Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-24
BETTER THAN THE MAIL.
How an italian NObIeman Won a
Heiress by the Aid of Soup Messages.

How an italian NObIeman Won an
Heiress by the Aid of Soup Messages.
''There are certain hotels" said the
hardware drummer, to a Rochester Post
reporter, ''that affect good deal of bong
sWa and 'recherchy.'" They illuminate
their bills of fare with French. They are
usually secOnd-class in their appoint
ments, and aim to make up in polite liter
ature what they lack in other respects.
An ordinary soup is denominated ''con-
s0mme au pate d. Italia ula-de-da-de-da
with a pin hook" One may have hOTS
d'OuUreS if he happens to know what is
meant by that term, and poissOn-this
may be had fried, broiled, or boiled in four
different languages. "But what they
want to poison man for" said an honest
granger, who would have tried in vain to
guess that fish was referred to, sis more
than anyone knows"
This does not apply to Rochester,
however, but to smother town
And in one Of these other towns
it happened that too much French
on the bill of fare started and spoiled
first-class romance recently. 1t seems
that the disguised Italian duke, tempo
rarily under the cloud, became enamOred
of a lovely Chautauqua county heiress,
who was stopping with her family at such
a hotel as has been indicated. And as
love promulgates and absOrbs knowledge
instinctively, it was not long before the
fair one became aware of the passion she
had implanted in the breast of the noble
Italian. Such lovely eyes-a verltable
Romeo-and such look! Why, the god
of love dwelt in his soul. And his voice
was attuned to harmonious Whisperlngs
that penetrated fair Ida's being like the
soft and amOrOus notes of lutte. A duen-
ma accompanied the fair ones family, and
to her especial keeping was intrusted the
person of the heiress. Her espionage
never slept, though the chains she bound
about her charge were silken ones. Her
eyes never wandered too far away, and
she discovered the secret by watching
Ida's actions. She noticed that the young
lady dawdled an unconsci0nable time
ever her soup with the French designa-
ton, and she noticed also that she the
dueuna) never received the same kind of
soup that was served to her charge. Sus-
picion was aroused. Could it be that
Miss Ida's soup was made of some potent
Iove-charm? She would watch. She took
occasion to move her seat to Ida's side
and made discovery that almost para
lived her virgin heart. The little parti-
cIes in Ida's soup were letters OF the
alphabet, and on the very first day she
read this sentence: "S-w-e-e-t, ALFONSO
loves t-h-e-e;" and this: ''I-t-a-l-y
awaits b. e-r Queen"
Our duenna was circumspect. She
made no sign, but concluded to await
further developments. The next day she
read in Ida's soup these words: Ely
with YOUR Alfonso Tonight"
1t was plainly time to act. Ida's father
was warned Of the threatened elOpement
of his daughter with an Italian cook, who
had, doubtless, sold the "mOnk and 'the
org" to take his present place as hotel
cook. ''All right, Maria" said paterfamil-
las, cpl be on hand" The Italian was
confronted by detective and ordered to
leave town at once or be arrested for at
tempted abduction. He left. At s
O'Clock in the evening Ida's pa stood in
the peIting rain under her window. A
rope ladder was gently lowered, voice
whispered. "AlfonsO, darling, are you
tbere?'' YES" whispered Ida's papa,
E'come," and Ida came right down and lit
in her DaDa'S arms,