The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1901-10-05
ian by birth, although he might easily

have been taken TOT p Far1Elan.e
Il cannot tell howl first knew that =
loved him; 1t seemed then a IL I had
known him and loved him all my life
But he soon knew the state Of my
heart. for he had experience, though I
had none; and, blinded though Twas
by a girls first passion, I soon UNDER
stood that he was not a good man.
"He made furious, passionate love to
me; but he never spoke OF marriage
till he saw he could only win me by q
I found the ring, for, though he was
scholar, he was, just then, as poor as
myself But I was not critical.
II remained in my situation. though
I told my mistress that I was married,
and showed her my marriage lines.
She scolded mo roundly; but 1 had be-
come useful to her, so she did not dis
charge me. vs.
II was happy; deliriously happy, for
a few short months, and then Antonio
disappeared. Day after day ] hoped
and prayed for his return, out he did
not come, Then I mourned him as
dead, for I would not believe that he
had deserted me.
ST grew sick; my, health failed so
that I could not attend to my duties,
anc my mistr ess discharged me. Some
months of misery followed, until, aft el
weeks Of suffering in a public hospital.
T was enabled once more to obtain a
situation as lady's maid. Ny new mis-
tress, an italian lady of rank, the Mar
cheese del Castellani, was a singularly
unprepossessing lady Of great wealth,
but Of a kind and gentle nature.
my mistress loved the child, too:
she Eever tired Of gazing on him and
holding him in her arms. She would
have given half of all her wealth and
estates to have had Tonic for her very
own. Her husband-the Marquis del
Ca stellani-I had never seen. They
were not separated. as I learned from
the talk of the other servants, only be-
cause the marchesa was infatuated
about him. !"
zone day when I came down to
breakfast there was a rumor among
the servants that the marquis had re-
turned, and as soon as I saw the mar
chesa I knew that 1t was true. She
looked radiant. Her pale, sallow face
was TRANSPORTED by an expression sc
joyous hat h was almost handsome.
IT was seated in a room opening on
the grand salon, darnirg a fine lace
curtain which a pct dog had torn, when
my mistress called tc me:
"'Leonce, come here and bring To-
nio!'-for my babe was playing at my
feet on the floor while I sewed. and my
attention > was divided between my
work and the cherub who was cooling
and smiling up at me.
"'Basta-basta, Teresa! Bid her not
bring the brat here; o know I hate
children!' said voice in Italian.
1T only misunderstood the foreign
words-but the voice! My blood seemed
tt curdle and grow thick in my veins.
I caught up Tonic, clutching him tight
ly, and then I made one step out n the
salon and looked al the man who had
spoken. Yes; it was my child's. father
the Marquis of Castellani!
81 did not faint, madam; l did not
cry out; I merely stood before him and
stared mutely in his face. No sign OF
recognition there-not yer q look that
told he had ever seen me before that
instant.
ST turned and left the ROOM, my little
Tonic clasped to my heart that seemed
to have become stone. My mistress
only thought I felt wounded at the re-
ception given to my child, and when We
were next alone, laughingly apologized
for her husbands lack of appreciation.
She had no suspicion Of the truth, and
it would have been cruel and useless in
me to have enlightened her.
ST cast about in my mind for some
excuse to leave the house. I believed
that I hated the man who had wronged
me-, and I felt that I must see him no
p,,$ r Soon fov,r5 fhof tho nnru~
er, the fascination he possessed W. me
was greater than ever.
ST fled with my child to America.
away from this terrible man, my
horror Of him increased to positive de-,
t~estation. I no longer loved him, and I
felt that If I never saw him again I
was safe, and could defy his power. I
have lived in comfort in New York for
nearly four years. I easily secured q
situation as lady's maid, and my little
Tonic was cared for by a kind country
woman Of my own.
"a few months ago NY mistress de-
cided to 60 to France, and h was anx
ius to have me go with her: but all
Paris would not have tempted me to
return there. and SO we parted.
Then fortune favored me, madam,
for I entered you service, and mere !
would have been SO he ppy, so content
cd, but for the sorrows that have over
taken madam, and then-ah, Mon Dieu!
I met him again. My evil fate directed
me to this house. We met face to face,
andsI knew that I was in his power
again!" I'll j
"But why leave me, Leonce? You
have told me your whole story, my poor
Girl Tharo ia NOTHING for me to- DIG