The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-10-06


daughter? l." and then he hesitated,
for Teresa had come into the room.
How much will it cost to get a substitute,
Teresa o.
Teresa laughed. "Govauetta would pay
if she could get to 60 in my place." said
she. There are too many ready and willing
to CO."
"Let them go then" responded Lionel
eagerly
'The signore forgets we must have money"
returned Teresa.
Scarcely thinking of what he was doing,
Lionel had poured out the contents of
purse full of English gold upon the table.
The quick ear of Tomas caught the sound
he stretched out his hand Ms it to clutch the
ringing coin, but Teresa sprang between,
turning flashing face upon Lionel
"We are not beggars r. she exclaimed
81 work for my bread -
will you not let me help you ?" asked
Lionel in low tone.
"You cannot" she replied, in an equally
low voice and the flash died out of her
face, for Lionels tone was very humble, and
his eyes had spoken something to her that
her heart answered. She gathered the
money together and put it into his hands.
ut must not be" said she, as she sorrow
fully departed.
:" .ou art a fool child !' said Tomas
Cecchi when Lionel was out of hearing
"Thcse English know not what to do with
their gold, and we should have been all the
better for it,.
H.
Slowly podded the large gray oxen over
the plains of the Campagna Inzily sauntrr-
ed the driver at their side. Here and ther,
one heard the sounds az merrimcnt there
again we're silent toiler. here worn uut
lab"rerS who had crcpt into the shat,e ant
| fallen asleep, aud above stretched the blue
heavens, It II and cloutlcs-, over the gray
and purple sweeps rf far Of landocalr. with
! here and there patch OF gilt water.
All this Lionel saw, for no had obtained -
lodging in one nfthe large stone farmh"uses
since money will obtain anything, and the
ih'i, tN''I't'c ib'hllS, generous
was popular among the poor Italian peas
| ants. '..t..,. ...
Teresa knew that he was there, but she
avoided him and he, seeing this, only
watched her from a distance, and gave M
token that she was more to him than any
other laborer on the vast plains. lie had
seen Tomas and his wife before he had
followed to the Campagna, and they were
amply provded.hr,during their daughters
absence.
Lionel Merton had fallen in love, and G
sat down and took the matter into deliberate
consideration. His first thought was that
Teresa was queen fit to be the wife Of
any man, was is.sccond why not of him
self? was the third /; and.t that she should be,
| if possible, was the fourth. Vet how to pro-
ceed was the difficulty. He felt, with all
the keen sensitiveness of an Englishman to
absurd situations, that lac was somewhat
absurdIy placed at the present moment for
Teresa, calmly pursuing her work, gave him
mo opportunity of addressing her without
bringing the eyes Of the multitude upon him
self aud the handsome maiden.
".
Teresa was the one to break the silence.
She feared the pestilenial breath that comes
with the chill blasts and heavy dews after
the heat of the day might take effect on
Lionel Merton She noted II lassitude and
feverishness, which he imputed to mis- state
of mind, and suddenly she appeared before
him.
"Signore, you must fee from hence, or you
will die -
"Aud you will have killed me, Teresa"
"No; it is the poisonous mists of the
Campagna,
What brought me hther to breathe them?'
asked Lionel, abruptly. -.....-...- ...,...
''% ne siguore iorgets that begged him not
to think of so rash scheme" replied Teresa,
evadng the question. For me, who am
accustomed to the changes. it Is safe Tor
the signor it is death, and he must go"
"Whither ?" --..--. ......... ...-....... .--
"Back to Frascali ifhc so wills it ! or,
better perhaps, away from Italy,
II cannot live away from Italy; it is my
| life, my hope; and here can study art ami
make myself home. Here can be hap
py, and yet you send me away T'........
Il have told The sighore that | am not
fitted for his wife. BESIDES, my duty is to
my parents / must tend them till they
die"
Yet you leave them now ~
"Only TOR their benefit. ''..'."....
ut would benefit them more ii you were
my wife," .,................ .......,...
But Teresa shook her head mournlully.
"Non pOssibte," she said, decidedly.
! "Yet you love me, Teresa?"
ayes" said she, with emotion; but
must do my duty. | have made vow not
TO marry so long AS my parents live"
at is foolish VOW" said Lionel
"lt is nevertheless VOW" she replied
firmly. "Signore, you must go, Adiio
Addiow
But as she spoke sudden shivering seiz-
ed her-the fever that she had dreaded for
Lionel had fallen upon herself
V
Teresa had but few friends among the Ia,
borers in the Campagna; but one woman
whom Lionel recognized as belonging to the
Frascati, was willing enough IN uudertak,
the Office Oi nurse in consideration of the
lavish payment for it, and to accompany hel
home when she was out of danger.
Then Lionel turned his steps n0rthward,
seeking no interview, for he knew that
Teresa was. firm in her resolution, and that
itwould be an insult to her piety and he,
sense of iisial duty Ia attempt To shake it,
So he FASTENED away, hoping by constant
change and excitement 10 drive her image
from his heart
lie passed the frontiers, and then the cold
II N..sk - !. l. 4