The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1874-10-30
A CHTLD'S LOVE.

One beautiful afternoon in May, child
was wandering thoughtfully along the
Howery banks Of the Genes, his back
turned to the village and his brave eyes
fixed vacantly upon the blue expanse Of
water. like a troubled soul vainly seek
ing companionship. lie appeared to be
about thirteen years of age, his face was
pale and sorrowful, his eyebrows strongly
marked, while his dark eyes sparkled
with a weird brilliancy which at times
had an almost sinister expression.
lie remained lost in thought for some
time, his head resting upon his slim,
nervous hand, listening to the murmur-
ing waves, as they broke at his feet,
gazing sadly across to the distant horizon
with unuttcrable longing. Suddenly
the Joyous laughter of childhood broke
upon his musings; little girl came run
ming across the waving field and threw
both arms enthusiastically about his
neck.
ooh, you naughty, naughty Nicolo;
what are you doing here? I've been
looking everywhere for you!" Uttering
these halfscolding words, she continued
to overwhehn him with wild roses and
eglantines at his feet, in token of her
childish affection. The shadow Of a smile
fitted across the boys face as he looked
into her laughing eyes; he ran his fingers
through her glossy curls, gave a sly,
cautious look around, and whispered:
al ran away from my father, Gianetta;
he gave me leave to rest, so ! came to
this lovely place--you know how value
my short liberty, and how l adore the
murmuring of these wavesl Listen to
their weird music"
at is too bad of your father" sighed
the child, "to torment you with those
hateful exercises; you will die of over
work Poor Nicolo! so mother said to
me, is much too delicate; his bewitched
violin will be the death of him, before
long, and it will be his fathers fault =
And mother Is right she added, look
ing anxiously at the young boys worn
face.
"Do not fear for me, Gianetta," re-
piled Nicolo; 81 shall not die yet; /
must grow up to be man! Look, how
strong am" He drew himself up to
his full height, his dark eyes flashed, and
smile of rare tenderness played around
his ripe lips. With his strong arms he
lifted his little playmate and held her
suspended over the water for some
seconds. Sadness docs not linger long in
the heart of a child Gianetta, seeing
him so gay, commenced singing pausing
ever and anon, for some bit of childish
gossip. Nicolo listened, amused at the
artless prattle about her flowers, her
doves, her games and her dolls, and when
ever he sank into an unconscious fit of
abstraction, Gianetta brought him back
to himself with a playful shake or ten
der kiss.
The children remained on the strand
until the stars came out one after an
other, smiling alike on the serious eyes
Of Nicolo and the drowsy ones of the
pretty Gianetta. Then, indeed, they
turned their steps homeward, their arms
wound around eaoLv,her in the innocent,
loving embrace of childhood. After
long walk they turned down narrow
lane, at the end Of which stood two hum
BILE cottages, overgrown with vines-one
the home of Gianetta, the other of
Nicolo. At the threshold of the former
stood the mother OF the little girl,
anxiously awaiting the return of the
children, whom she tendcrly embraced
as they came running up to her; then,
wishing each other goodnight, Nicolo
crossed over to his home.
On entering his dingy little room, he
sighed deeply, raised the window to let
in the mild night air, and, opening a
chest, drew from il the old violin. Seat
ing himself near the easement, through
which the silvery moonlight flooded, he
passed his fingers across the strings, and
drew from them the most enhancing
strains of music, dying away at times
into wondrous melancholy, then swelling
into triumphant gladness.
Scarcely had he commenced playing,
when a large spider crawled out of the
vines and came ON the shutter.
"Welcome - cried the youngmusician,
gayly; and, as il advanced, he laid his
finger ON the window-sill, allowed the
spiderto make its way over il, and placed
il in triumph upon his violin, where il
remained during the whole performance,
as if enchanted by the wonderful magic
Of the music.
Nicolo continued practicing until his
eye-lids closed in sleep, and not until the
sun shone into his eyes did he awake
from his sound slumbers. lie arose, and
replaced his mute, still sleeping com.
panion carefully upon the vine leaves
Every time that he laid aside his yio-
lin, when inspiration or strength failed,
he sank into his habitual morbid reyery.
The absence of the spider increased this
feeling Of solitude, for he was attached
TO the creature with all the passion of a
ieryent and unhappy disposition. Ills
father was a hard and relentless master
his dead mother he only dimly remem-