Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1855-06-13

heart, l feared she would break through
conventionalism, and threw herself upon
Talfourd's compassion. How much
pride had she already cast aside for him
= The Baths of Lucca are located"
as Yankee would say, in narrow val
ley, on both sides of which the sun is abb
rupt. There are many lovely hillside
walks. One day l came upon my friends
seated beneath the shadow of spread
ing chestnut. Meeta's uncle, who had
been her companion, had strolled further
up the mountain. Talfourd was trying
to sketch the dropping arch of her eye
brow. Failing in the attempt, he began
tracing over the original with corner
of a card, "to get his finger into the way
of the curve" he said. Suddenly stop
ping, he pressed the card to his lips, and
replaced itnot in his pocket, but in his bo-
som. Meeta sat still with her usual
grace. l found myself de trop. Miss
Carr's manners, however, had lost their
former retenu. They had become rest
less and impetuous. Foreigners thought
nothing of it, but she would not have
been as much admired in England as
formerly.
AT the next ball given by the duke,
Talfourd was constant at her side, and
hanging upon his words, she seemed
scarcely able to spare thought for an
attempt to veil her preference. She Sc
cretly watched his eye to guide her in
every little particular. One trihe struck
me that evening. All Italians have
horror for perfumes, so that Miss Carr's
Hediosma and Ess. Bouquet which she
used profusely, attracted attention. A
day or two before l had heard Talfourd
strongly express his agreement with the
natives of the country. That night, for
the first time, 1 lifted an unscented hand
kcrchief.
Talfourd and 1 occupied sitting
room in common. AS was pulling off
my pumps that night 1 heard him leap
ing up stairs. He dashed across the
room without a word and bolted him
self into his bedroom. The next morn
ing he asked me in a melancholy, but
finn tone, if L was ready to go with him
to England. And so the day of our de-
parture was fixed for the next Wednes-
day.
On Tuesday there was a sketching
party made up. We wandered about
for some hours, Talfourd lowering near
Miss Carr with wistful looks and silent
attentions. Our cloth for late din
ner was laid upon the grass. Poor
Charley Carr sat at the head in high
glee He had been carried up in a chair,
for his sister never could bear him long
away iOhi HCl'
The sloping rays were glimmering
through the lovely chestnut woods. We
were standing on the brink of a cliff
watching the shadows creep up its sides,
when we heard a sudden cry. Miss
Carr sprang around the angle of the
cliff and uttered scream of horror
Her little brother had ventured on a
ledge in quest of berries. The rock on
which he had crawled had looSened and
fell, and he had barely time to fling him
self towards another crag, where he
hung by his hands. All access, to him
seemed impossible. The precipice was
almost perpendicular, and far below
among the ecrsgged rocks foamed noun
tain torrent. What was to be done =?
The poor child looked up with face
dumb with horror. Talfourd'seye caught
a jutting rock near, and he instantly
thew off his coat. ''Let me go, signor, "
said Luccese peasant, who had been
with us during the afternoon, 81 am used
to these mountains. 1t were madness
for you"
The man instantly began to climb
down the cliff. With suspended breath
we watched his progress. He reached the
rock, but the distance from the child
was greater than he had thought. He
could do nothing. Sick with disappoint-
ment, we looked in each others faces.
The man retraced his steps to reach
another crag, from which grew a stunted
tree. Carefully he began to climb out
to the end of its branches. In the mean
time, Charley had managed to draw bis
feet up on the rock, and crouched there,
clinging to the matted vines. Meeta had
been cheering and encouraging him, but
now she covered her face A German
girl by her side breathed low "Daien
God," and she suddenly looked up with
an expression 1 never shall forget-in-
tense, puzzled, eager, wistful. Many an
ejaculation of prayer was uttered aloud ;
and she looked from one to another, and
then almost writhed in agony. She has
no GOd-no God 10 pray to !
The peasant had now reached the
outermost branch, from which estretch-
ed down his atheletic arm 10 the child
who could just grasp his fingers. "Climb
up to my shoulder, sothat l can get hold
| of you, can't my boy? ?" he said.