Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-04-22
APORPHYRY CASKET.

iect which has excited the curiosity OF all
who have seen il. II is small porphyry
casket. oblong i'm shape and fastened wlth
chased gold bands. 1t was made 1t IS
said, at the siguora's order by one Of the
most famous artists in Rome, and is no less
quaint in design than exquisite in finish
On one side cut into the stone, is the SIN
gle word amor, and "a date.
For what purpose it was made, what 1t
contains and why it is placed in the shrine
as If it were a sacred relic, few or none OF
the signora's acquaintance know. she
has been asked these questions many
times, and her only reply is, Something
more valuable to me than all my other
possessions put together" and the signora
is a very rich woman.
She has never been known TO open the
caslzet. and indeed il is so banded and
bolted together that it would require ex-
traordinary effort to break it apart. No
one is allowed to touch it, The signora
dusts and cares for it with her own hands,
and it has been observed that at such times
her ordinarily naughty air gives place to
one Of mournful humility, mingled with
almost religious reverence.
This is the storyof the porphyry casket.
The gossips Of society said that Olivia
Anfedi had resolved either to marry into
royal family or die single. Sons of noble
Roman families, merchant princes foreign
ambassadors. diplomats and soldiers had
sued for her favor and failed. She had re
fused offers the very thought of which
had embttered the soul of many a Roman
beauty with the gall of envy. For all the
emotion she had exhibited at the passion
ate pleading Of her suitors she might have
been statue of ice
She was the only daughter of an ancient
ducal family Of Rimini, and the pride and
beauty Of her race had descended to her
undiminished. Her hair, slightly waving,
was Of a glistening black, save when the
sunlight touched il, when faint coppery
tints and red CLEANS lickered in its glossy
depths. Her eyes in her calm moments
were dark violet, but changed with her
moods from cold steel gray to glowing
dusk, like the sky in a moonless August
night. She was pale, with the pallOr of a
perfect opal beneath whose surface the soft
hues come and go ceaselessly. Many a
sculptor, catching glimpse Of her figure
and with its stately grace and voluptuous
curves, had dreamed over it in his studio
vainly striving to fix some hint Of it in the
plastic clay. Many man had gone from
her presence with a sorrowful longing al
his heart, knowing full well that she wa
not for him. Yet to look at her face wa
to comprehend that if she ever should love
it would be with a passionate devotion
which few women are capable of and few
men can appreciate.
In the very height of her reign, when, t,
use scarcely too extravagant a metaphor
all Rome was at her feet, there came to thu
city poor student from the old universit!
of Padua. Marco Carnese had the dark
handsome features, the brilliant blacl
eyes, the 1.-the figure and the fiery passion
of the Sicilians His fine talents had wo
him some fame and a fellowship in hi
college there and the threadbare suit h
wore constituted almost his sole posses
sions. His poverty had increased his nat
ural reserve, and he lived in Rome, friend
less and solitary, buried in the seclusion q
his i'll furnished garnet.
1t seemed the merest irony that Mare
should meet Olivia Aniiedi and fall madl
in love with her, but so it was. She to,
had noticed the handsome student, wit
his mOurnful expression and reserved al
and had he been Of her own grade of lif
it is possible that she might have locke
upon his love with favorable eyes As
was she passed him with cold indifference
less bearable to his pride than downrigl
contempt.
He was not blind to the wide gulf
tween their respective stations; nor to q
utter hopelessness of his passion But
did not pause to reflect; he could think
nothing but that he worshiped her with
worship that was like a consuming fam
He could not keep away from her.
seemed as if he drew his life from her pr,
ence; and yet the sight of her beautif
face, so near and yet so utterly remov
from him, was a torture.
Denied her house. he followed her at
distance in the street; always with I
same mute, imploring look. lie manag
to introduce himself into the dwellin
where she visited; and often at nigl
CHANGING about the drawing room, she II
his dark moumful eyes resting upon
in passionate alteration.
He had ventured TO address her, in 10
trembling tones. She had replied with
freezing reserve that would have chang
the love Of most men into hatred. w
Marco Carnese it merely added fuel TO {
flame
One night he followed her into the
angery Of a mansion where they were be
guests, hardly knowing what he wished
meant TO do Seeing her there alone,
approached her, and suddenly throwi
himself upon his knees at her feet
poured out his passion in a torrent
words which would have swept away
resistance Of many women. She only lool
down at him with a curling lip.
"You are mad, signor,' she said.
eyes" he exclaimed, 81 am mad-you
noble, rich and honored; | SO poor, hum
and unknown IL Is madness. But
how gladly would die for one SMILE
look Of love from you, beautiful one"
"You are offensive, signor,' she 81
with exasperating calmness. Either lie
me or permit me to pass"
He arose with flaming cheek, and st
with bent head as she swept haugh
by him as II he had been an impertin
mental. He had made himself ridicul
in her eyesl She despised himl
Any other man would have been utt
overwhelmed 10y such rebuff. But
had said, be was mad. For few day
Isr.,eo1f in fha geplusi of his