The Portland daily press., 1876-12-30
THE PRESS.
The Rainbow of the Ter
mini.
Rainbow at morning,
Sailors take warning;
Rainbow at night,
SailOrs' delight

Rainbow at morning,
Sailors take warming;
Rainbow at night,
Sailors delight.
The ladies occupied first-cass coupe in
the railway train coming from Florence to
Rome early one September morning Thew
were slsters-one fifty, the other about thirty
years of age the eldest and the youn gest
daughters of large family now scattered to
the four winds. These two had not. met
since the younger was a schoolgirl till the
last spring. Then Mrs. Atherton, return
ing to England from India, had fallen dan
gerously i'll, and Mrs. Francis, whose home
was in Rome, had FASTENED to her bedside,
and heroically enduring summer-long
separation from beloved husband, had re-
manned until her sister was thoroughly con-
valescent, and was now taking her to spend
the winter in Rome. The elder lady was
comfortably disposed, like practical traveller
who does not mean to let enthusiasm inter-
fere with the more important duties of life.
She had seen Rome when she was young
woman, had spent an ejaculatory month
there, and, though pleased to see it again.
was in no manner excited. She had there
fore closed the window next her and drawn
the hldeous blue silk curtain to keep the sun
out, put her feet on the cushions opposite.
folded her hands in her lap and closed her
eyes. One might say that she had shut her
mind, too, for she was thinking of next to
nothing. At fifty years of age one has
learned the value of repose and begun to
realize that the body is not indestructbe.
''If had taken good care of myself when
l was young" she used to say, 81 should
not now be reading through an eye glass, and
eating my dinner with porcelain teeth"
The were very pretty porcelain teeth, it
must be said, and the eyes that looked
through those troublesome glasses were
remarkably bright and pleasant.
The young woman was by no means such
cool traveller. She had drawn her curtain
back, opened the window, and was looking
out; her beautiful spirited face, full of life and
joy, not so much, indeed, at the thought of
what she was approaching as to 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.
SIT strikes me as fresh surprise every
time that I recollect that you aud he have
never met" she said. 81 seem to have
known him all nay life, though 1 made his
acquaintance only three years ago. From
the first he and l never felt like strangers,
But then he is so frank and honorable it
doesn't take one long to know him."
81 am prepared to have a high esteem for
my brother-in-law," Mrs. Anterior replied
TRANQUILITY.
She was of the opinion that Anne was the
least in the world infatuated with her hus-
band, but not for worlds would she intimate
such an idea. The youngest had been the
family pet, and was of disposition so high
toned and sensitive that they had always
been careful what they had said to her, and
minds had been much relieved when, after
having refused many offers, she fell in love at
length, and at the age of twenty-eight mar
ried, with every prospect of happiness.
''The air is full of birds, Carrie" she said
presently. '"They start in focks 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 filings around their breasts were
sky with. Bravo little sailors, here he
comes! Ho, heaveyo! A lark has just flown
past my window, and said, 'Bentornatop as
plainly as a lark can speak. Bless the birds
They know never eat them"
"But iarks are excellent" Mrs. Anterior
said, rousing herself. 81 can tell you the
most delicious way"
The other gave little scream and put her
hands over her ears. Chow can YOU be such
lark deserves never more to hear the voice oil
song"
Mrs. Atherton sank back resignedly and
folded her hands again.
Her sister began to sci quotation to
music:
Thoughts he sends to each planet,
Uranus, Venus ana Mars;
he scars to the center 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 the hollows
OF delicate air.
And now, Carrie, imagine million birds,
OF all sorts, screaming out the chorus:
Gross, astronomical, star-gazing comical,
Hazy, moon-crazy, fantastical man!
There must be stanza that calls man
omnverous, but Pm sorry to say have for
gotten 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 tempted to give
my very parrot and canaries into the cooks
hands,"
The young woman looked out again, smil-
ing at the familiar landmarks as they slipped
past. The aqueducts and tombs came and
went, and there was the wall. st. John
Lateran started up, and its apostles gazing at
her from the facade. The beautiful column
of Santa Marie Maggiore lifted its statue into
the air, and the tall campanile and cupofas
welcomed here. Then the train rolled into
the station and the door of their carriage was
opened.
1--WE will leave our luggage to send for
afterwards" Mrs. Francis said, sand if YOU
do not object. we will walk to the house. 1t
won't take ten minutes, and 1 should so like
to surprise Arthur by going into the room
before he knows I am in Rome. He is sure
not to expect us for week or two."
She did not say it, of course, but for the
yUhnla innrnQu cho had ,olo a.
come suddenly upon her husband for the de-
light of seeing the first flash of joyful surprise
in his face when she should appear.
They went into the piazza del Termini,
where the tall fountain was waving to and
fro in the sunshine and the breeze, one mo-
meat standing like gigantic feather bound
by jeweled ring, then throwing out its
spray in cloud, arching the rainbow off in a
swift flight to stretch it from gray arch to the
arch of the old ruins beyond.
'1f anything could have been wanting it
would have been rainbow" the young
wife said, shut as everything was perfect,
this is beautiful superfuity. Come! we
can see it all another time; now-Oh, Car
Tiep'
Looking to find what had provoked this
exclamation, Mrs. Atherton saw a gentleman
strolling into the piazza from the opposite
side, his head slightly bent to shade his eyes
IroIn Tue SUM- us nanQS cl2Sped behind his
back. She had no need to ask who he was.
The love and delight sparkling in Anne's
face told plainly enough.
"Stand between me and him, Carrie. Don't
let him see me yet. Give me your veil,
quick! Oh, he is coming directly towards
usP'
The gentleman sauntered lesurey along
toward the one shaded seat near the foun-
tain, glanced carelessly at his sister-in-aw in
passing, taking no notice of her companion,
and seated himself. Not suspicion crossed
him of the quick little breaths he could al
most have heard or the bright eyes peeping
at him through gray veil like two stars
through pearly mist.
Mrs. Anterior watched him with interest
There isn't much the matter with him.
was her cool mental comment "He is
rather handsome and decidedly manly-look-
ing. Dresses well, too; looks clean, which is
an excellent thing in man. like his TAX
ing morning walk, and like his coming to
look at fountain. 1t shows good habits
and love of Nature. What in the world is
that woman incoming about for?'
The woman to whom she referred had
been walking around the piazza for some
time, her eyes frequently directed toward the
western entrance. On the appearance OF