The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-04-26


the great portico, hushing her footstep
on the marble pave as if it could be
heard above the din of hurrying feet.
Il music was not joyful tonight
The high voices seemed to wall above
the arches, and the organ sobbed and
quivered like a human thing; and yet it
seemed to Teresa sweeter than anything
she had ever heard OF earth.
As she passed home in the fragrant
twilight, surly Chico, who stood in his
humble doorway, little man with an
anxious face (because of seven small
mouths to feed and insufficient to do it
WITH lifted his cap, and bis wife came
to the door to look at her with some
thing more than curiosity in her glance.
The children of the cigarette-maker,
who spent all his earnings on wine, and
let his offspring go ragged and unkempt,
stared at her with eyes brimful of
wonder, and the little lame Tori, whom
she had once nursed through the fever,
even forgot his evening greeting to look
and marvel like the rest.
The door of her small abode stood
open, and there were lights within and
a little group of neighbors all gesticu-
lating and talking together.
81 saw him, someone was saying;
che was dressed in his boatman's garb,
and if it had not been for that"
Yes" cried another, ''his black
curls were all matted, and his face
''Ah, that was the cruel part, j." chimed
in q third. ''His handsome face all
crushed in and bleeding. You could
never believe it was the same merry
hearted lad. ."
And l saw the accursed thing that
did it, broke in her uncle's quayering
voice, as his frightened eyes travelled
uneasily from face to face.
at was large hammer, and its
wooden handle was all spattered with
the poor lad 5 red blood"
Il took this red scarf from his dead
neck said the first speaker, drawing
his toil-roughed hand across his eyes.
Il thought she might value 1.-THE
girl
Poor Beppon broke in her uncle's
quavering voice again. ''She gave it to
him as bit of love-token dear lad. "
Dead! Beppo deadl
Teresa did not go into the room, but
slipped back into the little garden, far
beyond the sound of the cruel voices.
1t was very sweet and quiet there.
The flowers filled the air with subtle
fragrance, and the sky overhead was
studded with thousands of brilliant stars.
Beyond them lay the confines of the
spirit-world, and Beppo was there.
That was what the wailing of the
voices had meant and the sob and quiver
of tho prrrau = breath
pray from now till eternity" the
cruel Mother Annunciata had said,
''and see if it will bring you Beppo
back"
And here she stood among the flowers
in the old familiar garden, full of youth
and health. with life about her every
where, and Beppo was dead.
Then Teresa fell to picturing in
dazed way the stalwart form that could
never rise again, the still cold hands,
and the black curls hiding the poor dis
figured face.
You are white flower" he had said
to her laughingly, leaning over the little
wicket in the moonlight, ''and love the
white flower best"
But he would never love anything
more. Beppo was dead.
Suddenly long shrill whistle smote
the air.
Teresa turned her head and her face
was white as one risen from the grave.
1t had always been Beppo's signal at
coming.
Surely she recognised the form stand
ing in the path
And vet this new conner was in no
hnu .rari-A IIi- af
richest Genoa velvet. His polished shoes
were fastened with jewelled buckles,
and rich curling plumes depended from
his broad hat
The next moment the intruder had
caught the girl in hearty embrace.
''Dost thou not know thy cavalier?"
he queried gaily.
But they told me thou vert dead"
stammered Teresa.
1t was now Beppo's turn to be amazed.
''Deadr' he quoth. NAY, by the
saints l am living man. So much
alive that tomorrow morn we shall be
wed, and no one shall say that thy lover
cannot give thee home worthy of thee,
my Teresa"
The girl, too much astonished to re-
ply, touched with 2 wondering hand the
rich velvet of his mantle.
''Now have strange story to tell
thee, he said. something that will
bring the color that the idle gossips
have frightened away back to thy cheek.
Just three ewes since, as | sat on the
bank of the canal waiting for passen-
ger, a gay gallant approached, and put
ting piece of gold in my hand, ordered
me to row out.
Nothing 10th, | seized the oars, and
neither spoke till the boat was well be-
yond the wooded islands that dot the
entrance TO the bay. Then my passen-
ger told me his business. He was q
nobleman, he said. and in love with
young maiden of high rank She was
an orphan. and her crafty guardian had
determined to marry her to his own son.
and thus secure her large property. But
the lady had rebelled. and determined
to win freedom by flight.
'.He then proposed TO change dresses,
he to take my boat and return alone to
the city. The lady was by stratagem to
gain the bank of the canal. and unac-
companied, for fear of treachery, they
would row out to a vessel which was
waiting TO bear them to England, to
which country he had transferred all his
vast property. 1t was Il small favor to
perform for the sake of fair lady, and
before many minutes | was attired in
his fine bravery, and he was nothing
more than humble beatman of the
canal.
You are good fellow" he said.