Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-06-15

A stranger life than that Of Madame
Monteleone could not be imagined.
she. too, came from the same illustri
Gus race as her late husband. They
were in fact the only two members OF
the family left Their marriage was
a happy one; but the decay OF his
family broke the heart of Luigi. His
day-dream was TO win back its glory
and its honor; but he died young, and
left one little daughter, Blanca, then
only four years old.
Madame Monteieone gave herself
I'D entirely to the education OF this be-
loved child, who gave great promise
Of beauty, and her mother formed
high and glowing hopes for her future
Beautiful and gifted, her daughter
might accomplish the task in which
ner father had failed. She might
marry, and her husband consent TO
take the time-honored name OF Mon
teleone. or one of their children might
bear 1t: and so thslfcient race might
revive to more than its former glory.
Rarely did either mother or child
quit the grounds belonging to the
castle. II was a beautiful but lonely
and saddened home. The greater
part of the castle lay in ruins; only
one wing was habtable; and there
madame, her daughter, and two ser
wants dwelt. The day was spent III
hard study and the requirement of
numberless accomplishments; and the
stern, beautiful mother never neglect
ed any means in her power OF instill-
ing her own wishes and plans into the
mind Of her child. When the day
work was ended, the young girl listen
"a for hours together to stories OF the
brave deeds OF her ancestors.
shall this great name die out?'
the mother would ask, when the
chlds heart was glowing with her
words. "Ah, no, Blanca! let your
destiny be to re-establish II. Live for
that, and you will be the greatest Of
all the ladies of Monteleone."
So the young girl grew up in the
lonely old castle, cut off from all the
pleasures and amusements OF her age,
without any companion except her
mother; living only in the glories OF
the past and the hopes Of the future,
thinking of the present merely as
probation that must be ended. AT the
age of eighteen she was beautiful as
an houri. and accomplished to an ex-
traordinary degree. She spoke
italian, French, and German with as
much fuency as Spanish. She sang
beautifully. and played with no mean
skill. Well might her mothers heart
glow with pride as she watched her,
and her hopes rose higher day by day,
Madame Monteleone had begun to
form her plans She had purposely
lived in the most economical man
ner. and had so managed to save a
sum of money. With this she in
tended to go to Madrid. where her
name was still known and honored
and there introduce her beautiful
child to the notice OF the Spanish
queen, While maturing these plans
circumstance happened which rem
dered them all useless and unavailing,
Destiny had other things in store for
Blanca Monteleone.
The northern front of the castle
faced the high road that led to the
ancient and celebrated city of Seville.
One evening a man. coming on bust
ness to one of the servants, found In
the middle of the road young gentle
man, who had apparently been thrown
from his horse and lay either stun
ned or dead on the bank, while the
horse quietly gra2ed at some dis
lance from him. In few minutes
the inhabitants of the castle were
aroused. and. by Madame Monteleone's
command, the gentleman was car
rled into one of the bedrooms, and a
doctor sent for Win all speed
The extent of his injuries was soon
discovered; they were a violent con-
cussion of the brain and broken
ankle For many days the life OF the
young stranger trembled in the
balance. During that time he never
recovered his senses, but evidently
imagined himself in England They
discovered that he was an English
lOUltulbiAs Abl Al n NhiAtAtA iitN NJ AfthhA
was written his name, stephen Lord
Lynne hey knew he must be
wealthy. for he wore diamonds Of
great value, and a purse full OF gold
was found in his pockets. Inquiries
were made at Seville, and then they
discovered that the wounded stranger
had been residing for some weeks in
.hat city, and that only two days be
fore his valet had left him and re-
turned 70 England Some large boxes
belonging to him were still at the
hotel, and these were forwarded to
Serrauto ut Madame Montcleone's
desire
Very slowly did Lord Lynne recover
consciousness and strength. His
gratitude was bouudless. lie spoke
French nuenly and as both ladies
babitually couyersed In that language
there was nothing to check their
friendly intercourse, All that he had
e., t.ff ,,..s a..r t7FF II. E.arb,p