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

disDcrscs, dropping away bv tNsOs and
thrccs, Till only "A few women remain bear
ing company to the bercaved mother.
Mlddalcnd too IS thtre-hut not among
the other women. She is in no intTry
| mood now that could endure the tuuuts
ana Jeers OF her companions. So she
ciOuchcs behind u great MAJ BILE column,
l"Oklng up fcarfully toward the high altar
where that terrible black thing SHOWS so
FL omily in the dim light. Poor htle
chickcnl How mauy burning tears she
has she'd during the last hourl III ey seem
all urled up now, and She to be stunned
INTO state That cares for nothing. The
dingN itgurcs OF the women move about
mysteriOu-ly. Tney are laying out the
dead. There are flowers on the bier now
How horrible il all isl Maddalena remem-
beis that soon they Will put him H. coffin
She would like to put u Hover on his dead
body. So when the church is empty, and
they have all gone home to weep there
Maddalena creeps out into the heartlcss
daylight again. How cruel il j. of the sun
10 shine sol Where shall she get u flower
IA beautiful garden tlOweTl She has no
pot OF carnations on her window sill like
some of the girls. Rosina has onci She
VIII give her u Hover And now that she
thinks of IT, how strange il is that Rosina
mas not been down TO the church, Has
she heard the newsl Muddalena would
like TO DE the first TO tell her. The cottage
Is not far-Ouly just across the torrent,
She has soon Knocked ut the door; aud
then holds her ear to the crack that she
may hear the answer should ROsina be I'm
the dairy beyond. How stnnge All Is
silent rs the grave. She lifts the latch and
peeps in. The hearth is unswept, the plat
tiers OF Inst nights supper are still un-
washed; the water pots are empty, and
the pitchers of milk from the evenings
milking stand about uncovered and food
Tor nies. All Is quite uuii ke what ROsinas
kitchen generally looks. Maddalena opens
hastily the door of the dairy, then runs up
a lrtfafa l....lW VI.
the bed is untossed. She cannot have
slept beneath II. Breathless now, one
minute Is enough TO bring her down again,
aud through the garden and the orchard
into the IN eudows beyond. Men and women
are there, tossing the hay aud loading II on
the wagons.
Gan Bittista!" screams Maddalena,
" do you know that your daughter Is not
ut homer That she has not slept in her
bed tins night pas, y
" FdndOnidr' says the old man. lyon
girls have nj ways story on hand. I'll he
bound she's slept in 1t fast enough. She
has gone on before day break 10 the fair ut
Busalla, j suppose
Clan Battlsta, you re n real scorpionl"
retorts the little maiden In frenzy; and
she begins To cry again. g have "a pre-
sentiment there's something happened to
Roslna, she soDs. And l had "A pre-
sentiment about Giovanni last night. and
see it's come true. q. bio Mol"
A dull, muillcd sound strikes now across
the bright summers AIR. II begins slowly,
then grows TIL three discordant notes are
clashlng aud changing together. NADIA
lenas sobs grow more bitter; her little
checked apron Is all wet with the scorch-
ing tears. IL Is the knell.
g do not really think the good Lord
caused you 10 be born without a heart,
YOU hOirid old man - she breaks out afresh
between her sObs. " But this | promise
YOU, that If ROsina is not home soon IL is
who Will make the CuratO write IA letter to
Genoa TO sec II she be gone To her aunt"
ROsina can write now herself" he says:
mo need for the Curato."
The old man WAS right. The Curatos
peumuuship was never in requsltion. Aud
tins IS how 1t came TO pass.
The hot, sultry day has dragged itself
heavily 10 u close. and rs evening falls and
the Ave Maria bell rings our, the villagers
drop in Mt the church 10 offer To the dead
their last neishborly gifts; flowers from
careJnlly-tended old pots, or choice and
far fruits OF some cherished tree The
great wax tapers still burn sadly ut the
corners OF the bier. An odor of incense
pervades the sanctuary. As night gathers
the scIrocco, which has been blowing all
day, falls suddenly, and for IA little while "a
dead, subtle calm reigns around. Then
nature seems to Dlnd up her forces anew as
though Tor IA great and mighty struggle.
The wind frets and fumes and lashes itself
INTO very fury. The lightning flashes
out, baZoning the whole landscape with
its terrible CLEANS: the thunder rolls.
echolng through the mountains or crash
ing down straight from heaven III fearful
Volieys. Now the rain beglus to fall; great
spluttering drops at first, then a steady
dOwnpOur, increasing To perfect deluge,
I'LL, III AN incredibly short time, The
meadows lie soaked aud sWampy, aul the
roads run down like watei coui SEES Was
that ten that struck2 A female figure
mounts the great steps OF the church
she moves wcLrlly up the aisle. The dull
hlcherlng light falls on the features vi Ro-
sina. she IS litt.e paicT-or perhaps il is
only the ialnt hight which makes her seem
So. Tor her step l. Just rs firm as ever in its
stately swing, nor does her hand tremble
ns she draws from the bosom Of her bodice
u white rosebud and lays II on the breast
OF the dead. She kuecls TO look at the face.
No signs OF outward violence or OF great |
suffering have married It's trlll feminine |
beauty. The features have almost Tho re- |
pose Of sleep. She gazes awhile-hcr own
fnCc warm and llNmg, clOse To tue white |
and liielrss one-then sac nurnurs:
Good by, my heart! Arrtrcicrci- |
though know not when or how. Only |
that thou art nine now-that | KNOW, |
NO; do not repentl'
Nearer she stOops, as though to kiss the |
cold clay-then draws back, smiling
strangely.
" No 1t is not my love. Twin not blot
out the memory OF the last one"
She moves 10 the doOr-the sombre tread |
seems beautifully tuned to the mystery of |
th' hNhh pItHtHtt. III ucI manu- she nHS "A
large paper ana she slips II INTO the panel |
oi the gale made TO hold the parish notices. |
Ana now she gathers up her skirt, me- |
and very slowly, because the |
nights wet and She still remembers vague |
~ that she has on her fiesta dress; and |
Then she turns once more TO the altar, 10 |
bow, as custom has taught her, before the |
sacred IlOst-perhaps, too, Tor one last |
LOOK. Her face wears no longer now the |
old expression of cruel unrest. The fierce |
ness Is all melted out, and the deep, lur-on |
ewes are quiet aud stli, us though set To "A |
near, perhaps not - very bitter goal The |
storm still howls without, and, irenzed, |
seems 10 pant for victims. She steps out |
INTO the black night.
Next morning Is the morning OF the fu- |
neral. Inc beil tolls betlmes. All the vii |
age Hooks TO the church. Old men and |
young men, as well rs women and children, |
This time, for inns is a great ANA terrible |
occasion. There Is new notice on the |
loor. What strange onel IL Is not IN |
ne Prcyostos little scholarly hand-any |
lne can sec that. Make the Sacrstan read
{. So II runs:
!, Rosina Frusone, am the murderess
u Giovanni Palcstro."
HOLY Virgin and all the Saints" the
invocation Is IN every tone, and accom-
panied by every gosuculdtIOn.
l hhd my reasOns-mlne they remain.