The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-12-05
her arms preceding us, and breaking the
sad news to the aged father.

Inc only sort or medical aid obtalna-
BILE in that primitive place came from
the sanctuary, and soon an old monk, to
whom the natives all seemed to defer,
was in attendance, and after a careful
examination of the patient pronounced
that by great mercy no bones were
broken, but that the peor wsman was
suffering from conclusion of the brain,
and that some weeks might elapse before
she would be about again.
"Do you still hold to your determine
ton of returning bone ~ | said to my
vile, when the excitement and the sor-
row which tho catastrophe bad caused
were a little sbated for own that | was
selfish enough TO hope that out of this
evil good might come in the shape of
making her prolong her holiday. The
hope was realized.
mo" she answered "perhaps can
be of some use here; | will not go back
yet. This little one will want MOTHER
care now; / will be that mother, for |
love him more than ever, and wish more
than ever that he belonged to me-"
need hardly say that under other
circumstances | should have entirely
objected TO her assuming such maternal
responsibilities; that should have
pointed out that it was no duty of hers
a well-born lady, in this fashion TO !ca+
after the ofIspringOf an unknown Lfa,.i
woman, sind that there were plenty of
neighbors willing and ready to undertake
the task, and who were really the proper
people, etc.
But what could | do? Was it not
cher holiday?' had not promised a
hundred times to conform TO her every
wish, within, or caprice ?-because |
thought she had none, and | never ex.
pected to be put to this sort of test, for
had not married sensible woman2 |
was puzzled, but / could only conform,
saying to myself, "they are strange
creatures, women; one never knows
them no, not after ten years of the
closest intimacy"
So we staid on; she devoting the
greater part of her time to attendance
upon the sick woman (who still lay
unconscious and her child, whose lisping
and imperfect words had told us too
plainly tnst it was while stretching over
the edge of the precipice to gather black
berries tor him that his mother had lost
his footing and fallen headlong down
My wife would spend hours by the bed
side. | ventured TO demonstrate, and
got severe snubbing for my pains.
Ohe evening about week after the
catastrophe, while | was waiting for her
at a spot hard by the sanctuary where
we often sat, she came up to me in the
most excited frame of mind. | WAS really
alarmed had never seen her equable
temperament 10 disturbed
90 Walter" she exclaimed, 81 have
Just came from the poor woman, and
nave had such shock She has regained
consciousness but not her senses, which
the good frate who watches her always
tells me frequently happens in sucf
cases"
"But what OF that? What should il
excite you so?, | asked, quite mystiiec
by my wife's words.
"Ah, | don't know; cannot tell you
my hopes, my belief, have hardly taken
form yet; only come quickly with me W
to :he house. o Walter, it is all so won.
derful Come, let us 80 on faster; !
want 70 to get back that you and | both
may listen to Lucia Vianeros broken
words, prove their meaning, and so clear
up doubt that"
"What do you mean :" | cried.
"What can she have said to no strangely
move you ?" aid | inwardly thought,
80, that had never consented to 'her
holidayp"
81 will tell you il you will only hurry
on as fast ~ you can, Signs OF ANNA
ton set in about an hour ago, and her
first words were 'Paolo, Paolino.' ] held
the boy up to her, but she took no heed
of him, and went on murmuring another
name over end over again 70 often that
| felt quite my seriously affected. 1t
was" But here reaching the door OF
the chalet, my wife hurried me to the
bedside.
The old monk held upa warning finger
as we entered we hardly dared to draw
a breath as we listened to Lucia's low,
unconscious tones.
"Gioryio, Giorgio, mi)," she was say
ing in Italian, like one who talks in a
dream, "never tell of our marriage
tuey will not love me, they will neglect
me. Hide it and the little one, too; do
not let them see him; they will break
his heart with coldness, they would not
even own him! Yes, perhaps your sister
might, TO- she loved you, Giorgio mic
you have told me so. She felt Tor you,
and wept for you, and knew why you
went away, and came to live in the midst
OF sunny skies and beautiful pictures.
All, well, you can tell her if you like
she would love Paolino for your sake
Look at him, Giorgio. Kiss him"
Here she seemed once more to lapse
into unconsciousness, and the good frat,
said:
"Ah, poor Lucia, her mind wander'
back to her marriage, and mingliDg past
and present, she sreaks of what never
was; the father never saw the child"
odd you know her husband then p
inquired my wife in Italian.
The .trate shook his head "Only tn,
circumstances OF the marriage"
"Tell me, what were they" she ex.
claimed, clasping her hands in an agony
of excitement.
"Simple, very simple" said the holy
man, quite unmoved, and struggling hi
ample shoulders; ga young English
man, an artist, living In Florence, anc
who had made Italy the land OF hi
adoption, and who took an Italian name
fell in love with Lucia, who was hi
model, and married her. not an unusua
occurrence among your countrymen,
believe" he added, turning to M.
was bewildered did not know in
the least what to make of all this, and
have no doubt looked as stupidity help
less a. | felt.
"And then?" eagerly inquired my
wife. sejzing the fr1fs's arm, and looking