Connecticut western news., 1890-05-21
LADY ANGELA'S LION.

LAU1 ANUELA D LlUN.
 Lady Angela Smythe was filled with g passion for novelty; her tastes were decidedly catholic, and nothing that was original came amiss to her. There fore it was no marvel to her friends when she fell into raptures about, certain Marchese di San Floriano, who was good looking, possessed an impos- ing title, and, in addition, could play little instrument she called "man- dolinetta," sing delightful (and quite incomprehensible) Italian ditties, and make delicious sweetmeats, whereof he was in the habit of sending little packets to his friends.
 One hot evening in June her draw ing room was specially crowded as a whole constellation of particular stars" were gathered, and she and her niece, an enthusiastic young lady of two-and-twenty, were extremely busy amongst the guests, introducing and entertaining them. A gentleman with long fair hair and an enormous dis play of shirt front had just finished a recitation, at which his audience seem ed doubtful whether it would be more polite to laugh or to weep, when there was small stir in the doorway, and Lady Angela extended her hands in greeting to slight, dark young fellow with a Carefully trimmed mustache, who was carrying under his arm a di- minutive guitar.
 "Ah, marchese," she said, 'I feared you would not come; you are so late. '"
 The young man bowed gracefully as he made his excuses, and his hostess, placing her hand on his arm, led him across the room to be introduced to several of her friends During this process he preserved an admirable gravity, notwithstanding the fact that the execrable French in which she chose to clothe her remarks on his talents or those of the persons to whom she presented him made her conver- sation at times irresistibly comic.
 "Voila, marquis" she said at length, as she paused in front of pretty girl in a pale blue dress, who was accom- panied -by-a handsome lady in black velvet. ''This young lady has come all the way from Windsor to hear your delightful music"
 Agnes Sherard, as the young lady was named, could hardly repress a smile as she murmured few words in response; and Lady Angela, being called away at the moment, left the marchese to improve the acquaintance. Agnes, however, though genial girl, with plenty to say, seemed seized with an unaccountable fit of silence, and her cousin, Mrs. Marston, was obliged to take up the conversation until the Italian was summoned to the music room to ''give one of his delightful ballads" Here, seated on a low divan, with his little guitar slung across his shoulders by a broad, red ribbon, he thrummed few chords, and sang in a pleasing tenor voice an air with re frain in valse time, very much like the popular ''Santa Lucia"
 ''Agnes, why do you stare at that poor young man so intently, and why did you not speak to him2" inquired Mrs Marston, under cover of the ap- plause which followed the cessation ot the music.
 "His face and voice seem familiar tc me-" replied Agnes. 1T cannot helr thinking have seen him before"
 ''You met him in Rome, perhaps2' queried Mrs Marston.
 stNo; am sure I did not" answer ed Agnes, and silence ensued, as Miss Smythe, Lady Angela's niece, begged the singer for another ballad.
 '"The one about the girl at the fiesta, ; she said entreatingly.
 ''I fear I cannot recollect it," was the reply.
 "Oh, yes; please do," exclaimed g | chorus of voices.
 "You can improvise if you do no remember" added Miss Smythe.
 Thus adjured, She marchese began 2 quaint little air with rapid changes o1 time and variations of key, and sang in patois the history of one Ninetta who lost her purchases, her dinner ant finally her lover through series O. mischances at fair.
 ''I wish l could remember where have seen him." said Agnes. ''Per haps I shall when I speak to hin again. I seemed to know all abou that song"
 ''It is popular Etsle cahzonet yo, might have heard anywhere" sait Mrs. Marston, who was becoming little tired of Agnes preoccupation.
 They did not again speak to the mar chese. who remained all the time til his early departure ill the music room and the circumstance soon faded iron Mrs. Marston's mind. Agnes, wh, shortly returned to her home in tn country, thought sometimes of tn young Italian and told her mothe about him. In the course of a fey weeks they heard that he was seen ev anywhere with Lady Angela and he niece, and Agnes was told she had bet ter be prepared to attend the weddin of her friend, Florence Smythe, as tn marchese evidently intended takin back to his Italian estates an Englis marchesal
 One morning, amongst pile of lei ters on her breakfast table, Mrs. Shel ard found note with an invitatio to picnic from Lady Angela.
 ''I should like to go, mother" sai Agnes, as she read it. 'It is to be i Lord Hilderton's park, and you know how lovely it must be there now. w have been talking of spending da. there by ourselves"
 ''Yes, we can easily drive over, sait Mrs. Sherard, as she rose from tn breakfast table.
 Perhaps I shall meet the marches again." said Agnes.
 My dear, shall begin to think tn Italian has made an impression ol you" said her mother, with smile "I am sure you have mentioned hin half dozen times"
 The day of the picnic was an ex quisite one, and Mrs. Sherard and he