Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-07-08

cottage of the gardner interfered with
the beauty of the prospect from the
piazzo. 1t was almost instantly con-
veyed to Luigi, that he must seek
another abode, as the land on which the
house was built, together with the gar
dens, belonging to his potent neighbor,
was to be devoted to other purposes.
The intelligence fell with heavy blow
upon the old man. To leave the cottage
the roof under which himself, his
fathers, were born-to quit his gardens,
his trees, things which, next to his own
children, he loved with a yearning affeo-
tion-the very thought Of it appeared
to him kind of death. He refused to
quit-he remonstrated-implo
was of no avail-the cottage interfered
with the prospect.
One evening, the old man, half be-
wildered, had returned from fruitless
journey to the palazzo. He sat down
in his garden and looked with swim
ming eyes upon his mirthful grand
children (heediess pretty ones, whose
very happiness gives a deeper melan-
choly to house of sorrow: shocked
and wounded by the tyranny of his land
lord, he glanced at Hugo's pear tree
(for so he called it, The old man
leaped from his seat his resolution
was taken, he would go to Rome he
would, as last hope, strive to find
some part of his boyish playmate,
Hugo, in the wrinkled, polite church
man. All things we're soon ordered for
his journey, and he quilted the cot
tage bearing with him a small basket
filled with the finest pears plucked from
Hugo's tree. Luigi arrived in Rome
and now with sinking heart, now with
confidence based on honest pride, he
sought the presense of the holy father.
| Appearing before the, servants Of his
holiness, Luigi asked for an audience
with Messer Hugo Bon Compagne.
When reminded of this unbecoming
familiarity, Luigi replied, that heknew
not Pope Gregory XIII, but was adear
friend of Hugo's, and therefore de-
manded to see his companion, not car
ing, he said, to trouble the Pope.
To this Luigi obstinately adhered,
continually urging, with great earnest
ness, that he should be admitted to the
presence of his early comrade. There
was simplicity in the old mans man
ner that for once won the admiration of
the great and the strange demand of
Luigi being reported to His Holiness,
he was, with great ceremony, ushered
before the sovereign pontlH-before the
man who was courted by emperors,
fattered by kings. ALI retired, and the
rustic and Gods vicar upon earth were
confronted.
How changed since the friends had
last met Then, they were, at least In
fortune, almost equal. Now one was
bent beneath the load of empire-wor-
shipped as only one ga little lower than
the angels the triple crown upon his
head-St. Peters keys within his hand.
What has the poor gardener to show
against all these? A basket Of pears
CHOW, my son." said Pope Gregory,
'you sought Hugo Bon Compagno,
you find him in Gregory XIII. What
ask you at his hands,"
"Justice, most holy father Justice,
and no favor"
"Speak."
"I made with another, in my time of
youth, a mutual compact of kindness
and protection-we vowed that which
ever should prosper in his fortune
should serve and assist the other"
&C. 1t was Christian promise. Well,
stand you in need of succor?"
Most grievously - oppression has
come upon me in my old age"
"And your friend forsakes you in
your need? Have you witnesses to the
| compact of which you speak?"
"Yes-this basket of pears
"Pears!" cried the pontiff, and
light darted from his eyes as he fixed
them earnestly on Luigi.
owe planted the tree on..which they
grew. Let this tree be covenant be-
tween us, were the words of my COM
panion. He and the tree have -four
ished S.; for forty years that tree has
never failed; for, every year it hath
brought forth crop of luscious fruit
and have sat beneath that tree and
wondered how it could be so beautiful
to me, when he who helped to plant it,
he who was bending beneath his honor
and his wealth, had forgotten to send
me even a single pear"
'Luigi-Luigi p exclaimed the pom
tiff and with a face crimson with blush
es, he threw his arms against the rustic !
Their gray heads lay on each others
shoulder. Thus they continued for
some moments, and then Luigi, stoop-
ing to the basket, presented a pear to
Gregory; he took it, and, looking at it,
burst into tears.
Luigi kept his cottage.-Dougzas Jer-
rold.
The ValIav Of tho Do