St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-05-03
The Cardinals Niece.
HOW FATE WALKED IN SILKEN STOCK
INGS.

The Cardinals Niece.
HOW FATE WALKED IN SILKEN STOCK
D INGS.
The cardinal had enormous revenues,
and spent fabulous sums in furnishing
his art galleries. No work of merit was
ever offered him in vain. He had a
splendid palace in Rome, and his niece,
who lived with him was betrothed to a
prince. 1t was we'll known she would
be heavily lowered by her uncle. 1t
was well known, too, that the Princes
estate was heavily encumbered, and he
was naturally anxious to retain his fam
lily possessions. He was, however,
young, accomplished, noble the pretty
Beatrice who was of a gentle, loving
disposition, was most happy in her en-
gagement, and altogether it seemed a
fitting match. At any rate, the old
cardinal made no objections to it, and
gave Beatrice full liberty In the matter
of trOusseau, trusting, as he said, to the
good taste and discretion that should
attend her finished education and per-
feet training, that her purchases would
be in every way suitable to the high
station she was about to fill. Beatrice
kissed the dear old uncle with effusion,
and sat about the business of the trous
seau, resolving, as she told the cardinal,
to make it one worthy of a princess.
The uncle, with one of his rare smiles,
answered her: Beatrice mia, we shall
see if you know what is worthy of a
princess"
The cardinal, with all his generosity.
had violent temper, was severe tow
ard any one who offended him, and i'm
placible towards those who violated his
artistic or aesthetic convictions. 1t was
said that while he was kind and affec-
tionate towards his niece, he had al
ways governed her strictly, and, though
providing for her literally, he provided
nothing but what seemed good in his
eyes, and gave his attention to the
smallest details of her life.
Beatrice gave out orders for the trous-
seau in royal style, and gradually they
began to come in. Rich dresses, all
gorgeous with embroidery, laces rare and
curious, wrought expressly for this for
tunate bride, the finest linens for under
wear, and even jewels, all passed un-
rfUilf II gefeurdiet f1enen- -ntanuracnrs
bill that made the old cardinals face
wrinkle up into great many queer
puckers-four dozen pairs of stockings
at two hundred scudi per pair. Nearly
ten thousand scudi for stockings! Af-
ter an ejaculation not taken from any of
the church officers, he sent III haste for
Beatrice. She came-such vision of
youth and happiness rs might melt any
heart.
''Beatrice, here is a bill"
"Yes, uncle DEAR" as she slid down
like sunbeam, and shone up at him
from low stool at his feet.
r ''Stand up, Beatrice"
"She stood up, hands behind her, as
when she was little girl.
"a bill for-stockings."
eyes. uncle"
"Four dozen pairs of stockings at two
hundred scudi each."
SIS it too much 7"
''Too much It's the price of this
gem that will live forever, and speak
and teach men as long as it lives," he
said, taking up an exquisit little picture
that he had lately bought. at is the
price of that beautiful marble tbere-sO
beautiful it brought tears to the eyes of
d y ,
and he went home and worked the bet
ter fol it. Too much! :" and he nearly
fell into one of those calculations, not
out of the prayerbook again.
~ only sent, uncle, for the finest
the very finest stockings that can he
made"
"Bring the stockings here to me-"
"YOu said | might have everything
fit for princess" said Beatrice, begun
ming to cry.
"And say these stockings are not fiji
for princess" Numbered the cardinal
"A cardinal must walk, but he would
be fool to walk on frescOes. A prime
ess must walk, and that gracefully and
freely, too, but she can't walk an houl
in such things as these. See" and he
thrust his long fingers through the frai
web at the toe. "Your stockings are
not fit for a princess. They are fine in
texture, but coarse in taste. They are
inappropriate they are vulgar"
"Oh, uncle ln
"They are 8sthetically improper
they show the extravaganza of the
plebeian, not of noble." He grew
more excited with every word. His
eyes flashed fire. ''Your training has
not made princess of you in heart and
mind co,po di Bacco! your marriage
shall not make princess of you il
name, and you are none of mine
With grasp he swept up the bundle
of stockings. "Your trumpery here
shall go back to the fools who made it
and you shall go-I don't care where
but out of my sight. Away! I'll none
of YOU"
The cardinal gathered up his skirts
and crossing the room, passed out like
a whirlwind. The girl screamed alouC
in her terror at the old mans fearful
passion for much as she had heard o
the violence of his disposition, she ha(
never been made the victim of it be-
fore. But the scream never checked
the firm, relentless fall of his steps as il
died away along the corridor; and ther,
lay little Beatrice, shaken with heart
broken sobs, prone across the foot-stool
where she had fallen when in his vic
lence he flung away from her. She lay
there long time, crying and wipin,
away her tears with the unlucky stock.
ing she had deem displaying on he
hand, and in the spasm of her terro
had been crushing and rolling up unit
she forgot it was not her handkerchief
So the prince found her, as he wa
ushered in to pay his usual daily cal
upon the cardinal. She naturally turn
ed to her betrothed for consolation
She told him all about her uncle's an
! ger, all he said, all She was suffering