Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-03-10

Il
pal of college OF my order in Montreal.
Here, in the spring of 1856, I received
visit from the Cavaliere Matte Lugan-
Baglione, whose mother was Irish, and
her brother, rest his soul ! my college
companion and most intimate friend
The chevalier said he was on his way
west, on hunting expedition, and had
called upon me at his uncle's request.
After a good deal of talk he told me he
had in Italy a child-an illegitimate
daughter-bor to him of a lady of
high rank; and that circumstances
made it necessary to keep the child
out Of the way; and he wished her
brought up in the best manner
and endowed with every accomplish
ment, ETC., for which he would provide
most literally I mentioned to him the
fact that it was to be transferred next
year to the rectorship of the Sacred
Heart at Chateau Riches, and that the
Riches, and that the sisters there were
entirely competent to take care of the
moral and intellectual culture of any
child. [ heard no more upon the sub
ject at that time, but next year, when [
was established at Chateau Riches, the
child was brought to the convent by a
French woman, who claimed to be her
nurse, and had accompanied her from
Italy. She brought letters and remit
tances from Cavaliere Baglion to me,
and, not doubling the statement of facts
which he had made to me, l presented
the child to the Mother Superior; she
was received and has remained there
until the present time, except for three
months, during the recent vacation,
when, under certain restrictions and
accompanied by her nurse, who has
never left her, she visited the family of
a school companion, somewhere in New
York. lhe Chevalier was very partic-
ular that she should be well taught, and
very liberal in his allowances, sending
us for her and the maid 81, 900 per
annum.
"Your daughter is charming young
person, universally beloved, and the
sisters at the convent are greatly dis
tressed at parting with her.
Father Francinl went on to state that
the Cavaliere Baglione had died sui
denly in September while at his villa
near Campo Basso, and that his heirs,
in searching among his papers, had
found documents leading to the identity
of Bertha, and an account of how she
WIS carried off, together with the arti-
cles described, etc. These were only
accidentally opened-providentially the
father said-at the instance of Signora
BaglioIe, the cavaliers young wife.
They we're all contained in a box
marked, Sc In case of my sudden death
to be burned unopened" The chevalier's
wife, however, was of a jealous dispo-
sition, and insisted upon having the
mystery unraveled.
"What, then, do you think were his
intentions towards my child % asked
Lady Henley, in a tremulous voice.
Father Fracini said that as soon as he
received notice from Baglione's heirs,
he went to Rome in person, saw the
evidences, and by communicating with
persons here, found out all about the
Henleys. He was then shown the
chevalier's will, which, after stating
Bertha's whereabouts, declared her to
be his child, born of Miss Mary Eyer
ton Blatchford- Adderly in 1858, the
year before her marriage to Sir Mon
Grief Henley, and directing his heirs to
send the girl, after paying her a legacy
OF $4,000 ire, to Hove-Leavlngton Ma
nor, to her mamma, with his compli-
mentS.
''That was this scoundrels culminat-
ing blow, then?" said Sir Moncrieff,
while his wife trembled and grew pale.
"Yes," said Father Francini; ''but I
think the blow would have still failed,
even if the documents had been de-
stroyed, because, the moment his word
had been discredited with me, I should
have had my eyes opened to the con-
nection between his visit to me and the
little girls disappearance. AS it is,
though all Of us knew of your lost child
and the search, and noted the striking
resemblance between our pet and the
descriptions of the child, we were so
sure Of the actual parentage of Bertha
Lardo, which was the name she
went by, that [, nor none of us for mo-
ment suspected her real identity. If
you know a person to be A, you know
by the same evidence that she is not B.
That was an illustration of of the con-
summate art of this social bandit
"But, why did he keep the documents
at all?" asked Sir Moncrieff.
CT asked his brother that gu estion, -
said Father Francini. "He shrugged
his shoulders. who knows?' he an
swered; Maffei was good eater. That
was probably provision in case the
husband died. How then?' I asked.
Oh he said, 'the wife knowing her
own innocence, the husband dead, the
charge of adultery would hurt nobody.
But how could he hurt the wife, then?
why, by poisoning the child and then
sending the evidence to the mother to
show that the child was living, and all
that up to certain date. Why, he
kept every one of her school girl letters,
to "dear uncle" from the first one
written to the one received month
ago." No wonder you shudder, madam;
he was terrible man !"
"And you have brought me those
letters q
eyes"
"And does my child know of me?"
"She does.
"When will the ship arrive, Father
Francini?"
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