THE TIMES NEW BLOOMFIELD, PA., OCTOIlli.il 4, 1881.
A Dangerous Prize.
PAl'SILlTO Isa suburb or Naples,
stretching along the western side of
the beautiful buy, about which to much
lias keen said and written.' Along the
steep banks that descended abruptly to
the sen are many charming villas facing
directly on the water, and reached from
the main road by r.lgzag paths, through
Hardens rich in all the luxuriant growth
of Southern Italy.
In one of the prettiest of these villas
lived an Eugllnb family ; ami at the
time of the present story some tender
passages were taking place between the
eldest daughter of the house and Lord
Ardley, whose yacht was lu the harbor
at Hanta Lucia, whence It was his fre
quent custom. to sail across in the dingy
when the wind was favorable, both as a
short cut, and to avoid the dust, jolting
uud evil odors along the Chlaja. The
usual companion of these journeys was
a lad of eighteen, an Englishman who,
some few years previously, had beeu
cast adrift at Naples by one of those
strange chauces which are liable to be
fall a young sailor who finds himself
with a brutal captain and a drunken
crew. After many shifts and much
misery, by dint of Bheer honesty and
industry virtues at a considerable pre
mium in this city and aided by a quick
intelligence, he had acquired a fair
knowledge of the language, and a de
cent position us guide, courier, commis
sionaire, as occnsiou oil'ered. His name
was Frank Lloyd. Lord Ardley had
taken a fancy to him, and attached him
to his special service during his stay in
the neighborhood, finding him both
useful and discreet.
Now it happened that adjoiulng the
Villa .Santangelo wa9 an untenanted
house, placed under the care of a gard
ener, named Baldelli, who occupied a
small house close to the water's edge,
which served for bathing apartments
when the main building was tenanted.
With old Baldelli, lived his niece Teres
iua, an exceptionally beautiful girl of
fifteen, who had rather a hard time of
it to make things comfortable for her
surly and avaricious uncle, to whom the
expenditure of every soldo for house
hold necessities was agony. Teresina
was a great favorite at the villa, where
she was often required to assist the
ladies witli her needle ; and there some
of her happiest days were spent, much
indeed to her own advantage ; for, tak
ing an interest in her, they had taught
her habits and modes of life which rais
ed her considerably above her country
women of the same class. Deprived of
her early parents, Bhe mixed little In the
society of her own class ; for Baldelli
was strongly averse to anything in the
nature of outings or junketings, as in
volving expense, and his miserly habits
made him unpopular amongst his neigh
bors. Teresina had beeu for some time at
tached to Frank Lloyd, much to the
displeasure of old Baldelli, who hated
him very cordially for the way in which
Lloyd steadily set his face against the
monstrous impositions attempted by the
old man, though he frequently put lit
tle commissions in his way for flowers,
fruits, poultry and the rest. Baldelli's
son, Luigi, was also a thorn in the sides
of the lovers. He was a typical speci
men of "those Neapolitans," a term of
contempt used specifically for a loafing
set iu Naples by the surrounding towns.
Just a shade above the lazzaroni, who
are fast disappearing, they are as Idle
and worthless a set of cubs as are to be
found in Europe. Work is hateful to
them ; they would sooner filch a shilling
than earn ten any day ; their time is
spent around the doors of cafes, in the
piazza, on board the bay steamers, in
the gardens of the Cbiaja ; always in
gangs, gambling, Idling, smoking, sing
ing, sometimes but rarely fighting,
never working. Where they find means
to dte9 their unclean bodies in the taw
dry pseudo-respectable clothes they
wear, and for the lavish display of col
lars and cuff's the less said about their
under attire the better is a mystery.
Luigl had graduated highly in this set;
but, having a notion to settle down Into
less precarious mode of life, and
thought that Teresina might prove a
useful appendage, and, perhaps, by her
cleverness and industry, supply him
with means for his own particular pleas-
ures.
Afiairs thus stood when a stroke of
fortune, which befel Teresina, gave rise
to the tronble of which this story tells
Like many wiser and better people than
herself. she occasionally dreamed dreams,
and often threw away her small savings
in the public lotteries upon some "lucky
cumber" which was to make her
fortuue. One day, however, she found
herself to be the one in a thousand on
whom Fortune smiles. Bhe was the
winner of five hundred pounds. It 1b
needless to say with what alacrity she
presented herself at the banco di lotto
and her disappointment on finding it
was Impossible to pay the money over
to her. Bhe was too young. She must
bring Ucr pa rents or guardian. With a
heavy heart she returned to Pausllipo,
no longer thinking of the joyful sur
prise she had In store for her darling
Frank, when she should place the mon
ey lu his hands ; and tell him to take
her with it ; but with the presentiment
of some misfortune that muntarlae from
her uncle's greed and her cousin's envy.
But she had been taught a courage and
dependence from her association with
the English, which determined her to
make a stand for her rights.
"Chut! What do you so late?"
growled her uncle as she entered the
house.
" I have been to the batco di lotto,
my father.
" Lotto t what have you to do with
lotto Y O little devil 1 it is not enough
that you should beggar me by giving
macaroni to any blind beggar who pas
ses, but you must play lotto, eh Y while
Lulgl Bleeps all day, and drinks aniset
te like a prince I Curse you both 1"
" But I have gained, my father. And
it was not with your money, but eome
that I earned from the English ladies."
"Gained! Humph! Nine or ten lira
for you r treuta ceuteslme,! suppose.
"I have won twelve thousaud five
hundred francs."
Old Baldelli dropped his hands to his
sides, fell back In his chair, and, with
open mouth and staring eyes, seemed to
have lost all power of utterauce.
"It Is true, Uncle Baldelli; and you
are glad of my good fortuue, are you
notl"'
'Twelve thousaud! Why, we shall
be rich, my little Teresina. But where
is the money Y Let me look at it, let
me feel it ;" and his lean fingers trem
bled with excitement.
" I have not yet received it. They said
yoir must apply for It. But here is the
ticket."
Old Baldelli seemed lost in thought.
'Yes, yes ; I will apply for it," he said ;
"and theu what gay doings, you shall
have the brightest silk scarf lu Naples,
and a silver necklet worth forty francs,
if I can't get it cheaper. And when
you marry Lulgl-1-"
'But I am not going to marry
Lulgl."
" Ah, but that will come in time.
And we will buy the little orchard on
the hill above, and your old uncle your
loving old uncle shall do all the work,
and Lulgl shall play at vioro and go to
the theatre, and the littte Teresina shall
look after the house and be as extrava
gant as she pleases." Aud the old man
chuckled over this pleasant arrange
ment. But Teresina's spirit rose at
this.
" I will never marry Luigl, uncle
Baldelli, for I have plighted myself to
Frank Lloyd."
Her uncle looked black at this ; but
any care about his niece's marriage was,
at present, absorbed in thoughts about
money. He saw no connection between
the two at the time. He took it for
granted that what was her's was his,
and if she would not have Luigi well,
It was very desirable, certainly, but
Lulgl must look to himself.
And you will take five thousand
francs for yourself, uncle ; for, although
my father, I believe, left you sufficient
for my support, I would not appear un
grateful. For the rest, I wish it to be
given to my future husband."
Baldelli stopped In the middle of some
calculation he was making, looked fix
edly for a few moments at his niece,
and over his face came a look that
frightened her.
" Bah, little fool, you know not what
you say I Will you sacrifice your fami
ly to this accursed fairfaced foreigner V"
" The foreigner loves me. My faml-
ily's kindness is but small."
At this moment a servant from the
Villa Santangelo appeared to request
Teresina's presence at the house.
" Say no word of this to the English
people," was her uncle's injunction as
she left.
" I will say no word, but I will do as I
have said;" and there was a determine
tion in her voice and look that there
was no mistaking.
Baldelli sat for a long time, never
moving but to make a gesture of anger,
or to utter an oath. Presently he went
to a cupboard, took from it a bottle of
wine that had laid there many a month,
and drank it at a draught. And then,
as the unaccustomed fumes mounted to
his brain for be rarely took Btimulants
he paced the chamber to and fro, ex
cited aud restless.
It was late when Teresina returned,
aud it was with, surprise she found her
self accosted by hei uncle in amiable
tones.
" You have said nothing at the villa
of your fortune, childl"'
"Nothing my father."
"And you will not marry that poor
Luigi, and you will give all this money
to the Englishman r" .
" It is only just, uncle Baldelli."
"And your poor uncle will remain in
Fausilipo, and work, work for his plate
of macaroni, aud his dear little Teresina
will be quite proud and ashamed of
him I " and there was a sneer in the old
man's tones, and a 'dark look in his
eyes, that belied the softness of his
speech.
" No, no," replied his niece, " never
that, I hope, But you will go about
this for me to-morrow, will you not V"
" Yes, I will see to It. Aud now we
will take a cup of wine In honor of my
Teresina's good fortune. See here, it Is
ready ;" and he took from the side table
two tumblers already poured out.
' Ah, this is very kind of you, my
father. But how bitter it is I"
" Finish It, finish it," he said fiercely;
"a bumper to the lucky number 1" and
she, not caring to Irritate hlm,complled.
She shortly after retired to rest, drow
sy aud tired.
Half an hour afterward the old man
crept toward her room, muttering.
"La Sonnambula! La Sonuambula I
Lulgl said that the opera at San Carlo
was like real life. Somnambulists do
strange things."
Aud he passed Into her room.
Frank Lloyd was sitting In a boat
waiting for his employer at the foot of
the step9 of the Villa Santangelo. He
was surprised to Bee a light burning In
the gardener's house at so late an hour ;
but he kuew that Teresina often sat up
late after her uncle had retired; indeed,
he bad had many a sweet stolen inter
view with her at the window, when
walling as he waited now. At this mo
ment he heard the voice of Lord Ardley,
joined in a duet with his flancoe at the
villa. " He won't come away just yet,"
said the sailor to himself; so, taking a
clean jump over a strip of water that
separated the two basements, he clamber
ed up the garduer's window. He placed
his hands on the window-sill, and was
drawing himself up, aud about to give
the usual signal, when, to his intense
astonishment, he saw old Baldelli stag
gering from the opposite room, half
dragging, half carrying his niece.
Wjhat could it mean Y Was she ill Y
Wbb it fresh air she required Y He had
not much time for thought, for the win
dow opened suddenly outward by Bal
delli, struck his hands from tbelr hold,
and he had only time to drop lightly'
Into the water beneath. As he came to
the surface great Heaven! he could
neither shout nor prevent It the slight
form of his sweetheart was hurled from
the window into the black water below ;
and the old man, not daring to look
upon his handiwork, closed the window
abruptly and disappeared. It was the
work of a moment for the young sailor
to reach the body of his sweetheart, and
to place her in his boat under cover of a
sail. But what was he now to do with
his precious burdeu, which lay, safe but
still unconscious, near him Y He might
indeed place her under the care of the
ladies at the villa; but then he feared
the chatter of the servants, nor did he
know what power her uncle might have
to claim her from them, for Italian
courts are slow to recognize the inter
ference of foreigners in domestic difficul
ties. While he was still in doubt he
was joined by Lord Ardley, to whom he
related his adventure. The nobleman
listened to the agitated voice of the poor
lad, making a shrewd guess at their re
lations, he said :
" Your sweetheart, eh, Lloyd V"
"Yes, sir; not a doubt of It."
"And you're going to marry her V"
" Now more than ever, sir. Ah my
lord, you don't what difficulties we've
had to fight against, nor yet how dear
she is to me ;" and theu he told the
whole story of his attachment as they
rowed vigorously, each at an oar, toward
Santa Lucia, where Teresina was placed
on board the yacht.
On the following day Baldelli, hag
gard and anxious, at an early hour,
presented himself at the; banco di lotto.
" I have come as the guardian of my
niece Teresina, to claim the money she
has gained in the lottery."
" Very good signore. And first the
ticket, if you please."
He eagerly presented it.
"All right aud in order," said the
clerk. "She presented herself here
yesterday V"
"She did."
The clerk took out a large roll of notes
which he began deliberately and with
out haste to count.
" What a stroke of fortune for one so
young!"
Baldelli nodded his head impatiently.
The clerk tied up a bundle of notes,
and begau to whistle " Addo I mia bella
napoll."
" Well, well," said the gardener sharp
ly. " Am I to wait much longer 1"'
" But, signore you seem to he in a
greater hurry than the slguora."
" What do you mean Y"
" Why, we wait the arrival of Teresl-
na Baldelli, of course." ( " Stupid old
imbecile!" muttered the clerk to him
self.) '
Baldelli looked aghast, and then blurt
ed out.
" Don't I tell you she has told me to
get the money Y Have you not got the
ticket V What more do you want Y Am
I not her guardian Y Do you doubt
that?"
: " Not for a moment; but the money
will be paid in her presence alone."
' But how can she come here Y She is
III. The excitement was ton much
for her."
"Ah, then wo must wait until she
has recovered."
" But this Is too much. Am I not a
respectable citizen V Am I not"
"Iim'a! That will do, signore :'
and the clerk replaced the notes In his
desk.
Old Baldelli fumed and swore, whin
ed and entreated, with no effect.
"Give me back the ticket, then. I
will report you to your superiors 1"
".The ticket? Certainly. Here It
is!"
Aud then the gardener left the office.
The clerk had seen a good number of
strange tilings in his time, and was
given to the observation of the counte
nances and emotions of his fellow-men;
so he wrote a note to the chief office,
where In due time Baldelli presented
himself. And the official at this place
was altogether polite and amiable, and
much regretted that It was against the
rules to comply with Baldelli's request;
but if the slguora was unable to attend,
but still anxious for the settlement of
her claim, why, he would accompany
the garduer himself to the house for the
purpose. To which the gardener object
ed strongly, and retired with a face so
worn and anxious and frightened, that
this amiable official thought it as well
to send a detective officer to look after
the old man, and if possible, to get to
the bottom of the mystery for queer
things often happen with these lotter
ies. The result was that nobody had seen
or heard anything of Teresina, and old
Baldelli was unable to account for her
disappearance, and maintained a dogged
silence on the subject, for the disappoint
ment to his hopes and the conscious
ness of guilt had completely unnerved
him. All the circumstances were so
suspicious that the police felt justified in
connecting him with her disappearance,
aud accordingly be was brought before
the head of the police to answer for him
self.
In the meantime, Teresina, having
recovered consciousness, was gradually
brought to by the assistance of the stew
ardess. On being questioned by Lord
Ardley, she gave a truthful account of
the events of the previous night, but
said that, from the time she retired to
her room, her mind was completely
blank. She related with some blushing
and hesitation her conversation with
her uncle about the lottery ticket, not
forgetting his unaccustomed liberality
in giving her wine to drink to her good
luck.
" Tretfy clear, my lord, I think
drugged," Raid Lloyd.
"Very likely. Horrid old villain I
But what's to be done now V"
" With you permission sir I will go
Into Naples and see what Is going ou.
" By all means, Lloyd. Aud look
here, I am going to be marred iu a few
days, and If Teresina doesn't wish to
return to that pleasaut home of hers,
I've no doubt she will make an excellent
attendant on Lady Ardley in our com
ing cruise about the Greek Islands."
" Many thanks, my lord."
Ou going ashore, Lloyd learned that
old Baldelli had been interrogated, with
the result that he now suggested the
possibility of her having drowned her
Belf ; that Bhe occasionally walked in her
sleep ; that he had found her door and
the wiudow open ou the morrow of her
disappearance. This was contrary to
his statement at the office, nor could the
body be found lu the titleless water. He
refused to say auy thing further, and was
sent to jail to await his trial on suspl
clon.
Lloyd readily obtained permission to
see him.
The old man filled with rage and re.
morse, cried to him to "begone!" but
dare not look in his face.
" Assassin, I know all 1"
Baldelli cowered in a corner, and said
nothing.
" I know all, and I almost hesitate to
relieve your villainous mind from the
terror that acltates it. Under God's
hand, but through no fault of yours,
she lives.
" Lives," and his whole aspect chang
ed. "Then why am I here Y Curse
their meddling ! Who says I murdered
her Y Aud you, fair-faced fool, what do
you bluster here for Y
" Gently, gently, old man. There la
such a thing as attempt to murder, for
which a considerable term lu the galleys
is not uufrequently given. Teresina
lives, and, so far as the crime of murder
is concerned, you are uot guilty, by an
accident. Now I mean to make terms
with you. Listen : I witnessed your
dastardly attempt, and I saved her life.
She will not return to you ; she will be
come my wife ; she will bid you farewell,
and will not be told of your wickedness;
and she will carry out her intention for
your benefit, and give you the five thou
sand francs she promised you, though
you more richly deserve five years at the
galleys. If you consent to this, good.
If you refuse, I at once proclaim you to
be the attempted murderer of your
niece."
" MaUulelto I May every evil"
" Enough. You are no fool, though a
great rascal."
The programme was carried out in Its
entirety. Baldelli was released on the
appearance cf Teresina, who, alive to
some rascality on the part of her uncle,
wag satisfied to receive from him a
scowling ascent to her marriage with
Frank Lloyd.
After some months lu the Medlterra
nean with Lady Ardley, she went to
England, her future home, as Mrs.
Lloyd ; and It was not till arter the old
man's death that she learned the true
story of the tragical event that might
have followed the winning of what came
near proving a " Dangerous Prize."
EfliiiiEOY.
Foil
RISEUPATiSM
Neuralgia, Sciatica, Lumbago,
Bpckache, Soreness of the Chest, Gout,
Quinsy, Sore Throat, Swellings and
Sprains, Burns and Scalds,
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and Ears, and all other Pains
and Aches.
No Preparation on enrth equals Pt. Jacobs On. as
a aitf,mure. irlrnplnantl rhrap External Remedy.
A trial entails but the comparatively trilmip outlay
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can have cheap and positive proof of its claims.
Directions In Eleven Languages.
SOLS BT ALL DRUGGISTS AND DEALERS Iff
MEDICINE.
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May 3, 1881 ly
jyUSSER & ALLEN
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II f"l t Yourelve by maktmr money when a polden
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ly.
INSTATE NOTICE. Notice Is hereby given,
Li that letters o( administration ou the estate
ol Rev. 8. 8. Richmond late of Torone township.
PerryCouuty. Pa., deceased, have been grained
tnthe undersigned. P. O. Address Laudlsburg,
Perry Comity. Pa.
All persons Indebted to said estate are request
ed to make Immediate payment and those bavin
claims will present them duly authenticated, lor
settlement to
ALBERT E, RICHMOND,
Ciias. H. Smiley, Att'y. Admlulstrator
May 10, 1881.
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