Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-25

. eyery thing for the new owner, WAC III tlS
spring arrived from Paris with bis VIE,
| the COntessa Teresa Guiccioh nee Con-
tessa q ambaA 5, but AT the time OF wnlch 1
am speaking, the Marquise de Bolssy.
Preceded by an almost legendary fame
for her exceptional beauty and adNentur-
GUS lite. the new patron naturally eA-
| cited not little curiosity Of the nelgh0or-
{ hood, and especially the search
ing and feminine scrutiny oil my
mother, VINO was soon on terms
I Of warm intimacy with the marquise
/ Every year the BOissys passed three
months at settimello, every year the mar
T Guse bringing handsome presents from
Paris 10 my parents and to myself
/ Though still a boy | knew OF Lord Byron,
and the strange appearance OF the Iady,
whose name is so associated with ms, had
not unnaturally excited my curiosity, so
4 thatl can remember the Guiccioh well.
/ She still certainly retained "A more than
! ordinary beauty. though decidedly what
may be termed mature. In height little
| under the average, and stout. Artlholal,
! to a degree, and with one sole aim IN lie,
| to increase, as far as possible, the i2scl-
nations Of her beauty, every actlon was
| studied in order TO increase her grace,
/ and she certainly succeeded admirably,
conscious as she was OF the possession Of
many seductive charms. la fact, not
/ feature natural or point neglected, IN
I voice. gesture, and pose the artlhce OF a
clever actress. her reception room trans
( formed into a stage. She never IN the
/ house, or even on cold days, muffied her
/ self up, hut clearly took pride IN the -
/ play of the superb lines OF her bosom, and
equally fine arms. Her hair, the warm
rich blonde Of the corn ripened in the sun,
| she wore in long ringlets divided on her
forehead: her cheeks, thinned Dy years
half hidden among the curls, showing IN
/ fact little else OF her face than her slightly
/ aquiline nose: mouth eXquisltely
modelled, and two large gazelle eyes,
unique certainly, and Of an intense black,
restless. languid, and with Just from time
o time the flash OF something suggestive
in their glance. AS for her character, we
/ never esteemed it very highly, and rom
/ all we saw and heard from the maids and
sCrvants-she brought with her the suite
Of a princess-we always regarded her as
vain and romantic 10 degree, and IN no
way certainly one of those who would
sscrifce herself, or who would inspire
deep and lasting passion, or really love
for loves sake, with heroism, with sublime
selEnegatiOn.
She never could bear either beggars or
children. She lived entirely apart from
her husband, who occupied another wing
Of the villa. She literally adOred an ugly
little dog. which seemed TO constitute all
she cared for. In her conversations with
my mother she would alude with COM
placeuce to Byron's love for her. allowing
it 10 be understood that her husband had
married her with no other view than TO
possess a relic OF the great poet. She con-
fessed that she had at all times fostered
species Of horror al the idea OF having
children, from fear Of losing her beauty.
] u her marriage contract she had made IL
condition, so it was said, that her nus
bands charming daughter-by his trst
wiie-sh0uld never be seen near her for
fear Of comparisons. She rose between u
and >; at night she would sit alone for
hours in her receptiOn-room, writing her
memoirs, she would state with show of
vanity. Her toilette was her sole serious
occupation. She washed with starch,
often taking baths Of olive Oil; at night
she would wear on her face linen mask,
saturated with perfumed grease, as we
are told certain effeminate kings OF France
used TO do. TO show herself to any one
she always considered in the light Of a
favor. ..s
Ny mother had once expressed the de-
/ sire to be initiated into the mysteries of
80 beautiful a lady; the marquise one
evening invited her to come while Der
maid was dressing her for a reception at
the villa Demidoff; she received my
mother in the costume of Eve, so, she eX-
[ DlhlHEUs LUdL uOnb VI tue particulars
1 Of the great operation might
be missed. Capricious to a degree, she
caused a number Of useful fields to be
/ laid out with sugar-cane and truffies; in
/ addition to this she built on the estate a
superb stable in which she kept about
/ seventy mich cows disposed OF in two
/ long rows. each manger with the name
/ efits occupant attached-Sarah, Rebecca,
/ Rachael, etc, much TO the horror Of the
scandalized local priest. Here in this
stable the marquise would pass long
/ hours, stating that the smell which
perVaded the place was most wholesome,
and especially kept the skin fresh. Dur
ing enc Of her visits to SettimellO her
little dog died. She determined to bury
! it herself, and l can still see her, double
glOved, mufiled with thick wells, and pro-
tected by a large umbrella, digging with
a spade the little grave in which she
placed the body OF the pet, InclOsed in a
rich casket covered with flowers. A few
weeks later when / was i'll, and my
mother expressed her anxiety with re-
gard to me, the marquiseS as heard TO
say in her insinuatlng tone, always so
| carefully mOdulated with regard to It's
musical effect: "Poor Erminia. if she
/ we're 20 lose her son. All! / know how
suffered with my poor Fannie'-the little
dog above referred to.