The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-11-24

OOueJlmeS u6 saw DeT plQu8ub ltble
face on the Pincian, as she drove alone
in an open carriage, and then he went
home and laid the maddest schemes.
He even knocked some mortar ont OF
the solid wall in his apartment, and told
Giuseppe that he required, as tenant,
to see the countess about some repairs.
"The signore will 60 tothe agent on
the Corso," said Giuseppe.
At last Thorn became horribly jealous
of this old porter, who was sure of o
smile and pleasant word, or perhaps
little confidential talk, as the countess
would come in from her drive. Gloom
lily pondering Giuseppe's good fortune,
an idea struck the American. The
countess was out. Giuseppe was some
thing of connoisseur in wines Now
Thorn had certain flask containing a
certain liquid that might easily be called
much persuasion, swallowed good pint
of whisky straight, and swore it was
better than Montepulciano. Soon he
lay senseless in the court yard, and
then Thorn coolly sauntered into the
street waiting for the countess car
riage. Before long it came, and he
lounged discreetly in the porte cochere.
"Giusepper' called the countess, in
that cooling way that always set Thorn
wishing to be an old serving-man. Then
seeing the mans PROSTATE form, she
gave little cry, and going to him in
sweet womanly fashion, turned up his
rough face, and said, "Oh, the poor
Giuseppe is ill-Teresa ~ This last to
her maid, who might have heard through
one Of the open windows, but did not.
Teresa, help me. Poor Giuseppe |"
This was Thorn's time. Advancing.
he said "Pardon me, signora, but I
have little skill. I can help the
man."
"Are you doctor, signoreP I thought
you were a"
"a painter" said Thorn, secretly
exulting that she had thought of him at
all. $50 I am, but SO poor one that
I've wit enough outside my own craft
to treat simple case like this"
ooh, he is an old and faithful SER
want"
leave him to me, and in short
time I will let you know his condition" 1"
said Thorn, formally.
Reluctantly she went. Thorn moved
the man inside, and in five minutes met
the countess anxious face at the door
of her own salon. Be sure Giuseppe's
recovery was delayed be sure that only
Teresa, the maid, who did not under
stand the symptoms, was allowed to
approach him and be very sure that
bulletins were conveyed every few
minutes to the countess by tireless
messen niger. During the evening the
invalid became conscious. Then Mr.
Worthipgton Thorn, with every claim
10 gratitude, with q year of formal &C
quaintance, franchised at one lucky
bound, repoaed his six feet Of American
pluck and cxpedient on an ancient
Comparini sofa, and secretly laid down
before the lady's dainty little slippers
all his honest New England heart,
Now Giuseppe, too, was indebted to
Thorn for not mentioning the nature of
his illness, and obeying the order to re-
main indisposed for several days
Several days why, they were more
like several weeks, SO common had it
grown for the countess to say, GA
riverderla, Signor Torn"
"Thorn, if you please, signora."
Then, with violent exertion to full
fill the rules of enunciating "th," the
troublesome combination would some
how slip away in laugh, and the
countess would say, blushing and look
ing very lovely indeed, "Ah! I can
never say that foreign name of yours"
"Try my first name-Worthington." ="
"Vortinton. Is that right?"
whatever you say is right"
"Ah your Italian improves. You
can make compliments already"
In truth, Thorn got on wonderfully
in Italian. With so much practice, no
wonder. Not only hao he much to say
on his own account, but the countess
was Unsuitable in her curiosity about
his home and the ways of the American
people.
"How strange and how foreign All !!
an Italian could never like such things"
she would exclaim.
"Then you do not like anything
foreign, countess?"
A little shrug for answer, and little
elevation of the eyebrows, that might
mean polite reluctance to offend, and
might mean bashful hesitancy to speak
a fiattering truth.
"And do women speak" the countess
asked, "in public in America ?"
"Oh, yes; that's common"
"And their husbands, what do they
say?"
"That if woman has ideas or opin-
ions, she has right to express them"
san italian wouldn't like that. And
how about woman's dowry?"
|
"Itaiians wouldn't like that, laughed
the countess.
"But if wife has property, it is
protected so the husband shall not
squander it. Would the Italians like
that ?"
ell think the women would" and
the countess looked thoughtful.
Thorn felt he was striking home and
making progress; but the countess see
ing him dare to look happy again,
started her raillery again. "Now tell
me about your fiesta days. What do
you do at Eastern"
"Nothing much where live. Some
people eat few eggs or put few
flowers in the churches"
+" How sad No Easter But you
have carniyal?'
"Not where 1 live"
"No carnival! But TN italian would
die without the carnival. Pray what do
you havep"
"We have Fourth of July"
"Forterhuli-andW what is that p