Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-09-02
Corr, The 0CTOR0ON
BY MISS NJ. E. BEADDON.

In all the planters visits to the Villa
MoraqultOS he had never yet encoun-
tered Paul Lisimon.
The young Mexican scrupulously
held himself aloof from the rich and
frivolous guests who assembled in Don
Juan's splendid mansion.
In vain did the Spaniard bid his pro-
tege to join in the festivities at the
villa. In vain did Camilla reproach
her lover with GOODNESS and neglect.
Paul was memorable.
No, Camilla" he said. when the
young. girl demonstrated with him, L
should hear your fathers guests ask
each other in the superb disdain of
their creole insolence, Who is this Mr..
Llslmon? | wait the time Camilla,
when my own eXertions shall have
made this simple and now unknown
name OF Ilslmon familiar to every
citizen in New Orleans"
While the soft echoes of piano and
guitar t1oated through the luxurious
saloons: Niltl. the rich contralt0 voice
OF Camilla. mingling With the chords
OF her guitar, enchanted her obSe0ui-
Gus listeners. Paul to!led in lis lonely
chamber, only looking ND now ant
then from his books and papers, to lis
ten for a brief few moments to the
sounds of laughter and reNelry below.
Laugh on he exclaimed, as a Sar-
castle smile curved his 1inely-molded
lips: laugh on, frivolous and ignorant
ones = whisper mmeaning compli-
ments, and murmur inallities to my
peerless Camilla. | do not fear you;
lor it is not thus she will be Won"
Augustus Horton was rich man; he
belonged to one of the best families in
New Orleans. and the old Spaniard
knew OF no one better suited as a hus-
band for his beloved daughter
Don Juan therefore encouraged the
young planters addresses. though at
the same time thoroughly resolved to
Throw him off, should any richer or
more aristocratic sutton present him
self.
Camilla knew nothing of her faith
FL S intentions. All her admirers were
alike Indifferent to her, for her heart
was irrevocably given, and her faith
lrreyocably pledged. to Paul Lisimon.
While these changes had been slowly
working amongst the heads of the
household, the hand of Time had not
been idle in the humber chambers of
the Villa Moraquitos.
White hairs were mingled in the
black locks OF the mulatto woman Pc
pita; the negress cara was bent with
age, and Tristan, the negro lad, had
become mana man with powerful
passions and a subtle and cunning
nature; hidden beneath the mask Of
pretended ignorance and simplicity.
He could sing grotesque songs, and
dance half-sayage dances, as in the
early days of his young mistresss
youth, when he was Camilla 5 only
playfelloW. He knew a hundred tricks
OF jugglery, sleight of hand by which
he could amuSe an idle hour. and even
now he was often permitted to display
his accomplishments before the Span
ish girl, her devoted attendant Pepita,
and her old governess, MademoiseIle
Pauline CorSl, who still remained with
her. no longer as an lnStructreSS, but
III the character Of companion and
friend.
We nave as vet refrained from speak
ing of the ErenchWoman: but as she
| may by and by play by no means an in
significant part III the great life drama
| we are relating. it is time that the
| reader should know more OF her.
Pauline CorSi was but seventeen
| years old when she first came to Villa
! Moraquitos as the preceptress of Ca
militia, then Il child OF six. She was
! therefore thirty years OF age at the
tIA4o OF Whlch We write.
But although arrived at this cOmpar-
atively mature period Of life. she still
retained much OF the gIrllSh beauty of
| extreme youth.
Unlike most of her countrywomen,
she was very fair, with large, limpid
| blue eyes. and a wealth of ShoWery
flaNen curls. Small and slender, with
delicate feet and hands, there was
much i'll her appearance to indicate
/ patrlclan extraction. 1et she never
| alluded to her country or her friends.
| She told Don Juan that she was an
| orphan, homeless, penniless. and
| friendless, glad to leave the shores of
her sunny France for the chances of
finding better fortune in the New
| World.
And have found better fortune"
she would say. lifting her expressive
eyes to the dark face of her naughty
| employer; ''for where could | have
hoped to meet a nobIer patron. or to
find dearer friends or happier home,
than | have here. All. bless you, noble
! Spanlard for your goodness to the
| helpless stranger"
1t was III the summer that Pauline
Corsi came to the Villa Moraquitos,
and it was in the winter Of the same
year that Don Tomaso CrivelIi expired
in the arms of his brother-in-laW.
We must request the reader to bear
this i'll mind, for on the truth of GER
tain dates hangs much Of the tale of
mystery and crime which we are about
| to reveal.
The gossips of New Orleans were
ready to insinuate that the Spaniard's
| heart would surely be in little danger
| from the presence Of so Young and
| lovely a woman as the French COVER
ness, but they soon grew tired of whis-
serIng this, for 1t was speedily per-
,eived by all who knew Don Juan Nor
aquitOS that his heart was buried III the
mauSoleum of his fair young wife,
| Olympia, and that all the love of which
! his proud nature was capable was Law
Shed on his only child
Some girls in the position of Pauline
| gOrsi might have nourished ambitious
| hopes, and might have angled for the
| heart and hand of the wealthy Span
| lard; but it was impossible to suspect
| the light-hearted and frivolous young
| Frenchwoman of the mean vices of the
| schemer. She was thing of sunshine
and gladness-gay and needless as the
birds she tended in her chamber, care
perfumed her balcony So thought all
who knew Pauline Corsi.
Did any of them know her rightly2
The hideous skeleton, Time. whose
bony hand lifts. inch by inch and day
| ~ dav the dark and Dall-like curtain
| that hangs before the vast stage or the
future can alone answer this question.
| Camilla Moraquitos was much at
tached to her old governess. All her
varied accomplishments she owed to
| Mademoiselle Corsi; and far too gener-
Gus and highminded to consider the
| handsome salary paid to the French
/ c1lfai fnr