MARRIED A "COUNT.' The Sad Story of an Attractive American Girl.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 232, 10 December 1887, Page 12

MARRIED A "COUNT.' The Sad Story of an Attractive American Girl.

A stryxijj: case was unearthed some timo agoinFlorence, Italy, by A. SehuylerCrosby r who wa& then United States Con.sul at that place. One day he was conducting a party of Americans through the principal places of inteicat in the city, and among the places visited was Uic insane asylum. As the party were going through the wards one of the inmate.* of the institution suddenly called out to Mr Crosby : " Oh, sir, you're an American, are you not ? For God's sake, come here and listen to my story. '' Mr Crosby went to the cell from whence the piteous appeal came, and saw behind the bar a woman much emaciated, but apparently &ane. He listened to her story, and after making inquiries set himself to procure her lelease, in which he succeeded after a great deal of trouble. i The woman's story was as follows : She was born in Mobile, of uealtiiy patents, and being attractive in appearance, she had a number of suitors for her hand in marriage. One day an Italian came to the city. He was handsome, and wrote the prelix "Count" before his name. He soon got hims-elf introduced into the best circles of Mobile society, and by his pleasant and courteous bearing, became a gieat favourite among the ladies of the place. He became a constant visitor at the house of Miss , the subject of this story, and intimacy began to ripen into love on the part of the young girl. The parents did not appiovc of the match, but the handsomo Italian portrayed to the love-smifc ten girl in glowing teims the wealth of his affection for her and the beauties of the lovely Florentine home which he wished her to become mi&tvcf-s of. At. last hisentreaties were successful, and the young girl was mairied to the " Count "' secretly. When the girl's parents heard of it they were enraged. Her father refused to have anything to do with her, and instead of giving her the fortune he had intended to be heis, settled on her the sum of 52,000 a year. The young couple started for Europe, but it soon became apparent to the wife that her husband was not only not in lovo "with her, but that his only object in mairying her was to procure her fortune, and, having failed in that through the anger of her father, had no more uso for her. Shoitly after reaching Florence the " Count ' had three physicians called in and they made an examination of the young girl, much to her surprise and terror. On ihe following day a covered waggon came to the door and she was told to get inside. When she refused she was seized fiom behind and rudely bound and bandaged. She fainted, and when she recovered she found herself in the insane asylum. There she remained for over two years until she was found by Mr Crosby. Meanwhile the husband who had caused her incarceration wrote home to the ghTs parents that she was very sick and described the expense he was putting himself to in order to take proper care of the girl he loved so well. The father was too proud to allow him to bear the full expense of his daughter's illness under the circumstances and sent along regular remittances. The "Count paid $500 to the asylum for the keep of his wife and lived in good style upon the remaining $1,500. As soon as' the news reached Mobile of the true state of affairs, however, the remittances suddenly stopped and the younggirl was received home with open arms. The "Count" is still living in Florence, but has to resort to other means of earning a living.