Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-09-09

her governess had sat talking together
IN Camlllla'S luxurious boudOlr. The
slave Tristan had been admitted to the
apartment to amust the capricious
beauty with songs and antics. But Ca
| militia had soon grown weary of this
diversion, and turning to Mademoi-
Selle CorSl. she said languidly:
"Tell Tristan to leave US. Pauline, he
is noisy. and he wearies me-"
Generous-hearted as was the Span
ish girl, her education had taught her
to look upon d slave as an inferior be-
ing. unblest with those finer feelings
which demand our courtesy and con
sideration. She dismissed Tristan as
she would have dismissed her lapdog
| when tired Of his antics. 4 black and
gloomy tr0Wn obScured the negro 5
glltteflng eyes as he WAS thus uncere-
mOniously ordered from the room
1t was unObServed by Camilla. but
not unmarked by Pauline Corsi.
The slave retired, but he did not 90
far. Between the boudoir and the sa-
loon there was an antechdmber, the
moor OF Which was covered with
| square Persian carpet-a carpet of i'm
mense value, thick as velvet pile.
Upon this carpet, close to the door Of
| the boudOir, Tristan threw himself like
dog on the threshold of his masters
| apartment.
"She sends me from her." he said,
| bitterly; Il am noisy. and | weary her;
| it was not so in the days that are long
| gone by, when she and | were pIayfel-
| lows"
The negro gone, Camilla reclined up
on sofa, and amused herself by look
ing over pile Of French novels, which
| had lately arrived from Paris. To do
i this she drew toward her a little iHiaid
| table upon which stood an elegant
| reading lamp.
| Pauline C0rsi was seated at the other
extremity Of the apartment working
| brisllly at a large piece of embroidery,
and lost in thought. She did not there
fore observe the proceedings OF her
young pupil.
For some time Camilla read on I'M
| disturbed; but by-and-Dy growing Wea-
| ~ Of her book, she cast it from her
with an impatient exclamation, and
| stretched out her hand to reach an
other from the volumes on the table
| beside her. In doing this she upset
| the reading-lamp.
The glass globe broke with crash;
the intammable oil and burning wick
We're spilled upon the gauzy muslin
| folds Of her yoluminOus dress.
| She uttered a shrek Of horror, for in
| one brief moment she found herself in
! flames.
The negro heard that shrek; and,
swift as the panther darling from his
| lair, he b0urded from the threshold
where he had been living.
Losing al presence OF mind, Cdmil-
| liza. followed by Pauline CorSi. rushed
past the slave Tristan, and from the
antechamher into the saloon bevond.
The llamtS. tanned Dy the current or
air through which She passed, rose to-
ward her head. In another moment
she would have been lost.
! But the prpSerEer WAS at hand.
With Il yell Of agony. like that Of q
| wild beast in its deHth-strug@le with
the hunter. the negro fling himself up
on the floor OF the antechamber. and
tore up the heavy Persian carpet which
covered the room; then rushing upon
| Camilla, he enVeloped her slender
form in this massive fabric, and with
his own hands eXtingllished the flames.
The Spaniard, S daughter escaped I'M
scathed from this terrible ordeal, but
the hands of the slave were tearfu!ly
scOrched and wounded.
| Don Juan MOraqutOs offered any re-
ward he might choose to name to the
i deliverer Of his child, but, to the Span
| iard's establishment. Tristan refused
all his masters offers.
| The Spaniard would have given him
! freedom. but the slave chose rather to
stay in the house III which he had been
born.
All gifts of money he also refused
refused with a gloomy determination
which Don Juan and Camilla tried i'll
| vain to overcome.
No" he said, ''let me stay With you,
my master and my mistress. The poor
| slave Tristan, asks no more"
In vain the Old negreSs Zarah. plead
| ed with her son, implOrlng him to ask
freedom for himself and his mother,
| that they might return to the native
shore from which the captain CT STAY
| or had brought them. He refused to
! listen to her entreates, and turned
from her with a gloomy scowl.
Don Juan and his daughter praised
the fidelity Of the slave, and promised
him every privilege that could render
his service happy one. Only one per
son in that household OWNED the
| secret CleW to the negro strange con
duct. That person was the seemingly
frivolous and light-hearted FreuclW u
man, Pauline CorSi.
\ depth Of penetration lurlled be-
meath that girllsh exterior. She had
read the true meaning Of Tristan 5
| conduct.
The slave-the negro-the thick
Tipped, Woolly-haired African-the low
est type Of Il despised and abhorred
| race, loved his mistress. the wealthy
| Spanish heHess. the beautiful and
| halIQItv Camilla MnrauuiIDSi