New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-09-24

Lucia lived. At the door he was met by
I her mother, middle-aged woman, who
; like most Of her class and her country
looked twenty years older than she really
! was.
"What hast thou been saving to Lucia
Lorenzo I" she asked, in q querulOus tone
"She came home last evening with fever
raging in her veins. All night her mind has
wandered. Since her childhood have
never seen her go i'll az she is now
'Hnw exclaimed Lorenzo; Lucia i'll
She was as we'll as usual yesterday"
And then the recollection Of Lucias ex-
cited manner on the previous day, of the
flush on her cheek and the unnatural lustre
Of her eve came over him, and he added:
NAY, she was not well. l remember now
how flushed and weary she looked. and like
brute kept her standing while painted
on the Venus. l have killed her, madre
Buonarotti. l have killed the darling Of
my heart-the very sunlight of my life.
oh! let me go to her; let me bring her
back to life And in an excess Of despair
Lorenzo strOve to put outside the old
woman and obtain admittance to Lucia's
apartment.
"Nay. nav, Lorenzo" she said, planting
her bulky form directly in the doorway,
thou canst not see the signorina to-day.
She is suffering too much, and the signOr
! dOttOre, who was here this morning. has
forbidden all excitement and disturbance
until the fever abates. Lucia was always
| OF a restless, feverish temperament from a
| child. Besides, she is troubled with dis
tressing tancies about thee. and raves in
cessantly of thy GOODNESS and Inconsistency.
Days must pass by, AMIGO, before thou
| canst see her again
And dsys-lOng, dreary and desolate
days-did pass over LOrenzO's head before
he gazed into Lncia's eyes, or sat by Ger side
! again. Days in which the beloved one how
cred between life and death. and Lorenzo
did nought but hang about the door Of her
dwelling listening to the low means and III
coherent rawlings which issued from that
altar Of the Madonna, duplicated heaven to
spare the life of his betrOthed.
At length the fever spent itself. and there
came night of watching and suspense
night in which the silence of death reigned
III the lOw-roofed dwelling, when every win
dow was wide open to catch the air. and
when the soul Of the beautiful Neapolitan
,yibrated for hours between earth and
heaven.
During all that night Lorenzo sat in the
gloomy chamber, his eyes fixed on the be.
loved face. whose delicate features seemed
already to have assumed the sharp chiseling
of the grave, and his fingers on the pulse |
whose faint throbs were at times quite i'm |
perceptible to his touch.
x.
said the old doctor, as he forced few
drops Of a cordial between her lips. "Give
this from time to time, and may the Blessed
Virgin take her into her holy keeping. She
was always of TOO rare a beauty for this
world" And placing the phial on the
mantelshelf, the old man softly closed the
door upon the pale watchers and their
almost lifeless charge.
keep stout heart, Lorenzo" said
Lucia's mother as Lorenzo fell on his
knees at the bedside and buried his face in
Lucia's pillow. keep up thy courage. 1iglio
MO- Lucia will live. She can not die with
such a mighty love as thine to draw her
back to earth. See! even now her eyelids
luiver; the blood is coursing more freely
through her veins. In few hour she will |
,e saved"
And the madre Buonarotti was right.
III night they watched in silence. but at
he dawn of day a delicate flush spread I
yer Lucia features, her large eyes opened,
nd unutterable tenderness shone out from
heir violet depths as they rested upon
.orenzo's face. d
lis the picture finished, carissimol" were {
he first words she uttered as Lorenzo
lasped her rapturously to his heart ,
The next moment he was seized by the j
houlders and coolly deposited on the out L
de Of the front door, while the madre Z
uonarOtti laughed and shook her is. at
i'm from the window. n
Very lovely and gentle was Lucia dur d
g the weeks of her convaescenee-tke
cry Lucia whom he had first loved. IN n
lsturbed 10y any of the jealous doubts Z
hlch had marred OF late the perfection of "
leir intercourse. u
Lorenzo spent the half of every day at "
r side; the other half he worked diligently
his picture, which was beginning now TO ld
'prOach completion, and, as be tondly b
)ped, perfection. W
Hast thou worked at all upon the
enus during my illness, Lorenzo" inquired |
ncia one day. "
During thy illness. AMIGA MIC. could -
It touch a pencil replied the artist. III
ok of pain fitting across his features as W
recalled those days and nights of agony; 2.
tut since thy convalescence have painted 81
part OF each day from memory. and fat
r myself. Lucia, have caught the Sc Pr
phic expression which thy face wears sa
W. 1t is as if thou hadst gone little OF
~ with the angels. cara milo. and had re- h
lved the stamp Of angelic tenderness and
which belongs to the dwellers
heavenly spheres. Thou art more beau
I'll than ever since thy return to earth.
lcia, and my only tear is that nv Venus
IL wear look which belongs rather to
e blessed Madonna than to the heather
ddess." CIV
We'll, Lorenzo in few days l shall be an
III enough to resume my sittings. and is
n | trust there will he no more delay 90
finishing the picture 10
Two more sittings will make it perfect, w
risslma. and then how gladly will part ba
tn my Venus. since shall never again 'e Az
luired to part with my Lucia" -
hree days after this conversation Lucia | III.
bounced to her mother her intention of i liz,
'e more seeking Lorenzo's studio r.
Nay, tlgia MO thou art We. too weak. an
way is long: the delilium nigh. re-
n. BE persuaded, Lucia. and wait yet a at
days before thou goest," said the madre wb
onarottl III pleading tone, as Lucia tied fro
mantle and drew her Lood over her Pe
l can wait no longer. madre MIC, re- Ale
"a the impetuous girl 1.-TWO more sit an,
IS will complete the picture, and then oi,,
'enzO's fortune will I've made. What o.,
thou do without thy Lucia to torment vii
e' she added, throwing her arms round wh h
good madres neck. and then tripping wo
fly away. WI
ut Lucia soon found that she had over w. WV
d her own strength, and long before she "o,.
ched Lorenzos studio her head was turn sa,.
ana her limbs aching with fever and r..
que. On she staggered, however. know. arn
well that she would find rest and tender ~,
} when she reached the end of her ionr. ~. .hli
and was just turning into the narrow ~
ct which led to the studio when once nv. Un
m she had mat =, a.. "n unAno"h' mos
y weeks before. 60
ne blood seemed to turn to fire in Lucia's Nv
$ as she seized the girl by the wrist, and h Hu
! hOarse voice demanded, "Whence "An
est thou! Whose studio hast thou IT.
visiting!"
come from Lorenzo's studio" replied N