Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-05-20
LADY ANGELA'S LION.

LdoN hit'it 'iiN tuc IN Iiltu WIN
q passion for novelty her tastes were
decidedly catholic. and nothing that
was original came amiss 10 her. There
fore il wGS no marvel to her friends
when she fell into raptures about a
certain Marchesc di San Floriano. who
was good looking, possessed an impos.
ing title, and. in addition. could play
a little instrument she called a man
dolinetta." sing delightful land quite
incomprehensible) Italian ditties. anG
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 "a specially crowded as d
whole constellation of particular
stars" were gathered. and She aud hei
niece, an enthusiastic young lady D:
two-and-twcnty were extremely busy
amongst the guests, Introducing anC
entertaining q en-, y gentleman witt
long fair haiI and an enormous dis
play of shirt ont had just finished a
recitation. at which his audience seem.
ed doubtful neither 1t would be more
polite Ia lau Ia or To weep. when there
waNa small STIR IN the doorway. ana
Lady Ang IA extended her hands in
greeting Il a Slight, dark young fellow
with "A ~c,refuily trimmed mustache,
who was carrying under his ann a di.
minutIvr guitar.
All. marchese.' she said. Il feared
you would not come: YOU are so late"
The Young man bowed gracefully us
he made his excuses. aud 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 CONVEX.
sation at times irresistibly comic.
VOLTA. marquis. she said at length,
as she paused in front of a 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 a few words in
response; aud Lady Angela, being
called away at the moment, left the
marchese TO improve the acquaintance.
Agnes, however, though a genial girl,
with plenty TO say, seemed seized with
an unaccountable lit of silence. and
her cousin. Mrs. Marston. was obliged
10 take up the conversation until the
Italian vas summoned TO the music
oom To give IA 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 a few chords, and sang ina
pleasing tenor voice an air with a re
frain III valse time. very much like
the popular Santa Lucia"
Agnes, why do you stare at that
poor young nan so intently, and why
did you not speak to him!' inquired
Mrs. Marston, under cover Of the APP
plause which followed the cessation Of
the music.
His face and voice seem familiar to
me-" replied Agnes. Il cannot help
thinking | have him before"
You met him in Rome, perhapsG"
queried Mrs. Marston.
NO; | am sure | 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 ~festa,"
she said entreatingly,
Il fear | cannot recollect it," was
the reply.
''Oh, yes; please do" exclaimed a
chorus Of voices.
You can improvise if you do not
remember. added Miss Smythe.
Thus adjured, the marchese began a
quaint little air with rapid changes Of
time and variations Of key. aud sang
in patois the history Of one Ninet.a,
who lost herpurchases, her diDnerand
finally her lover through a series Of
miscliances at a fair.
Il wish | could remember where /
have seen him. said Agnes. Per
haps | shall when / speak to him
again. ] seemed TO know all about
that song"
1T is a popular little canzonet you
might have heard anywhere" said
Mrs. Marston, who was becoming a
little tired Of Agnes pre~occupation.
They did not again speak 10 the mar.
CHEESE. who remained all the time till
his early departure in the music room,
and the circumstance soon faded from
Mrs. Marslon's mind. Agnes. who
shortly returned 10 her home in the
country. thought sometimes OF the
young Italian and told her mother
about him. In the curse Of q few
weeks they heard that he was seen ev-
erywhere with Lady Angela and her
niece. and Agnes was told she had bet
ter be prepared TO attend the wedding
of her friend. Florence Smythe, AS the
marchese evidently intended taking
back To his Italian estates an English
marchesal
One morning, amongst a pile Of let
tiers Oh her breakfast table, Mrs. Sher-
ard found a note with an invitation
TO a picnic from Lady Angela.
II should like to go, mother said
Agnes, as she read It ut Ia to be in