself sloof from the res,
of Us. This, added to the effect produced
BY Z stateiiness, not to say grandeur. Of
department and rich s0briety of dress,
prepared 10 oil for the discovery which in|
. few days o0zed out. that she was . Rus
sian princess, widow, who wished to re.
main incognlto, and to live quietly in theI
enjoyment Of IN unconventional freedom
from the obligations of nobility an en-
ioymynt beyond her command at home.
We never fully understood how this
oozed out. Her female attendant could
understand nothing, and therefore could
djyuIge nothing. Tho maitre d'hotel as-I
sured bis guests that he knew no more
than the rest Of the world; and, By hisl
mys.erious shrugg gings, hts self-contradic-
lions. and, above all, By hts manner. im-
nressod us sll with the hrm belief that
there was . secret in his possession. This
Of course, confirmed the truth OF the 70
mort. ssd It became n established factI
that the lady was Russian princess
After . few days of secloaon. sheI
to make her appeasancs ae theI
tahla.d 'hote. end retired with the sess OIL
~ laslies TO tho se,le des Danes afses.
~srd Then Il was that tbs Baron sx'
,,,Lated his i3born % we'll - inherited no
biliev. He eatssdsd 70 her little wsnts.
pjacel her - armchair p tne It.e.n.l
rood .6rs, and. on rscsivisg her inanssI
n lis nnoehsr- -tonsss-.hts parent ptIoeI
- doubt had prevented him feom oe.s.n II
- oiher-hs entered into . respeotseI