The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-23


lug. long while she waits for reply
this time; but there comes an end TO il M
once. Art angry with me-" she saws at
last, "bccau~e ! deceived thee? II was
wrong. ! sa d IT in confession. but the
priest did not chide me much; it was not
wilful. Answer me-"
The head is erect, and the black eyes sock
the blue ones IN the gray moonlight.
Ihuu has not Il fortune, Them
No; have told thee; only Il peasant
Girls usual dowry. But, Giovanni. have
more than II fortune; have II true heart
ana great courage; and have not II bad
hchd either. Then, see how strong am
like man. can work rs well rs thou
and know no fear and no self-carc | viii
follow thee whittier thou witt and worI,
for thee-more than thou wilt" Another
pause. Rosina's arms are once again mt
her own side; her breath comes faster.
Giovanni" The voice 10 no longer deep
aud mellow; ii CRATES, and seems to heat
iiseli with its own harshness. The devil is
waking again. "lt was the dover thou
didst love, not the Rosina thou hast 80
often kissed in these woods. IT'S well
Move back; ] have duties which call me
hence" And she makes rs though to 20
but II burst OF frolicsome mirth now rings
from the fields beyond, ana echoes through
the summer night. The mcrrymalxers are
returning home Again she remembers.
Giovanni stands yet where ne stood mt
the iirst--on the brink OF the water, one
loot resting on great stone, the other
Kicking little pebbles into the eddy be-
meath, as though his whole interest were
bound up in thcirfa
Thou art free now for the betrothal
with Maddalend," she says, coming nearer
to him again, and the voice Is calm ana icy
with suppressed fire.
"Rosina, mid-for love OF Heaven! Thou
art mad Thou knOwest / adore thee
But then-there are considerations
lila, la she laughs. Thou speakest
bravely.' Then, with Il sudden grip on his
arm, The hand on the heart. swear To me
that before the ~anti | snail he thy wife. g"
SO, in moment, 1 am Lot prepared !
We Will talk again OF this
Art right Tomorrow we will talk.
Good night Giovanni. The last Lowell ss
ere we part
Two nightingales are warbing their dit
ties III neighboring grove; now another
answers, deeper from the wood; but they
hold their breath and hide their heads
The moon wraps herself hastily IN n gauzy
cloud; the night breeze hangs listening
Was II "a cry which cleft the still heavy
air, or only the screech of the owl in the
betty?
The sun has risen, young and strong,
upon the valley.
The Ave Maria has barely finished sound
ing when Maddalona may be seen driving
tho cows to drink at the river. She Is
out OF spirits THIS morning. She had not
very pleasant evening, after all. Giovanni
gave her but Il hasty good by, but surely
the loss OF one kiss could not make such
III fference-out OF so many that she Is to
have. No, no, II would be absurd! 1t Is
certainly because the aunt H. 50 cross and
unklnu that she Is little cast down. Mad
dalenn won't stand It. Were il not for her
she would get place us flower
girl IN some portico at GCuOu. But these
were castles in Spain. she has no need to
be running away. l. she not this very
mornns going II settle the betrJthal dav
with her lover! One can bear even her
aunts suurness with such "a future in view.
And so tho COWS have wandered on while
the llttle cOWhcrd has been Oh canning
Maddaena must hurry after them. Mean
While the aunt Of whom our Maddalena Is
wont 10 speak IN such trivial terms-being
woman Ot no mean capacity IN her own
spheres engaged over "a mighty UNDER
taking-her annual merendd to all the
farm servants and laburcrs of the village.
Tnis custom, that each housewife in turn
the lawmakers OF the whole
neIghborhOod, IL becoming great tax-so
thinks the coHdre; and yet, II others do ii,
Sue must and WliI beat them ali in the
splendor OF her rustic banquet. No Won
der she Is tritle cross Nv IN the hearty
cum she IS about to bestow on the little
In IN maid must DO excused But the blow
Is never adm ulstered. Her uplifted arm
tails suddenly, ana M ejaculation rises to
her lips, MS piercing scream. long and
terrible, now rings through the air. She
hurries out ON to the vIne-trelllsed pidzzcttd
before the cottage.
cit will be Maddalepa, who has seen n
viper" she said. Trust that child for
yelling If she has chance"
Mounting the little broken wall that
irlngcs her premises. she shades her eyes
with two brown hands whilst She looks
Town over the fields ana the vineyards be-
ow Tor the cottage Is lodged on "A tiny
'holf of the cliff. and beneath the land
stretches ln pillows OF grass slopes, and lit
he terraces OF maize aud corn ana vines.
away To the nver. All Is calm aud smiling
Is usual, only on the rugged pa Ii winch
cads down u the village there rs a little
iSure tearing along AT u mad pace aud
its hands pitifully the while.
N"w II has passed inc church and has
irosscd the plalk over the torrent; now ii
: by The SludacO's house. Evidently one
word Is enough to tell all the terrible news,
or every person on the road, he II 10 right
II u lei. lac Is walking, turns straight TO
'ush he.Suuug up the byway toward the
cascade. Splte OF the pOlcutd ON the lire
lnd the dainsel She was going to scold
about the Chccses, and the linen that WAS
% be wrung out before noon, the uuut con-
iders II her duty 10 inquire into ths mat
or AT once. She hurts ncr clumsy person
Town the little stone-paved way, cllpped
md slippery with ovorgrowiug moss, that
clds downward into the dell. Already "A
'rowd OF villagers has gathered round tho
pot. each one eager 10 get a 5 ght yet half
carful of what that sight may be. The
'id aunt, too, presses eagerly within the
'rcle.
"What has happened?' she whispers TO
boy next her. Inc Virgin and all the
saints preserve us 1t is the young man
! lovanni Pnlestro. lie has got drowned
lnder the falls. WiScricOrdiu! How did
I come TO passY'
"Heaven knows! Some say he was bit
ipsy from the fiesta; but others that thi.
vas not hs way home. For me, am of
'plnIon that no was pushed over from this
ock into the very falls; for II lie had
allen in anywhere but on tho cascade 1t
would have been easy Tor him TO save him.
Elf"
They are going to lift him out Of the
yatcr."
The little crowd recedes fearfuly.
Kun, some one, ana warn tue priest
hat we bring him 10 the church. SAWS a
dice.
No second injunction is needed. MANY
here are full eager for the importance OF
earng the sad tale. A rough ntier OF
coughs Is soon twisted together, aud the
ody Is borne along, attended ~ AN ex-
tied crowd, in which the walmg OF the |
'omen no less than the cogitauons OF the |
lNl are bOth freely interlarded witheVery |
ariety of ejaculation.
The bearers place their burden on the |
lelt stono steps of the church. and the |
lnuormost now press forward for one |
God look. But all stand aside rs "A wnv- |
iOrn WOman's figure hastens fnltnrinfy ~,