St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-05-03


man himself, and let her know by letter
how matters really stood.
Beatrice went to her own apartment
somewhat quieted by the sight of her
lover, but still most unhappy. She
waited, with what patience she could,
until evening, and then note came
from the prince. 1t was short note,
carefully and beautifully written. 1t
ran something like this:
"YOur uncle, 1 am grieved to say,
formally disowns you. 1t is cruel
edict, my dear friend, for me, loving
tenderly as l do, but it seems the will
of heaven, and l must submit. May
we meet again at some calmer and hap
pier time p
She swept her pale hands across her
swollen eyes, believing that her sight
deceived her, and read again and again
those neat and formal lines-the spe-
cious cowardly lines-and all the bitter
meaning that lay between the lines.
He had renounced her, too The
storm of grief that her uncle's cruelty
had reused, was healthy and consonant
with her young nature, but the look she
wore after reading her lovers letter
never should come to such a sweet and
tender face. 1t spoke of the deepest
wrong woman can sustain-her affec-
tiOn spurned and sighted; the worst
insult that can be offered her-a mar
riage from sOrdid motives. In an hour
this gentle, loving Beatrice was chang
ed to resolved and indignant woman.
She had loved this man, and he had
wrOnged her. The wOrld-the petty
Roman world of gossip and SANDER
should not stare at her curiously, nor
wound her with its thousand wicked
tongues. Almost as she was, save with
some jewels of her mothers, her rich
trousseau left behind, its splendor scat
tered all over her apartments, she left
the palace-left it in the silence and
darkness, and went out into the world
alone with those richest of possessions,
but poorest of defences, her youth, in
nocence and beauty.
Between the great rage the cardinal
had INDUCED and his stormy interview
with the prince, he was threatened next
morning with an old enemy of his-ap-
Oplexy; and when he heard that his
neice had disappeared, an attack came
on that held him bedridden and sense
less for weeks. On coming to himself,
his first order was to make search for
her, but no trace could be discovered.
The old man was haunted by a vision
of the bright, happy face so lost out of
his life; and as it's tender, smiling out
line came like dream before his fancy,
he shuddered as it seemed to weirdly
change expression with the possible
wrong and misery his little Beatrice
r0fh hn sniff Q,,f III
knew nothing of this, for the cardinal
was to all appearances as proud, as
magnificent, as dictatOrial and as keen
"A judge and critic as ever.
Three years later, picture dealer
ventured, cringing and on respectful
tiptoe, into the august presence.
''Now, Luigi, what trash have you to-
day7"
"Oh, no trash, your eminence-a
IA "A ranse gem, eu I-auoUuer crevcr
copy that shall detect ?"
mo, no, your eminence true gem
modern, and bought for song"
"Well, well, be quick"
"There, your eminence," and the
dealer placed before the Cardinal a
small, fresh, delicately tinted picture
a lovely smiling crowd of Cupids-
dainty, dimpled boys, chasing each
other in the mazes of bower.
The Cardinal put on his glasses, look
ed, broke out with "COrpo di Bdc-,''
and changed it to "Santa Maria! It's
more free than Albani, more dainty
than COrreggiO - and modern, too.
How that flesh is managed What a
texture! Who's the painter
"That's a secret, your eminence. !
know who brings them, but Pm not
sure who paints them. I've had several
but none as good as this"
'Luigi, you know you can't play
tricks on me. I'll use all the police in
Rome, but Tll find this painter; SO tell
me the fair price, and bring the painter
here tomorrow at this time"
"But, your eminence-"
snake me no excuses; tell me nc
lies. How much i? and bring the paint
err
Give thousand scudi would be a
trif1e for it."
"H'm! And how much of that does
the painter get?"
"Oh, good price, your eminence-s
good price"
eyes; good for you. Bosta! l know
you. Well, well, bring the painter to.
morrow, and you shall have the mon.
ey;" and the Cardinal coolly set the
picture aside among his latest acquired
treasures.
"But if the painter won't come, you
eminence 2"
"Net a word! The painter mus
come, OF your money won't come"
| The discounted dealer made his bow
and tiptoed out backward.
The next day, at the appointed hour
he appeared, and with manner highly
mysterious announced that he hat
brought the painter; but the painte
was shy about being known, and haC
come yelled. His eminence would no
intrude upon the reserve of "a
ga woman !" exclaimed the cardinal
as he caught sight of slight yelled fig
ure gliding in behind Luigi-''a woman
and a great painterl Corpi di =.
mean, Santa Maria! did not wish
signora," he said, respectfully, ''to rude
ly break your incognita but will you
tell me, as Pm cOnnoisseur in art
how you have arrived at the peculia
delicacy of these flesh tints7 How
have you prepared your canvas 2"
She took up the picture and frayed
corner on the back of the stretcher.
sit is painted on silk, your emf
nence." ''-
"Silk but what sort of silk 2"
ga very fine silk stocking. Here i
the foot, not cut off, but nailed upol
the stretcher. See.n ' '''+
"a silk stocking!" The cardinal, a
the first word the woman spoke, started
looked surprised, then dazed but h.
forgot neither his dignity nor his habi
of command, and imparitively ordere,
j .nimi nut of the rIh. !,