Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-09-18
promised Won. at the n,tino time f,

. v
tell YOU my history. YOU remember"
'Ah. Claudio. you well NAV believ
that j have not forgotten that! Pra
tell IL mo, my husband.
ITO begin, then, Francesca. OF m
early days | know little. As far bac
as / can remember never knew tn
smiles of parent, and | can now IN
distinctly call 10 mind the friendship
wen OF any particular individual.
was reared in place, now known l.
me that is. up to the. age. as ! sup
pose, OF ONE nine or ten years. About
that time recollect being placed, ear
y one cod morning. in dligeHcc
and aftor a hard ride of fourteen o.
fifteen hours. was set down at an i'm
different looking house in the city o
Paris.
There continued TO reside for three
years afterward. A small potion of
the first two Years attended school,
and became fond of study for awhile
but on a sudden without any more eX-
PLANTATION than had been vochsafed t.
me on my entrance, ! was taken to u
southern part-Marseilles- where
remained some four years longer, oc-
c1pied, as / had previously been, and
supported by those whom never knew
or saw.
The part rs who had me nominally
in the + charge were exceedingly lax
IN their management, and | soon be-
came my own master. | followed my
own incinat ons; went where fancy led
me; returned when | thought proper;
and very sool made them tired Of
'oOking after nae IN my wanderngs
" ] genera " had "A small amount of
moaey which | ,ould cal my own
frequently delayed my return home for
DAYS.
"ln the III ant me. | was rapidly
growing up, when one day | was in
formed that NV protecteiU had become
bankrupt. and had declined to advancc
he meal To defray the charge of nv
board and contingent expenses; and
that ! mat nj o her accommodations
and the means To take care of myself
forthwith.
Il was thus thrown upon the word
without frame. for | had expended
all my money weeks before knew
no way 10 turn to obtain "A living. and
| had not u suitable education for or
binary business pursuits.
But during the time | resided in
Marse.lles, | had met with a famous
juggler. of astonishing decept We
powers, into whose good graceS haG
ingratiated myself. aud who took "a
great fancy To me for my aptness in
acquiring the knowledge OF his tricks
aud maneuycr,ng To him. then, |
Immediately appea ed and he willing
~ ass sted me when made known To
him my un 'ortunate position.
After few months OF constant
practice, | had becOm % thorough
proficient in the art of legged mail.
that ! ac ompan eel him on a continent
al tour a h.s confe lcrate. We were
eminent'y successful. for time; but
my star OF good fortune deserted me
in an evil hour. and | male TIE ac-
quaintance OF rascal who impo ed
upon and well-n gh ruined me.
And who wa this person. asked
Francesca with deep sympathy.
You shall learn anon As you are
aware. | francesca. fortune favored me.
and | was known in Genoa "a the Count
Claud o Il Young nOb,cman, wealthy.
eXtravagant, but. beyond the foll,es of
Youth. with spotless character None
knew my previous history; and as to
who was or what my orig n. | could
not myself inform them: so perforce it
~ some sixteen or seventeen when m',t
! made your acquaintance. Fascinated
by your beaut, and &c iilene's. fell
deeply in love: and, dear francesca.
to my ineNprcssible JOY, had reasons
to bel eve that my love wa returned.
But then there came Storm-cloudS,
which ob>curcd the br ght sunshine OF
our love; that terrible woman APP
peared; and driven TO despair, ! raShly
attempted TO carry you off. and there
bv incurred your displeaSure. had
become desperate, and seeking the
gaming-table, was one night utterly
ruined. met there stranger, who
was in the same pl ght | sad some
thing about taking 10 a br.gand's life;
he eagerly caught AT the proposal; and
having agreed 10 meet aga II, we parted.
| set out for thu apo nte rendezvous.
and there became an outlaw, under
comma d of the notorious Bernardo.
cont nu 1T with him TOR more than a
year. became his Lieutenant. served
him aud his cause faithfully; and when
he had amused and secured fortune
as ch IF Of the clan. he retired and
named me his successor. with "A vOlun-
tary promise of aid should | ever need
it at his hands. Two years passed
away. | was at tines successful, at
others unlucky. cOtriVed to save
some portion of the lilac al red gains
Of the band, and at last became in
measure needy; and then as last re-
source. | called upon the man whom |
had helped To make rich for his prom
iSed n d in nv emergency; but he
secuted me, and refused to oblige me
with the loan of a few thousands tina.
required Ii was no; mn mO:ey. but
il was not his; and demanded what he
declined to lend me. francesca. ! see
by your excitement that you spect
the rest. BE calm; trust in me as YOU
have trusted aud be sure that vo viii
never have cause to regret Your love
or your con dence. - ! hope for
mercy, what now speak is the truth.
That migrate coward. Bernardo. was
your guardian. Count Donat.
Mon Dieu,' exclaimed his wife.
scarcely knowing what she heard or
what she 81 d. My God! how have l
been thus deceived
Speak, then. Francesca. contin-
ued Rodolpho wildly. Speak; tell me
in one word what is now to
be- nv fate9 How | have loved YOU.
I A. - 49, l.,