Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-08-03
NO. 1872.
Tales and Sketehes.
From Lippincott's Magazine
THE RAINBOW OF TAE TERMINI.
Rainbow at morning,
Sailors take warning;
Rainbow at night,
Sailors delight.

takc warming
Rainbow at night,
Sailors delight.
Two ladies occupied first class coupe
in the railway train coming from Florence
to Rome early one September morning.
They were sisters-one fifty, the other
about thirty years of age-the eldest and
the youngest daughters of large family
now scattered to the four winds. These
two had not met since the younger was q
school girl till the last spring. Then Mrs.
India. had fallen dangerously ill, and
Mrs. Francis, whose home was in Rome,
had fastened to her bedside, and, heroi-
cally enduring summer-long separation
from a beloved husband, had remained
till her sister was thoroughly GONZALES
cent, and was now taking her to spend
comfortably disposed, like a practical
traveller who does not mean to let enthusi-
asm interfere with the more important
business of life. She had seen Rome when
she was a young woman, had spent an
ejacnlatory month there, and, though
pleased to see it again, was in no manner
excited. She had therefore closed the
window next her and drawn the hideous
blue silk curtain to keep the sun out, put
her feet on the cushions opposite, folded
her hands in her lap and shut her eyes.
One might say that she had shut her mind
too, for she was thinking of next to moth
ing. At fifty years of age one has learned
the value of repose and begun to realize
that the body is not indestructible.
''If l had taken good care of myself
when was young" she was wont to say,
II should not now be reading through an
eye-glass and eating my dinner with por-
celain teeth"
They were pretty porcelain teeth, it
must be said, and the eyes that looked
through those troublesome glasses were
remarkably bright and pleasant.
The younger woman was by no means
so cool a traveller. She had drawn her
curtain back, opened the window, and
was looking out, her beautiful, spirited
face full of life and ioy-not so much. in
deed, at the thought OF what she was
approaching as Of whom. She would
have found the road to the Desert of
Sahara charming if Arthur Francis had
been awaiting her on some oasis in the
midst of the sand. ''It strikes me as a
fresh surprise every time l recollect that
you and he have never met" she said.
II seem to have known him all my life,
though made his acquaintance only three
years ago. From the first he and never
felt like strangers. But then he is so
frank and honorable it doesn't take long
to know him."
81 am prepared to have a high esteem
for my brother-in-law," Mrs. ALherton
replied TRANQUILITY.
She was OF the opinion that Anne was
the least in the world infatuated with her
husband, but not for worlds would she
have intimated such an idea. This young
est lad been the family pet, and was OF
disposition so high-toned and sensitive
that they had always been careful what
they said to her, and rather solictous re-
garding her future. Their minds had
been much relieved when, after having
refused many offers, she fell in love at
length, and at the age OF twenty-elght
married with every prospect OF happl-
ness.
"Thy air is full of birds, Carrie" she
said presently. They start in flocks and
fly toward the sun, then straight back
again, as If they were bringing him in.
shouldn't be surprised if they thought
all the little golden lights he flings around
their breasts were links of chain they
were pulling him up the sky with. Bravo!
little sailors, here he comes Ho, heaveyo
A lark has Just flown past my window.
and said, Ben tomato! as plainly as .
lark can speak. Bless the birds they
know | never eat them.
.But larks are excellent" Mrs. Ather-
ton said, rousing herself. 81 can tell you
the most delicious way"
The other gave little scream and put
her hands over her ears. ''How can you
be such Goth P" she cried. "He or she
who eats a lark deserves never more to
hear the voice of song"
Mrs. Atherton sank back resignedly and
folded her hands again.
Her sister began to set quotation to
TO music:
Thoughts he sends to each planet,
Uranus, Venus and Mars;
He scars to the centre to span it,
Numbers the infinite stars.
But he never will mount like the swallows
That dashed round his steeples to pair,
Or hawked the bright flies in theahollows
Of delicate air.
And now, Carrie, imagine million birds
OF all sorts, screaming out the chorus:
Grossi astronomical. star-gazing, comical,
Hazy moon-crazy, fantastical man!
There must De stanZa that calls man
but l am sorry to say I've
forgotten it,"
''Oh, thank youW murmured the elder
lady: "don't fatigue yourself to recollect.
So much will do. Indeed. if heard
many such choruses, should be tempt
ed to give my very parrot and canaries
into the cooks hands,"
The young woman looked out again,
smiling at the familiar landmarks as they
slipped past. The aqueducts and tombs
came and went, and there was fine wall.
st. John Lateran started up, all its apos-
ties gazing at her from the facade. The
beautiful column of Santa Maria Mag
giore lifted its statue into the air and the
TALL campanile and the cupolas welcomed
her. Then the train rolled into the sta
ton and the door of their carriage was
opened.
1--WE will leave our luggage to send for
Mrs., Francis said, land ii
you do not object, we will walk to the