Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-03-12


a leather pouch at his waist. The Mar.
chesa signed to him to stop, and the man
obeyed, bowing low to the stately lady.
"You have letters for the padronR :"
and she stretched out her hand.
The man hesitated.
"There is but one letter and"
"Give 1t TO me; have come to fetch II
for the Signora Stretton"
She kept her hand outstretched, and her
eyes fixed on the mans face. He DELAYED
an instant or two longer, but the will in
those bright, stesdfast eyes compelled his
acquiescence. He drew letter out Of his
bag, and gave 1t her.
"This Is the only letter for Villa Bur
cano You are not going thereY"
The man shook his head and seemed In
clined TO return to Naples
Giulia stood in his way.
did the Signor Stretton, the padrone
of the Villa Burcsno, order, then, that all
his letters should be sent on to the villa 2"
"Si-si-Signors." The man spoke i'm.
patiently; he was in hurry to be gone.
"Well, then"-the Marchesa paused,
pressing the letter tightly between her
| slender fingers" the padrons does not
| wish them sent until further orders. II
she wants them, servant will go into
Naples to fetch them."
The man nodded, and turned on his
steps. He was glad to be relessed-glad
also that he should not have to toll along
the hot, dusty road tomorrow
Giulia stood STILL with the letter in her
hand. She looked around her. The road
was very lonely at this spot high banks
on each side shut out distant objects it
was impossible that the couriers ap-
proach could have been seen from the
villa
! Up to this moment no defined purpose
mad developed itself from the tumult of
! Jealous anger that ragged in Giulia's heart,
but the touch of the letter suggested one.
| Wild and impractlcable 1t seemed at first,
| but the vehement nature welcomed the
| difficulties she foresaw for the excitement,
and perhaps Joy, their mastery promised,
| She looked down again at the letter, and
then deliberately removed the seal As
she read the contents, the troubled look
which had clouded her face ever since Gil.
| berts departure vanished, and in its place
came a proud exultation, and then an eX-
preston of passionate love. She tore the
letter to fragments, and seemed about to
cast it from her; then she suddenly kissed
the torn pieces, and replaced them in the
envelope.
1t is Just week since Lillian passed that
sleepless night at the Villa Burcano-and
still Mr.. Stretton has not returned. He is
on his way home now, and he hopes to
reach the villa late in the evening. He
had told Lillian not to write; for when he
found himself obliged to go to Marseilles
with Mr. Mackenzie, instead of at once re-
turning home, he knew his movements
would be uncertain, but since he had part
ed from his friend, the hours passed very
heavily, and he had repented his prohibi-
tion.
az might have given dates and places at
venture" he said, "but then she does 30
dislike the trouble of writing. Nearly ten
days since l saw her / wish Mackenzie
had not delayed his starting 80 long.
am not sure that ought to have left the
dear child alone with those lazy Italian
servants; | wish she had not been per
suaded to change her English maid fol
that Francesca the Marchesa recommend
ed. l may be fanciful, but don't like the
woman's eyes; however, Lillian has hat
her dear Gtulia."
He did not stay in Naples, except Il
change horses 1t seemed strange to hin
that, as he drew nearer the villa, he be
came more nervous and anxious. How
ever, he was very close to home now
A few minutes more, and he should bt
looking into Lilian's sweet brown eye
! again.
, 81 will give her a surprise" said Mr.
Stretton to himself He stopped the car
! risge and dismissed it, then he went OF
, rapidly on foot to the villa.
) The great gates were opened, as if b.
were expected; as he passed through then
he saw boy, whom he recognized as on
, of the Marchesa's servants, running quick
ly to the house.
Mr.. Stretton called on him 10 stop; b
did not want Lillian to be made awar
, of his approach; the boy only ran ava,
faster, and was out of sight in an instant
: But Stretton was thinking too much @
his wife to be angry with the boy. II
sprang mp the steps. There was no on
!, at the entrance-no one in the SGla as b
! pushed the door open but in the vera1
dab, at the farther end, he caught the flu
ter of white dress.
What came next he scarcely knew.
: He remembered-but more as we recaI
! q dream than reality-that it was Gull
i who stretched out both hands to gree
a him that when he tried to ask for hi
!. wife, for something in the beautiful fac
p checked his words, most ineffsble con
n passion beamed out of the liquid eye,
o and warned him TO prepare for sorrow.
Then mist came over his memory, ii
) he found himself Lying on couch in til
verandah, and the Msrchesa kneeling b
q side him, aud watching him with tende
u anxious eyes.
Slowly, but with the sureness wit
n which one awakens from deep sleep to Ii
e sense of keen physical pain, his memor
d repeated one Word-the word which ha
y robbed him of consciousness.
Dead-lOst to him-his Lillian, SO full
It bright living beauty when he left her
IS de looked sternly in the sorrowful eyI
o still bent on him.
"Tell me it all again-whsn it happel
T ed, and how"
n The Marchesa repeated the sad stor
h simply and pityingly; her own grief fl
n her friend was lost in her sympathy f
4, the bersaved husband.
Lillian had seemed well and bright
y first--had even teased her friend for bein
y dull but suddenly she had complained
Il headache violent fever had come G
le rapidly; the Marchesa had sent for h
:; own physician, but he, alas was ava
10 frcm home when the messenger arrive
le and before another doctor could reach Il
villa the sufferer had sunk under the vi
s. lence of the disease.
70 The servants had taken fright, and q
e. except the maid who had waited on MI
a. Stretton, and helped Giulia to nurse he
s. had departed one after another, preferriI
y to yield up their wages rather than II
O. the dreaded risk of infection.
le Stretton listened with a frowning fac
his hands grasping the sofa cushions as
" they offered some power Of resistant
Is He could not submit TO this terrible grit
x Why was his life TO be turned into mig
1t at the very dsybreak Of hAppinessfo -
le "When? You have not said when"
n He spoke with an air of sullen doubt
il The sweet, sngel-like compassion in h
ID eyes rebuked him but he did not fe
I'd sorry What was any suffering he mig
Sc inflict compared to the mighty, unuttt
N able anguish that had turned his heart
Is the fun bounding of Joy to stone' 3
q Lillian was gone from him, lost TO Linn Il
N ever Buried by strangers hands a.