Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-24
ZOZI.
By OPIE READ.

copyright. lcsb, by the Author.I
Among the effects Of T. r. Ludds,
whose death was recently announced by
tho Chicago newspapers. was found a
manuscript written by young woman.
1t was entitled "a Confession" and at
,ached TO it was the following note in
the handwriting Of Mr.. Ludds:
This was sent to me by the writer
thereof, Laura Brizmar. who. a few
years ago. held sway rs an acknowledged
beauty, and. lest some one may wonder
how came possessed of this confession.
let me say that Laura Brizman had
promised to be my wife"
don't ask for sympathy-I ask for
nothing except an unprejudiced reading
Of these iipes, and yet don't see how !
can hope even for SO much consideration.
There may come q time when to some
extent shall be indicated, and. with
this in view, shall set down in minute
detail the strange experience which be-
fell me.
One afternoon. while returning home
on suburban train after u day Of shop
ping. a most peculiar feeling suddenly
came over me. For few moments my
mind seemed to be in strange tumble,
falling or turning over and over, and
during the time my heart fiuttered with
fright. but suddenly became calm, and
ont Of that whirlwind of emotion came
the conviction that had lived hundreds
of years ago. We all have felt this i'm
preston, and / had felt it many times
before, and after a moments perplexity
had dismissed it as mental phenome-
non that never could be understood, but
this time it was more than an impres.
sion-indeed it was clarified into de-
fined recollection-and I remembered
the following incidents of former life
1t must have been at least 800 years
ago when lived in Florence. My ia
ther, Lopelo Denzi, was o rich mer-
chant, and ! an only child. I could get
but fitful glimpses of my childhood.
but l we'll remembered the day was
10, when was given as bride to An
tonic Moraso. How thrillingly this
came up and took possession of me that
afternoon, and how attempted to rca-
son with myself. tried to calm myself
with n strong view of the present-that
was a Yankee girl. sitting in rail-
way train, looking out on an Illinois
prairie, but the soft air and the delicate
perfume of an Italian garden came and
made my senses swim. And then the
recollection of my marriage was SO
strong that reason turned an ardent ad-
vocate and urged me to recall the details
Of my happy wedding.
Antonio Moraso! How brave and hand
some he was. with curling hair and eyes
of softest lustor! could recall every
feature OF his face, and SO distinctly on
q sudden did remember, or rather hear
again. the music of his voice that
was thrilled - thrilled back into the
rushing age of the present. Again did l
argue with myself. striving to make my
self believe that had been asleep, but
as sat looking out over Dutchman' s
cabbage patch the recollection Of my
life in Florence came back with height.
ened color, and now. no longer attempt
ing TO hold my mind in restraint, I
loosened it and let it fly back to the mar.
row streets Of Dante's town.
A bride at 10, but with what q happy
willingness loved Antonio with a
passion that could not exist in this cold,
commercial age The wedding eve. with
its knightly company! How its music
and its incense came back to ME. Then
came haze through which I could
scarcely see. and then Antonio and I
were living in charming old house.
Most of all remember one evening; we
were sitting in the garden.
."Zozi," said he. with his arm fondly
about me. "is it not a cruel fate that ar
some time death will separate usG''
"Oh. don't speak of that. love-"
implored.
1t was on my mind" he went on.
drawing me closer to him, "but I be-
lieve that We shall live again. do not