National Republican., 1881-12-07
A DAGGER WANTED.
A STRANGE MYSTERY.
Representative Of "The Republican Answers an
Advertisement in Propria Persona and Un-
earths Thrilling italian Romance
"A Beautiful Lady's Story.

Glancing over the personal column of
The REPUBLICAN, the other morning reporters
eagle eye caught the following advertisement:
"Wanted-A dagger or stletto which a lady
SIZE and price, box 90 REPUBLICAN once, until
Saturday noon"
scenting an item the reporter determined to
"pipe" II, and accordingly wrote the following
rather unsophisticated letters "In answer to your
advertisement, I have small dagger which !
have no further use for, which will sell cheap II
II suits you Please appoint interview and will |
bring II along with me. Yours, &C."
In the afternoon the reporter was surprised to
find in his own box q reply in ladys handwrit-
ing requesting him TO call at certain address |
not q hundred miles from Massachusetts avenue |
any time after seven p. m. Dark visions OF Italian
vendetta, pehmgerich and materials for three. |
volume novel generally floated through the re- |
porters mind as he Immediately prepared for the |
Interview by placing small six.snoo'er III ms
amount of print. paper and u well-sharpened |
Dixon's graphite, but no dagger
AFTER STUMBLING ABOUT IN THE DARKNESS
for some time by the aid of friendly gas.lamp
by carefully counting, at last discovered In an un-
pretentious- looking structure the number ne was
In search of. In answer to his summons the door |
was opened by little girl, who ushered him
into small parlor and informed him she would
tell tnc luuy tnnt gclllltmun NmnNu W bct ntls
This without any Inquiry OH his part. There was
nothing remarkable about the room-a piano,
round table, faded CHRONIC or two and few
chairs constituted its furniture, while sickly
kerosene lamp shed It's feeble rays DER tie scene.
After few minutes waiting the door was opened,
lady entered the apartment and the reporter saw
a rather pretty brunette apparently about twenty
-four, years OF age. She was above the middle
height
WELL PRopoRrroNED, AND VERY GRACEFUL
pair of large dreamy jet black eyes, fringed by
heavy drooping.eye lashes and mass or dark
colored hair banged over her forehead, an oval,
Murio like face aud small delicate features, over
which was cast the shadow of some deep trouble,
combined to form face not easily TO be erased
II was one Of those faces which exercise
such baneful effect over mans destinyi
aae thst men iS ftv Sbr Gyer a@a S%
air. talk about as pasSable; face to inscnatc
man of the world by its eyes, which seemed capa-
and love; a painter, by the dreamy, pcnslve look.
which might have served as the typical model
Of a Mater DolorOsa. The reporter, who
tfne "melted," aud as he rose from his
scat and pulled down his cuffs, unconscously felt
he stood lace TO face with aromance. In slightly
| foreign accent, which added charm TO the low and
| gently modulnted voice, she begged the scribe to
resume his scat and requested to see the dagger.
| The reporter made u pretense of going TO his
pocket for the dagger but paused and requested II
he might ask her
WITHOUT BEING DEEMED RPERTISENT,
| the renson for advertising for dagger when she
could have obtained one very easily at any hard
| ward store. A crowd Of conflicting emotions
| passed over her mobile face Al this qucry,whtn
turning half round on her chair, with II quick
| Southern gesture, and laying an cxQuisitely
moulded hand on the reporters arm, she said;
" would like to tell You story, II IL VIII not be
tlring your patience too much" The reporter
willingly assented aud listened to the
following, tragic narrative: am" she
continued, "ns you may perhaps have
guessed an Italian. II descendant of an ancient
and honorable family, but like many other Italian
families we can boast MOI quarerngs than sequins
| and ancestral lOftrtltS than broad acres,
| My fnther, who succeeded to an encountered cs.
tate and All unlarnishcd name, was man ofproud
| aud naughty disposition, had formed the idea of
retrieving our itlien fortunes by my marriage with
AN IMMENSELY WEALTHY BANKER,
man utterly detestable to me In every way. J.,
who had always been very self willed and had
never suffered contradiction, was Informed by my
father when only fourteen years old-we South
erners marry when we are mere children-ihnt
me, and that was expected to marry man old
enough TO be my father. l iatly refused, and
point, my father promising me that moth
ing should be said about my mar
riage until was seventeen. Meanwhile he
took me To Rome, hoping that some rich English
Milford or some American millionaire might be
foolish enough to pnrchusc my pretty iGee and
pay handsomely therefor in the shape OF large
the already. ovcrunGcd Cs'htes. l was provided
with n handsome wni,lribe; the family jewels
were In some way obtained from our bankers,
nndthc fashionable world was informed that Baron
- aud his lovely daughter were about to reopen
their ancient hllUnlul lhuCe anu reside Tor u time
in Rome Admlrers were very quickly found rich
aud poor young and old, decorated diplomats and
struggling secretaries OF legations, titled nobodies,
and pCuuicss younger sOils-who ltrtcd and
danced and proposed. But my iather was playing
u waiting game, und was determined that should
draw the
GRAND PRIZE IN THE MATRIMONIAL MARKET
and leave the blanks for others less favored by
nature to wear Il corOnet. Toward the close of the
season young English duke appeared Oh the
scene. He was mere boy had just succeeded to
his title, Immensely wealthy, and had been max
ing the grand tour with the avowod object Of find
ing u wife. My father determined he should find
wife in me. Everything went lust us il was or.
, daiued, aud before long II was known that was
shortly TO become Duchess of -. AS for myself
l was supremely indifferent 10 the whole ai-
{ fair. Marriage was dstasIeful to me, but since
| had TO be married was well enough
pleased with my anianced husband. one night
! attended reception at the American Ministers
! and there met an American painter, young mau
OF considerable talent. whose works had already
attracted attention. | was charmed by his manner
and conversation, and when we were about tc
leave he requested permission from my father tc
ut the prospects of my approaching marriage con,
sented. He called on me, und finally persuaded
my father to allow him to paint my portrait. From
: that day l saw him frequently; our friendship
! ripened into intimacy, Intimacy into love. Fol
! the first time in my life knew what love meant
: and
LOVED HiM WITH ALL THE PASSIONATE Devotion
of II Southern woman for woman was although
merely child In years The day ormy wedding
was ut last fixed and announced, but could NJ
longer regard 1t with the camness had hithert,
done. Tue same day that my marringc was mad
public gave the final sitting for my portrait; th
painter had Just heard OF my, approaching mar
10 tt"'' control himself he told me what
already well knew-what woman docsn't?-
that he loved me- Suffice 1t TO say we agreed I,
fly to America as soon us he could make suitable
arrangements. Two days alterward his dead bod.
was found floating in the Ti6er, nothing to show
| whether he had been murdered or committe,
suicide, The shock caused by his death produces
an attack of brain fever. When l recovered
found myself back in the country, my marriag
AROSE FROM NY SICK BED
with an adherence of all my surroundings. Col
ecting what little money had, and my few val
uables | ran away one night and went to Rome
d While there, in All evil hour, my money gone, m
trinkets all pawned, and no food having passed
my lips for twenty -four hours, was tempted I
iOin n socinlistc secret society, and become one O
It's agents-Europe Is undermined with politica
secret organizations and is on the brink Of one O
the greatest social crisises the world has ever wit
nessed-and was ordered to New York TO carry on
the designs of my chiefs, and spread their per
nicOus doctrines. A short time ago was ordere
to commit crime at which my soul revOted.
liticai organization aud depend ON my skin as
. teacher of music and foreign languages for IN
support. But. alas, i found thai having lik
his, and could not when the time fu
the redemption of the bond came du
withdraw ffom Il, ! belonged to hil
and terrific. BY the oath had taken on my inita
. tiOn had sworn 10 obey the commands of m
y chiefs Nomatterwhat, no matter when aud wher
conveyed to me, II was my duty TO carry out TO th
n full extent ofmy power any commands intruste
a to me. know TOO well
y y THE AWFUL FATE AWAITING ME
~ ~ for having become renegade. Sooner or later
. shall be murdered, but the deed viii be done 4
y such way that there will be no clue 20 the perpe
r traitor. The national weapon of the Italian Is th
e steletto cannot tell why but whim impelle