Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-01-19
A Strange Secret.

WIN lay Nv NJ al helghDOrlng inu.
As soon as l saw the lived, haggard
face / knew there was no hope for
HIM. He had swGrthy face, like an
Italian. lii by dark. piercing eyes. and
his forehead painfully marked with
rigid lines left by prolonged mental
sufferings.
/ was about to administer an opiate.
when he thrust aside my hand impa-
tiently. II want you to hear my con-
fession first" he exclaimed, l shall
detain you but moment" II am a
physician, not clergyman. Ianswer-
ed, gently.
Nevertheless. beg you to hear
me-" he PERSISTED 'QuickI quickI
there is no time to loser his eyes
fash ng with a fitful lurid lustre.
For one in his condition ''humoring"
was the best treatment So, first see
ing that the door was securely closed,
sat down 10 wait till the dclusion he
was under as to the nature of my Office
had run ITS course.
Il shall not trouble you with long
history he began. In my early life /
was soldier, and brave one, may
add without Boosting; for had I. not
vowed 10 win rank and fame for the
sake of one of the faiTest of Italy's
fair daughters. who had secretly pledg-
ed me her love? Such an incentive
would have inspired courage even in
towards breast; but the Castelles
were never cowardsi
At last | felt that l might without
blushing present myself before Gull
eta relatives and openly claim her
hand.
Impatient of every moment delay l
few to lay my hard earned honors at
her feet; but, alas! what tidings await
ed mel In my absence Giulietta's
family had forced her to marry dis
solute young noble, who coveted her
fortune, not herself She survived the
cruelty but little season; for within
month she dropped and died. the
hAShthAB A1h1b hoL VI q DAoAEh
] would have hurried back to the
field and sought death there. but the
war WIS over. The church offered an
other refuge from the world, now
grown insupportable. l became a
priest and in time an attache of one
of the great cathedrals.
One night entered a professional
facing one of the outer aisles, that /
might be ready to hear. as was my
custom, any chance penitent who
M ght come, as many did, to disburden
his conscience under cover of dark
ness.
Several came and went; and when,
at last, at a late hour, l was on the
point of retiring, believing my work
finished. step approached and enter
cd the compartment on the other side
of the lattice.
OF course my lips are sealed against
revealing what then heard. AT the
close the penitent started to withdraw.
A quick movement brought me to his
side. Selling his arm turned him
round suddenly to face him. We
stood 10 the aisle, in the dim light of
one of the large windows. l threw
back my cowl He recoiled. shivering
as if he had seen ghost
Luigi Castello!' he gasped.
.Aye!-Luigi CASTILLO / echoed
is it your purpose to denounce me?'
he asked, in a voice tremulous with
terror.
What l have heard, I have heard
under the seal of my sacred Office
replied 1 dare not disclose it,
He breathed more freely.
4 have given you absolution,' con-
tinued. as my eye. attracted by
sparkling light fell on the jcwelled
hilt of a dagger at bis girdle.
i humbly thank you. father. he
muttered.
''As far as it lies in the power of the
church, you are now prepared to die,
/ added.
ASaNch - ohh at' NC LSpAlSu.
:Amen! | answered and, snatching
the dagger from his belt sheathed it
in his heart"
The last word was uttered almost in
a shrek, and the sick stranger fell
back insensible.
The restoratives administered only
brought partial return of conscience
ness and before the sun had set the
troubled spirit was at rest
Some years later, in travelling
Italy, was shown in one of
the great cathedrals, the spot where
the body of a nobleman had been
found one morning pierced through
the heart with his own stiletto.
He was very wicked man." said |
the old guide, suspected by many of |
having poisoned his young wife,
whom he married for her money"
The guide remembered, too
young priest who had dis
shortly after, none knew |
but 1t was evident the |
had never been ASSOCIATE |