Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-09

personality to know that 1 shall never meet
another woman who can awaken in me the
devotion feel toward you. 1t is you, or
chaos come again. Though can say this
calmly, my ambitions, my existence depends
on your answer, for without you L shall
simply live out my days an animated en-
bodiment of death. 1 know there is no use
of pleading. You have known what must
come, and if you have not decided to accept,
nothing that can say will change such
mind as yours"
''I have expected this declaration" said
Mrs. Fardella, quietly, 'and decided to ac-
cept. But wait; save your expressions of
qualification till you have heard me through.
You know nothing of me. 1t seems to me
that one so proud of his family should in
ouire carefully into the life and ancestry of
the woman he would marry. Instead OF that
[ fear you have permitted yourself to be
enamored of nv eccentricities, which some
are pleased to call genius, and of my accom-
plishments, which consist merely of doing
some things that other women do not do, and
other things better than other women do, and
none of them of real value to the world"
81 care nothing about your family or your
life" exclaimed Caxton with much feeling.
"Wlth ordinary women would think much
of that, but YOU ovefshadow every considera-
tion of money, of family, even of reputation
itself."
"You fancy so now, but I cannot let you
go farther in the dark. You know l was
born of American parents. Well, my
father was in the Senate of the United
States before the war. After the outbreak
OF the war he sent my mother to Europe,
followed us little later, and there after q
few months was born at country house
near the village of Isola, on the northern
slope of the Maritime Alps, not far from
Genoa, and on the very estate which was
became my husband. Here is a miniature
portrait of my father; perhaps you will
recognize him. 1t is beautiful picture
and was painted from life by Finelli, of
Rome, who at the same time, when my
father visited us after the war, painted a
companion portrait of my mother"
Ca1ton took the bit of ivory in his hands,
looked at it moment, and exclaimed:
"Senator Vinton! why 1 knew him well
when 1 was boy. He was of my own
State, and an intimate friend of my father.
But"
A puzzled expression overspread Caxton' s
face, and when he looked inquiringly at
Mrs Fardella he saw something in her eyes
that made him tremble with terrible fore
boding.
"But," he resumed hesitating, ''pardon
me. have always heard that Senator Vim
toms wife died cnildless."
"And she did," said Mrs. Fardella with
perfect composure. 'This is the portrait of
my mother"
Caxton eagerly seized the second minia-
ture. Looking at it his eyes dilated, his
lower jaw dropped, he clutched at his hair
with his right hand and gasped:
"And-she-was-"
ga quadroon; my fathers slave; my own
mother, and one of the most beautiful wo-
men that ever won the love of man. Finelli
caught the tone of her flesh with wonderful
fidelity. My father worshiped, her, and
lavished upon her and me the tenderest care
and the noblest love. You know he did not
join in the war. He came to US and he and
my mother died in Italy. The taint of the
African and the ban OF iliegitimacy was
upon me, but Signore Fardella was superior
to such considerations and saw only the
mind and the moral principle"
But Caxton heard not word of this.
Sitting moment rigid as though struck to
death, he staggered to his feet, shaking,
clutching frantically at his throat, and then
fell at length among the flowers Of Secretary
Hamilton's conservatory. There was rush
of guests around him, and many exclama-
tions of alarm and inquiry.
81 fear Mr.. Caxton has tainted" said
Mrs. Fardella calmly.