Year: 1866

or to whom she belonged


Clearly, then, the first step towards the
accomplishment of his object was to make
himself acquainted with these.


The General, therefore, requested his
young friend, as the greatest favor he could
confer upon him, to dog the footsteps of the
lady, and if possible discover her name and
abode, with as much more kindred informa-
ton as he could make himself master of


The young officer faithfully executed his
commission. Without letting his move
ments be perceived by the object of his pur-
suit, he traced her along the Grand Canal,
in gondola which he hired, to one of the
finest mansions near the Palazzo


As soon as the lady dismissed her Condo
lier, and entered the portals of the palace,
the officer stepped ashore, and first bribed
the porter, that functionary informed him
that the house was the town residence of the
Signor Morisini, and that the name of the
lady who had just entered was Juliano Nor
isini.


With this information he fastened to his
employer, old Gablentz, who, overjoyed at
the prospect of being son-in-law to the
father of so beautiful woman, lost no tine
in waiting upon the Signor Morisini.


The Venetian was surprised at the ardor
of the General but, contrary to the expec-
tation of the lover, he made no objection to
the match. The preliminaries were soon
over, and the happy bridegroom appeared
at the altar. The bridegroom had just re-
peated the vows after the officiating priest,
and the lady had raised her veil in order to
pledge herself to everlasting love, honor
and obedience, when the gallant and am
orous General gave loud exclamation, of
nature more suited to the atmosphere of the
barracks or the mess room than to that of
the sanctuary


"A fraud vile fraud a mean, cursed
fraud !" shrieked, rather than spoke the
bridegroom.


Intense was the aStonishment of all pres
ent, but no one except the bridegroom him
self, and the gentleman who had acted the
part of friendly spy for him, understood the
cause of the Generals extraordinary and
unseemly behavior"


The latter gentleman, however, though
greatly marvelling at the affair, readily SYM
pathized with the infuriated bridegroom
for there, before the altar, arrayed in bridal
costume, stood not the fresh and radiant
beauty of the Giardino Publico, but dry
and faded-we might almost say withered
and scraggy faced, though tall and stately in
her person-lady, old enough to be, at least,
the mother of the young and beautiful crea-
ture whose destinations had vanquished the
poor old General


When the officiating priest had recovered
the composure disturbed by the bridegroom
outburst of fury, he demonded to know the
cause of such conduct.


cause ~ echoed the General "cause
enough That is not the lady / bargained
for ~


. But that lady is my daughter ~ said
the Venetian, stepping forward and con-
fronting the warrior with a mien as fierce
and stern as his own. "That lady is my
daughter; though we are the subjects of
foreign rule, /, at least am not SO cowardly
slave as to put up quietly with the gross
in.ult you now offer me ~


A general alteration ensued but the end
of it was that the General was compelled to
marry the mature and unblushing, middle
aged bride whom he had led to the altar.


The Austrian Commander-in-C Chief in
VeHice, on being appealed to, and on the
affair being explained to him, insisted that
the honor of the Austrian army, and even
of the Emperor, were involved in the affair
" For, " reasoned the Commander-in-Ch Chief,
you know you procured my influence,
which is that of the Emperor, to prevail on
the Signor Morisini to give you the hand of
his daughter; and inasmuch as the lady is
his daughter, and his only daughter when
you made your suit, you must be sensible
to the fact that it would never do to break
your word.


The poor crest fallen general was compell-
ed to take the middle aged lady for better
and for worse" 1t is possible, however,
that he may have consolsd himself with the
reflection that the unpleasant looking pill
which he had promised to swallow might be
rendered palatable by gliding of some of
his father-in-law's gold


The source of the mistake was easily clear
ed up.


Old Morisini had son, settled as a mer-
chant in Genoa. This son, who was marri-
ed, had daughter bearing the same name
as her aunt-Juliano Norisini


This daughter-the beauty of the Giar-
dino Publico-was on visit to her grand
father, at Venice, when, in the manner rela-
ted, she was seen by General GabIentz, and
who, because her name was Morisini and she
lived in the same house, very illogically
jumped to the conclusion that she must be