River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-04-23

'My son, dost thou not know that the
Pope had neither sons nor daughter, save
only those to whom he is father because
ne is also head of the great family of the
church"
Dixon bounced upward from his chair,
and stood before the other, in blank
amazement. The amusement depicted
upon the genial countenance Of his host
did not escape his attention. "Mr. Pope"
said he -"excuse me, your reverence
your holiness, mean-tnis is big blum.
der, and undoubtedly due to the careless.
ness OF Mr.. Bella. But" continued he,
Frightening up, and extending his hand,
I'm just exactly as pleased to see you as
Mr.. Cozzi, whom | expected to meet here.
! shall always be proud of the honor con.
ferred upon me by this acquaintance,
even though it results from an accident
And this with slight huskiness of
voice, buS in tones whose genuine SINGER.
ity would have carried conviction to the
most stoical Of auditors-"upon my hon.
or, think you're the most perfect gen.
tleman ever met in the course Of my
life."
"EspeLd ind niiauto," responded the
pontiti, forgetting the French in his native
tongue. He then withdrew from the cab.
met, on one side Of the apartment two ar.
ticles which he brought to the center
table,, where he inscribed few words
with the pen. He then returned, and
laid two gifts in the hands Of the aston.
ished youth. One was a photograph of
himself in full pontifical robes, taken by
the well.known Cuccioni, on the Via Con.
dotti. Beneath this, he had written in
bold hand in the Italian language, Lieu
tenant Eugene Dixon, from his friend, Pho
Mono" The other was an exquisitely-
wrought cameo, representing the profile
of his face.
My son." said he, "God bless and re-
turn thee saielyto thy native land. When
thou lookest upon this face, remember
one who takes profound interest in the
career of thy great nation. suspect,
from thy words, that thy heart hath been
taken captive by daughter of our Italy.
Take an old mans advice, and give not
thy heart to her who is only lovely to
thine eyes. Beauty is oft n a fatal gift
Having uttered these words he conduct
ed his visitor to the door, receiving his
proiuse thanks with kindly smile, and
dismssing him with warm pressure of
the hand.
Dixon returned TO his hotel half dazed
by his adventure. Here he found two let
tiers awaiting him-one, the genuine letter
of introduction delivered through the
mail, which thus gave him clue to his
morning experience; the other contained
an immediate summons to return to his
ship, which was under orders to proceed
at once to sea. He gave one look to the
window Of the fair Aliza, but she was for
the first time absent. She had miscon-
strued his non-appearance Of the morning,
and was, in this manner, attempting to
repay him for it. So with a sigh the
youth packed his trunk, took TIE next
train for Oivita Vecchia, and was soon
blowing the blue waters of the Mediter-
ranean in the gallant Muskaloosa.
saw Dixon in the city Of Boston not
long since, where he is now engaged in
the practice of law. He informed me
confdentially, that the little finger Of the
girl with blue eyes and light hair, to
whom he had been married, was worth
more to him than all the black-eyed and
dark-haired beauties that ever breathed
the air Of Rome.