Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-04


locks himself In his room and charges MS
/ servants not to let any one enter, ana
to bury him as he shall be found. lie
also writes letter to his wife charging
her to see that this injunction IL ob@yed
and this she does, watching herself AT
one OF the doors until the end, and resist
Ing all threats and entreaties OF those
who would disregard the sufferers wishes
Then. when he is laid away, comes her
atonemcnt.
Such Is an outline OF the story. But
in order to anything like a proper appre-
citation OF the authors delicate touches
I'm descriptive work. her keen insight into
human nature, her originality In hand
ling the plot, her dramatic force, and her
literary art in avoiding narrowing the
feelings. every line OF II must be read.
1t is closely woven from beginning 10
end, and the moral that Is conveyed runs
like a distinct but unobtrusive thread
through the entire web and woof. IL Is
a pronounced success. and VIII establish
Miss Winnies reputation I'm the broader
literary sphere she has entered
For sale by J. W. Randolph & Co.
THE TOWER or TADDEO. BY OuIda.
New York: Lowell, Coryeli & Co. 1885.
PIP. 49, Paper. 50c.
This work has many OF Miss RANGES
characteristics, but is not liable to the
severe structures which some OF her pro-
auctions have elected She Is a strong
writer, and sure TO enlist the interest Of
her readers. Her illusions and references
show that she possesses more learning
than most Of the novellsts Of the day.
and yet she exhibits it without pedantry.
The Tower OF TaddeO was d lofty
Italy. Its several stories were occupied
by persons OF different grades and occu-
pations. The upper ones were used by
francesca Ardiglione, called Ser Checchi,
whose ancestors had lived there for 20
years. He was now widower, with d
son, CirillO, who was addicted To dissipa-
ton and drained his resources, already
moderate, and u daughter, Beldia, who
was model Of filial devotion and femi-
nine propriety. On the roof she tended
her flowers and her pigeons, enjoyed some
Of the scenes Of Italy and the other fea-
yeus, and gained knowledge by reading
and meditation Her father. thOsgh alb
sOrbed in collecting and studying rare
books, diu not neglect her, but did not give
her the confidence about MS affairs which
she deserved. BY his generosity In i'm
parting his extensive learning and lend
ing his valuable treasures he greatly d.
minlshed the proceeds Of his business as
bookseller, and by this means ana the
demands OF Cirillo, res angustae dOmi
pressed upon him and his beloved Bedia.
At length he was completely ruined by
what he regarded as one of his greatest
joys and successes--the finding OK an
ancient (May, 1920 Ms. Codex OF Dantes
Divina Commedia. IL he had held his
tongue about its value and possessed even
90 ~.
him inestimable treasure on terms rea-
sonable and within his competency; but
he caused such price 10 be placed upon
il that he had To accept the aid OK Il keen
and hidden sharper.
one Vestuccio, a self-made man. had
become successful dealer in curlos, brio
a-brac, &c. and he, under the pretence
Of friendship, persuaded Ser Checchi 10
accept from him a loan and 10 execute
for IL his note; and various similar trans
actions were afterwards entered into. On
one side were liberallty and want Of care
and system, on the other, system and ra-
paciEy. or course, Il day Of reckoning
was inevitable. Nestucclo, by his plausi-
be and smooth-faced ways, maintained a
good standing IN the community. and had
a number OF them under his thumb. He
assigned Ser CheccnfS notes 70 several
OF these, and upon them suits were
brought judgments obtpined, anl execu-
lions issued. When Beldia became fully
aware OF the depth Of her fathers ms
fortune, she did all she could. but her
appeals were in vain. NestucciO also had
Anatella, her summer home.
On one occasion her vile brother had
virtually robbed her OF the pearls which
she had inherited from her mother, and
were worth several thousand francs. Just
before the sale OF her fathers effects she
received from Cirillo a check for 2e0O
francs He said In his letter that he had
won 1900 francs. and IL was her pearls
that had enabled him % bet. This enclo-
sure would have greatly relieved her an
gushed father but when she offered IL
70 him he spurned ii and returned 1t 10
his son.
The sale took place. He sent Belda to
II, in disguise, to see what became OF his
Divina COmmedla. She reported that Il
had gone, at . moderate sum. 70 the clerk
OF NestucclO, who afterwards sold 1t In
England FOR i5.000. The heart-broken
book collector dies in his chair. and Bel
dia Is left alone in the world, with only
two friends, besides her faithful dog. one
OF these has provided her a place OF re-
fuge, for she had been turned out of the
tower by its heartless owner The other
vas her lover, Odisio Fontana, q very
promising architect and q pupil Of her
father. with whose consent she had ac-
cepted him; but they must wait.
OdisiO had received a profitable engage
ment from millionaire IN Rio, and had
sailed for that port. But he was ship
wrecked. and though saved, II was a long
time before he could return 10 his
affianced He found her wasting away In
poverty and distress, and working for
subsistence, but as true to him as he
bar II frnr
we are not informed. Whilst the author
arouses our Indignation against Cirillo
and Vestuccio and his confederates, one
Of whom was Beldia's rejected and spite
full sutton, POmp.lio Querci. a rich law
yer and notary, and eXcites our admira-
ton Of Beldia and our deep sympathy for
her. she does not coll forth much. If any,
sympathy for Ser Checchi. She may not
have 50 intended. His case is exagge-
rated and unreasonable. She makes him
out not only a bibliophlle, but a biblio-
phOol. By selling IN due time some Of his
rare collection, even his idollzed Dante,
he could have prevented that ruinous sale,
which he must have known would sweep
his COdlce and everything else. We
rather chide him for his folly than feel
FOR his distress.
When the landlord turned Beldla out OF
her beloved tower one pretence for doing
SO was that the town authorities had
doomed IL to destruction, Notwithstanding
It's age. it's history, and its rich sculptured
ornamentatOn. Thee work thus ends;
ION the site OF the Tower Of Taddeo
there Is now standing the chimney Of
factory belching forth its sinking vapcrs
TO the sullied waters and the outraged
heavens. The change is called Progress"
Such changes are inevitable in the growth
OF every city.
A SCHOOL HISTORY OF THE UNITED
STATES. BY Susan Pendleton Lee.