The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-08-24
HER HOLIDAY.
A Husbands Story.

Yes, it was TO be her holiday-"a for
her" Nobody else was to have any
share in 1t except myself-that is, if
going as her courier, paymaster, and
general factotum could be called having
a share in holiday.
We had been married nearly ten years,
and what with the cares of home and
the training of numerous olive-b branches,
she had never bad any chance of a rest.
OF course, we had been to the seaside
frequently, and all that sort of thing;
but then, surrounded by children and
nurses, these trips had only been con-
tinuation of the ge..cral London response
bilities, plus the worries and incon-
yenience of lodgings or hotels More
over, within the last few years there had
been some trouble in her family, which
had acted very prejudicially upon her
sensitive and highstrung nature. So
now we were going away alone-going to
leave all the children at home in the
charge of grandmamma-were going
abroad for six weeks together wherever
she wished. Her will was to be para
mount; | was to be her slave-to pay the
bills and look after the luggage. Her
affection and untiring devotion to her
duties deserved no less She had thor
Oughly qualified herself for enjoying a
holiday; she had earned it. Italy"
she said, where there was sunlight,
beauty and quiet" Goodl | waived my
magician's wand, rubbed the lamp, or
spread the carpet, or did any one of
those wonderful things which NEGRO
mancers Of yore were wont to do when
IL no
places-Or, rather, | resorted to the mod
ern golden equivalent for such proceed
iugs-and we found ourselves certainly,
as if by magic, at Lucerne. Thence we
were to take it easy, and so logged
along over the St. Gothard Pass, and
dropped into Italy at the Locarno end of
the Lago Maggiore
BY this time she was beginning to en-
Joy herself thoroughly; she had got over
the fatigue, and already looked much as
she did the day | married her. Yes, it
was very delightful to see her so well
and happy.
Why, it's like honeymoon over
again." she said; cor rather it is as if
there had beenno break, and that it was
only the continuation of those early
days.
We spent hours and hours upon the
lake, beneath the awnings of the fiat
bottomed boats, those first inceptions of
the gondola, or we wandered up to the
picturesque old convent or sanctuary
of the Modonna del Sass0, set like a
Jewel amid the blue hills behind the
town. And there in the soft autumn
evenings we sat and watched the glorious
sunset, and the boundless panorama of
Alp, plain and lake, while the bell in the
campanile hard by called the peasantry
TO vespers, and the pealing of the deep
toned organ resounded through the
choir.
We selected Locarno rs a hating
place, because it was at that time, and is
SO partly still, out of the rush of the
tourist. 4 primitive place, with simple
civil people willing to serve and oblige
honestly, aud without having fer the
first question in their minds, "What
shall we get by it," Thus we came to
know some of them living up there near
the sanctuary, and to speak or ned when
we met from time TO time.
Notably among these was a mother
and child-a sweet little chubby cherub
of q boy about four. The Italian folk
III the north are not as a rule hand
some, but this mother was an exception,
and the child was like her. Superior,
too, in all respects, she looked better
born, bred, and nu tured nay, there was
even look of culture and refinement
about her.
Immensely attracted by this pair, nv
wife particularly would lose no opportu-
nifty of giving the little one a pat and a
kiss, aud of exchanging pleasant word
or two in the best Italian she could mus
ter with the mother, who by degrees on
her part began to speak a little English,
and 10 take us into her conf
dence. She explained that she had
married an Englishman, a gentle
man. She declared, who had died
suddenly more than four years ago, and
just before the little one was born. His
family never knew of the marriage; he
had intended to proclaim it and face the
consequences of the Biesdllidnce. as it
would be called, but his sudden end
prevented this, and to this day she be.
lieved her existence even was unknown
to her husbands people. But she did
not care; he had left her just enough to
live upon, and she had come TO dwell at
Iocarno, where her aged father lived,
aud whose last days she desired to soothe.
She was quite contented with the humble
life she led there in yonder little wooden
chalet-at least until the good God
should take them To his rest.
Would we enter the abode and speak
to her father? Hewas very handsome
old man, native of Tuscany who had
seen better days. IHoi it mattered little
that, or why he had come SO far north.
Her name, we asked.
All, her maiden name was one that in
past times had struck terror to the foes
of liberty; she would not mention it. !
Her father, even had considered it wise |
TO drop it, and had adopted her surname, |