The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-03-19
LOVE AND CRIME,
! TT ~ e '7.--' - - 7FH1'7
STORIES OF, ROMANCE AND MURDER IN
J SUNNY rTALY.lfat i'%e aJ}

About two years ago Rafaella Sto-
relli, a village girD of +Eorato, near
Trani, gave cdr to the love talk of
her cousin, Leoharao. Rafaella was
tue prettiest, girl 81, che village and
might almost have had; choice ofall
The marrying youth of the country
side. Her cousin Leonardo, was,
however, Well-to.do, and, the engage:
ment between the two cousins had
the full appreciation offthe parents
on either. side. For once it seemed
as if the course Of true love were
destined to run. Smoothly. Thus
matters wentpn! tills October came
|round-the harvest month, the spe-
|cial time for rustic holilay1making
land =festiyity. One evening Il the
whole OF the. Storelli family were
away from their home, on the. coca
sion of some village merry making
ali save Raffaella, who had remained
in the house. No doubt that, she
thought that her loyer was, with the
rest of the world, enjoying himself,
and that she would have TO spend
the cvcningin solitude. T suppose
it must have been for the edifcation
of her own conscience That she star
ted SO when The latch of The cottage
was raised with a sudden click;;l for
there was nobody there to profit BY
her dramatic performance. Whether
she endeayored to. make Leonardo
believe that, she was astonished to
see him I can not say. AT all events
she made no effort to shut the door
against him, . "Soi eragepo !, se q
alcup sospetto,'s hhe. Dante's Fran
cesca di Rimiaiand her lover Il "
and the result was the same. And
from THAT day forth Che villagers re
marked that Rafiaella and Leonardo
seemed to- have changed characters,
or at least parts. IS. egaat.sgt
For it was now the lase who was,
forever seeking the lad and the lad
who showed little or no desire for
the society Of the lass. Before long
all Corato knew that Leonardo was
betrothed to q certain Caterina Tar.
leone. oAt first Rafaella refused to-
believe" the terrible tidings. But
soon the official announcement left
no possibility of doubt. Then the.
miserable Raffaella confessed her
fault to her family, and the condi,
ton in which she found herself as
its consequence. Her father and
brother thereupon did their utmost
to induce Leonardo to repair. the
evil he, had done instead Of con sum-
mating the ruin of the unhappy girl
by the heartless conduct he medita-
ted. In vain! .aY a4 4sa6 esas
Then the demon Of revenge began
to take possession of, Rafaella's
heart and brain. The continual re-
proaches of her family, dishonored
by her conduct for the frst time in
the annals Of the village community,
drove her to despair, and at the same
time to vengeful fury. The conduct
of Leonardo, too, seemed carefully
calculated to exacerbate his victims
wrath and misery. He lost no op-
of Haunting his happiness
and that of his new bride in her
sight, and in scorning her in the
sight Of the village world. And still
Rafaella contained herself, biding1
her time. At last son was born to-
Leonardo's wife-also one to the dis
graced and betrayed Radaella.-
There was a procession to carry the
legitimately born son to the church
for his baptism and Leonardo had