The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-01-16

Ian surgeon would have been unayai1-
able for US. We are all SO interlaced
socially, those below constantly watch
Ing those above and all watching one
another, that we dare not trust any
one Of our own number You, as an
American, are not mixed In our jeal-
ousies, our disputes, our
"Assassinations."
You are wrong there. There are
no assassinations in modern Italy. I
fought with the Duke But l will
tell you the story and have every con-
tdence that you will not reveal 1t.
Il am Count Baradini, and my ances.
tors have lived in this palace since the
twelfth century. The man you saw on
the other side of the signorina at the
ball was the Duke of Abolino. a rela.
tive of the king. The signorina herself
Is the daughter of the Countess Fran.
coccio, an old family that sprang up
under the influence of Lorenzo de- Me-
dici, commonly called Lorenzo the Mag.
nifcent. Signorina Blanca Francoccio
and myself have been lovers ever since
l was sixteen and she fourteen years
old. Upon her entrance into society
lately on her eighteenth birthday the
duke saw her and became DESTROYS of
possessing her. He is q widower, very
rich and has great influence with the
king. Soon after seeing Signorina BIZ
anca he made formal application for
her hand Her mother-her father is
dead-urged her to accept what is to
be considered in worldly point of
view better position than could give
her. To be duchess and rich is high
er In the worldly scale than to be
countess and with no possessions ex.
cept this old palace. AS for Blanca.
her heart is all mine, as mine is hers,
and If left to her own will she would
refuse the duke to marry me. Indeed,
rather than wed with him she declares
she will go into convent.
"The duke was expecting to have his
own way in the matter when at the
recent ball at the Pitt he discovered
rina Blanca few minutes before we
passed you, when the duke Joined hel
and by look babe me give way to
him. asked the lady to go with me
into another apartment. She assented
whereupon the duke went with us. On
reaching the other room Blanca show
ed the duke so plainly that his pres
ence was not desirable that he left us
giving me malignant look as he did
so that plainly meant L am man Of
with by such as you
"On leaving the palace the duke, who
took occasion to go out at the same
time as l, jostled me. Seeing that
must have it out with him, sent him
a challenge.
"Just at present the king would be
furious if he knew that members OF
the nobility to whom he looks for sup
port, especially his relative, had fought
a duel If l were known to have sent
a challenge to the Duke of Abolino ]
should in some way be made to suffer
1 met him within an hour after we
left the Pitt; but, realizing my posi-
ton, 1 did not dare even pink him
He came very near killing me, as you
see, and l doubt not will be disappoint.
ed if recover.
"The duke and my second joined in
conference as to how to keep the mat
ter a secret and decided to call upon
you to attend me.
There you have the story so far as
it has been enacted"
The balance of the tale / learned
from Count Baradini after he had re
covered. Signorina Blanca was com
manded by her mother to marry the
duke, and the king sent a message to
say that he would be pleased at q
match between her and his well be.
loved cousin. Despite these commands
and requests the girl fatty refused to
marry any one but the man she loved,
and when those who were conspirinp
against her found it impossible to
move her they desisted, and finally her
mother gave a reluctant consent that
she should marry the count
When the wedding came off 1 was
present and had a pleasant chat with
the bride about her husbands wound.
ing, of which she had been kept In ig
norance till the affair had blown over
So long as 1 remained in Florence
was welcome at the palace of Count
md Countess Baradini