Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1902-11-07
A LOVE CHARM.
uY nARoNEss Won BUELOw.

"lIa chere Berthew The loving
tone in which she used to call me
so still echoes in my heart. | shall
never forget the hours | spent with
her in her magnificent palace in the
Eternal City From its windows one
could see all Rome and the Tiber.
Sunshine sparkled in the castle OF
| ST. Angelo, ON the roofs and. even
on the aloe shrubs from the walls, and
the blue vaults from the Italian sky
rose above the whole scene. When
ever l was permitted to visit her l
used to await her appearance in a
large, lofty hall hung with Gobelin
tapestry; the ceiling was yaultedwith
splendid stucco ornamentation. The
figures in the tapestry appeared so
! lifelike i'm their well-preserved tints
! that they flledmewith uneasy dread.
After a time one of the white, pol
ished folding doors with gilt handle
would open and admit a small and
exceedingly graceful figure, such as
may occasionally be seen among fam
! lilies of true blue blood. Though still
youthful in form and Manner and at
! q certain distance in feature also, She
made a curious "chifonee@ impress
sion. She appeared to me almost
like a sprite, and even in broad day
lieht like one Of the figures in the
| tapestry room came to life. But as
she spoke the words MA tres chere
Berthe" the apparition yanishedand
the old marchesa stood before me,
We used to converse in French,
which she pronounced with the IN
imitable Italian accent, as all ltal-
| ians do, even when they belong to
! the great world, and she really was
"grande dame," "principessa" Of
royal lineage. Her husband, the old
marchese, still occupied high posi-
| ton in the state, although he was al.
ready old and fragile. Whenever l
| came he never failed to greet me and
would also pay his wife some delicate
attention, placing a footstool under
her feet or fetching her a cushion.
This She would acknowledge with
courtly grace and grateful smile,
which. however. much rcsembled the
| fixed smile of a mask, for every line in
ner face was hidden by powder. Yet
it touched me to see the old couple
| exchange their friendly smiles.
| Once. when l remarked this to
| the marchesa, she said: "Chute! He
is quite devoted and deeply attached
to me. Men parlez pas, ma chere en-
FAINT, he is bound to me forever, the
poor marchese, by love charm"
laughed.
"Donot laugh, cherie, will tell you
the story" Which was as follows:
1--WE were engaged, as is the GUS
tom among our families--conven-
ances? OH AT least had not been
consulted. He and l, we were as for
NAL in our intercourse as young peo
pie were obliged to be in those days
. We were never left alone together
When he came to see me and when hC
= left me, l dutifully gave him my hanc
- and he dutifully kissed it. He called
me mademoiselle' or madame, an(
| called him 'monsieur'-and-oh
mon ehfant, I loved him ardently
t with all my soul! 1 longed passion
ately to know if he also loved me, TO,
he had never told me so.
"At last Icould bearit no longer.
was burning to hear the truth, and
. began to fret and worry. My olC
nurse, Petronella, one day found mi
in tears. She was in despair, for sh,
adored me, and at last she found ou
/ my secret; l confessed it to her in
= whisper. so you wish the marches
. to love you,' she whispered back t,
- me- And with blush l said: Yes.
"'Then listen to me, carissma, sh
b said, mysteriously. 4 know Of low
4 charm, a sure one, and one that i
e not at all difficult to obtain; singl
4 drop Of your blood must be droppet
into his food or wine. Let him bu
taste your blood and he belongs t
you forever. 1t is an old and well
tried love charm which never fails
'Then she told me how Angelin
e had tried it with Beppo, and Pietr
e with Barbara; how they had love,
;, each other forever after, to the en-,
Of their lives. / scorned the idea
But how silly What an odd thing t