The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-11-24
noise OF arrivals ent on for a long
time. then IL was hard to hear ANYTHING

noise OF arrivals ent on for q long
time; then it was hard to hear anything
distinctly, the place was so large and
the walls SO thick. Yet there was the
sound OF voices and laughter, and al
last some serving-men went out in
crowd, and Teresa's shrill whisper called
after them :"Bring enough for them all
to eat"
Enough for them all to eat" It
was party, then. Perhaps more had
come than were expected, and the care
full Teresa had to make provision duly.
In o moment Thorn convinced himself
that the stout marquis, who had proba-
bly, recovered from his tumble, was
being entertained by Countess Vittoria's
most winning smiles. In his excited
mind he could see them both; that
waxed mustache (how he hated it y
and Vittoria--from her dainty foot to
the topmost braid Of her little head, he
could see her, too-see her smile and
coquet and handy compliments with
that detested fat fellow he had knocked
downstairs. Thorn ragged, shut him.
self in the studio, walked up and down
all night, and looked like O specter in
tie morning. Toward noon he fell
asleep, and waking with start at 5
o'clock, he got up to dress for the din
ner, heartily wishing it all over. Trying
to cogitate some verse, or toast, or epi-
gram for the occasion, he spied among
the brushes on the dressing table
dainty envelope. Evidently Giuseppe
had brought it while he slept. '"The
Countess Comparini's compliments, and
she would be happy to see Signor
Thorn" (the h very carefully written)
"at 5 O'clock"
Thorn vowed he wouldn't go; then,
seeing it was already o'clock, hur-
ried his toilet. He whisked ont a
clean handkerchief, he dashed q little
| Cologne water about, still swore he
wouldn't go and be tortured anew, hasti-
| ly left his rooms, and marched straight
down to the familiar great door on the
| second story. He was ushered as far as
| the little antechamber. The drawing
room was closely shut. From another
entrance the countess advanced to meet
him. She was charmingly dressed, but
very gentle and shy.
She hoped she saw the signore we'll.
"That could hardly be expected" he
answered, all resentment gone, as he
looked down upon the tender, girlish
little creature who was so dear to him
~ have been," she faltered. "thiuk
ing very seriously since we talked tn
other day; and last evening"
Thorn braced himself to hear she had
accepted the ma, quis at the party.
last evening made up my mind.
| II want you to feel at home, SO l
arranged little surprise. I hope you
will like it." Here she opened the
drawing room door. "They make a
dreadful noise, but it pleases me-for
| your sake"
The tears were in her eyes, she was
ready for his arms, yet Thorn stood il
mute amazement. The Comparini draw.
ing-room was half filed with tables,
md on every table was crowd of gob-
bling, screeching, fapping, living tur.
keys, some tethered, some cooped, but
all joining in the dreadful din.
| "What is the meaning" Thorn be-
gan, in wild astonishment.
| The countess broke down completely.
:" It's the custom of your country Oh
this day-you told me so-turkeys on
tables" she sobbed. "I'll try to be a
perfect American"
4" You're perfect angel" said Thorn,
and oil Countess Vittorla's tears, by
some strange law OF hydraulics, ran
down an American-cut waistcoat.
"And do you feel very much at
home?' she asked, in happy whisper
/" ] never felt so much at home in my
life," he answered, clasping her closely.
81 knew You would. I'm so glad l
did itall right. The men found it hard
to fasten so many of them on the tables,
though and the feeding, that was
dreadful"
Thorn laughed very much. "For
PHYS sake, have them taken off," he
said.
"No; they shall stay. don't mind
the noise. All! caro-, when these
things gobbled so frightfully all night
long, 1 said, l will love them, for this
is the custom of his country-perhaps a
part of his religion"
Dearest" said Thorn, as we'll as he
could through the hutter and cackle
around them, "love has all customs,
all religions, and all countries for it's
own. Nothing is hard, or strange, or
foreign to hearts that cling together
| like ours"
1t was not until the next year, when
the countess met a party of her hus-
bands compatriots, that she found out
the real use of the great American
| turkey,