The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-12-14


ty. Counts and marquises in plenty he
came to know, for Thorn was only pleas
ing a Bohemian fancy by lodging in an
old palace, and could afford to stand
dinners for even the hungriest mobiles in
Italy. But no luck. Invariably he
found the Countess Comparini inap-
proachable, frequenting small circle,
but not inclined to foreign society.
Sometimes he saw her piquant little
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 out of
the solid wall in his apartment, and told
Giuseppe that he required, as a tenant,
to see the countess about some repairs.
"The signore will go tothe agent on
the Corso," said Giuseppe.
At last Thorn became horribly jealous
of this old porter, who was sure of
smile and pleasant word, or perhaps a
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
hing of connoisseur in wines. Now
Thorn had certain flask containing a
certain liquid that might easily be called
American wine. Giuseppe, without
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.
"GiuseppeW p called the countess, in
that cooling way that always set Thorn
wishing to be an old serving-man. Then
seeing the mans prostrste form, she
gave little cry, and going to him in
sweet womanly fashion, turned up his
rough face, and said, ooh, 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 r.
This was Thorn's time. Advancing,
he said Pardon me, signora, but l
have little skill. 1 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 am, but 80 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 will let you know his condition."
said Thorn, formally.
Ralnatonf1u cha want Thorn 1roOunI
the man inside, and in five minutes met
the countess anxious face at the door
of her own salon. Be sure Giuseppes
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
messenger. During the evening the
invalid became conscious. Then Mr..
Worthington Thorn, with every claim
to gratitude, with year of formal &C
quaintance, franchised at one lucky
bound, reposed his six feet of American
pluck and expedient 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, "A
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 a 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 had 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 ana now foreign Ali
an italian could never like such things,
she would exclaim.
"Then you do not like anything
foreign, countessP"
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 hattering truth.
"And do women speak, the countess
asked, Sin public in America ?"
"Oh, yes; that's common"
"And their husbands, what do they
ssyp"
"That if a woman has ideas or opin-
ions, she has right to express them"
how about woman's dowry"
1.