American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-02-09

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 renowned 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 a
woman can sustain-her affection spurn-
ed and sighted; the worst insult that
can be offered her-a marriage from
/ sordid motives. In an hour this gentle,
/ loving Beatrice was changed to a re-
| solved and indignant woman. She had
/ loved this man, and he had wronged
her. The world-the petty Roman world
of gossip and slander-should not stare
at her curiously, nor wound her with its
/ thousand wicked tongues. Then the
uncle that she had loved had cast her
off. 1t was a secondary thought now,
but still bitter one, and in the turbU
lence and keen sense of injury of which
only proud and gentle character is
capable, she took a hasty resolve. Al
most as she was, save with some jewels
/ of her mothers, her rich trousseau left
behind, its splendor scattered 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 de
lenses, her youth, innocence, 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-apO-
plexy; and when he heard that his niece
had disappeared, an attack came on
that held him bedridden and senseless
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 vision
of the bright, happy face so lost out of
his life; and as its 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
might be suffering. But the world
knew nothing of this, for the Cardinal
was to all appearances as proud, as
magnificent, as dictatorial, and as keen
Judge and critic as ever.
Some three years later a picture-deal-
er ventured, cringing and on respectful
tiptoe, into the august presence.
"Now, Luigi, what trash have you
to-day?''
ooh, no trash, your Eminence-a
gem, gen.
GA false gem, eh!-another clever
copy that I shall detect?'
g No, no, your Eminence; true
gem-modern, and to be bought for a
song"
Well, well, be quick"
"There, your Eminence," and the
dealer placed before the Cardinal a
small, fresh, delicately tinted picture
lovely smiling crowd of Cupids-dain-
ty, dimpled boys, chasing each other in
the mazes of bower.
The Cardinal put on his glasses, look
ed, broke out with 'Corpo di BAG
and changed it to " Santa Mariai It's
more free than Albani, more dainty than
Correggio-and modern, too. How that
flesh is managed! What texture
Who's the painter?"
That's a secret, your Eminence.
know who brings them, but I'm 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. III use all the police in
Rome, but I'll find this painter; SO tel
me the fair price, and bring the painter
here tomorrow at this time"
g But, your Eminence-''
Make me no excuses tell me no lies
How much? and bring the painter"
g Five thousand scudi would be a trifie
for it
"H'm! And how much of that does
the painter get?''
''Oh, a good price, yonr Eminence-
good price,
6 Yes; good for you. Basta! know
you Well, well, bring the painter to-
morrow, and you shall have youI
money! and the Cardinal coolly set the
picture aside among his latest-acquired
treasures.
&c But if the painter won't come, youl
Eminence?''
g Not word! The painter must come,
or 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 had
brought the painter; but the painter was
shy about being known, and had come
yelled. His Eminence would not in
trude upon the reserve of "a
ga womani" exclaimed the Cardinal,
as he caught sight of slight yelled fig.
ure gliding in behind Luigi-''a woman,
and great painter! Corpo di-Imean,
Santa Maria! do not wish, signora,'
he said respectfully, s'to rudely break
your incognita; but will you tell me, as
I'm connoisseur in art, how you have
arrived at the peculiar delicacy of these
flesh-tints? How have you prepared your
canvas?''
She took up the picture and frayed a
corner on the back of the stretcher.