Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-11-11
CORA THE OCTORO0N
By MISS M. e. BRAL -.oon !.

Have you ever heard OF the mysteries
OF that wonderful city, in which almost
every street has its secret. known only
I'D the initiated in the winding ways of
civilized life? Three months after the
arrival of the duke and duchess in
Paris, an event occurred which changed
the whole current of their lives"
And that event was"
Apparently very simple one; the
!ady-maid of the duchess was a frivo-
ious girl. who had herself been educat-
eli il, France, but who had never be-
fore tasted the delights Of t..t brilliant
,.aptal. She was intoxicated VITA
capture, and she ventured even to ex-
press her admiration tor Paris in the
presence OF the young duchess.
Amongst the other wonders ot tnlS
marvellous city, Jc,tnnctte. ,tS tAe StIl
was called. spoke OF a fortune teller.
who had related to her som If the
events of her past life, an'i whom she
looked upon as a powerful N ,"lcIan."
But surely the duchess dlu not !i>teu
To this peasant girls foolish b.tuD,c.
Size did! Despair is, perhaps, l1rr!
Div near akin to madness. : le listened
at first from pure abstraction. scarce
needing what she heard: bar atterWard
eagerly. She asked the girl Il thousand
questions ABOUT this forlule-teller. and
finally it was agreed upon between the
mistress and maid that the woman
should visit the duchess late on the
following night, when the duke was
absent at political assembly, and all
the servants OF the establishment had
retired to rest"
strange caprice" exclaimed Camil-
liza.
Grief is sometimes capricious. The
duchess doubtless. was ashamed OF her
own folly. bat she wished Co hear what
This woman would say of the future,
which seemed so dark. WHAT if she
we're to prophesy the coming of an
heir to that naughty house-an heir
whose coming would restore all the
power of the now neglected wife. The
duchess passed the following day i'll a
state OF restless excitement, eager for
the coming hour which was to bring
the fUrtune-ttiier.
1T was nearly midnight when jean
nette admitted the woman by a private
door at the bottom of the grand stair
case.
There was something terrible in the
look of the woman VINO crept with
stealthy and silent tread over the luxu-
rlous carpets Of that palacelike abode.
She was old and haggard; her yellow
skin distigured 10y innumerable Wrink
les; her gray hair falling in elf locks
about her low and narrow forehead.
Her small eyes were surrounded by red
and ntlaned circles, and almost hid
den 10y the bushy eyebrows which pro-
jrcted over them. Her chin was
fringed with terribly gray bristles; her
mouth disfgured by two enormous
teeth, which resembled the fangs of a
wild beast. She was a creature calcu-
/ i.itl AI fn II icO nd
seemed still more horrible by contrast
with the elegance around her, as she
entered the superb apartments OF the
duchess.
There is little doubt that the maid,
Jeanette, had told this woman all the
secrets Of her mistress. Her task,
therefore, was an easy one. She des-
cribed the troubles of the past, and for
told that, before the year had elapsed,
child would be born to the duke and
duchess. On hearing this prophecy
from the lips OF a miserable impostorr,
the naughty Italian fell at her feet,
and burst into al hysterical flood of
tears.
The woman saw in that moment the
first dim foreshadowing of a future
crime. A week afterWard she came
again at the same hour. This time she
saw the duchess alone, and remained
with her for SD long a period that Jean
! ilette'S curiosity was excited. She con-
trived to overhear the interview.
Once more the duchess seemed a
transformed being. She no longer
shut herself from the world. Gay and
radiant she re-entered society; and in
few months the duke was informed
that he would ere long become father.
"On hearing this he was eager for an
immediate return to Italy, III order
that the infant might be born upon the
soil which it was by and by to inherit;
but the duchess had strange caprice
| upon this point. She was determined
! not to leave Paris, and herhuSband
could not bring himself to oppose her
wishes at such time.
within a twelvemonth from the first
visit of the fOrtune-teller, child was
| born and reared in the ducal mansion.
| was that child Caressed and in
! dulged from my earliest infancy,
happy, for | had much of the frivolous
| nature of my native Paris: but, child
DIS was, knew that l was not be-
loved.
* saw the looks of other women as
they hung over their children. and /
knew that such chances of affection
never rested upon me. The duke load
| ed me with presents, but he never en-
| braced me as had seen other fathers
| embrace their children. and L felt that
some gem was wanting in the diadem
| Of happiness. Years passed; grew to
| early girlhoOd, and for the first time
knew what it was to love. A young
artist, who had been engaged to paint
my portrait, fell in love with me, and
his passion was returned. For the first
and ONLY time T too loved. dpy0tedly
! enduringly. The painter, though
handsome, honorable, highminded, dis
tingUiShed, was driven from that ducal
| mansion with scOrn and cOntumeIy.
! WHAT greater sin could he have COM
mitted! He had dared to love the
daughter of one of Italy's proudest
nOAlemen.
This was the first bitter wrong Of
| my life. The pride of others trampled
on my hopes OF happiness, and at six
teen years OF age my breast was embit-
tered by blignted affection. My lover
wrote me letter of deSpairing fare
we'll and left the country for America.
To this day | know not to what part of
the mighty continent be went"
Poor Pauilne!"
"a twelvemonth after this, Jeanette
the servant OF the duchess, died; and
on her death-bed she sent for the duke
and confded to him a terrible secret.
| was not the daughter af the duchess,
but spurious child, born of low par
ents. and introduced into the ducal
mansion by the old Partisan fortune
teller"
ooh Heaven, how terrible. The fury
of the duke knew no bounds. He was
proud man. and for seventeen years
he had been duped, fooled, imposed up
al, % %oL,,1I