The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1884-01-13
iLHPO.

window that lighted up the darknesS within.
She was very tired; she had been spading in
the tiny garden long before the splendor OF
the rose and silver sunrise had flushed the
faces OF the hills: then she drove the cows 10
pasture, and when she came homo made the
fire and had breakfast nearly ready before
she went To the ladder and called Lippo,
lie came leaping down from the loftdi-
rectly, and after splAshing vigorously at the
water butt appeared ut the breakfast table
glowing and smiling, a drop or two still
sparkling on his dusky curls.
Margretta had but her bowl Of soup aud
slice OF black bread, but beside LippoA plata
lay a cluster Of grapes and a golden pear, that
RufH, the gardener, had given her as she came
up the hill from the pasture.
Take half, Caro- shid lippO. magnani-
mously, as he lifted the fruit; but MafgTetta
shook her head. 1t was pleasure enough for
her To watch his sensuou pleasure In their
perfume and mellow suavity. He ate them
with the hearty relish OF a child, but when
they were done he gazed at the core he held
In his hand and sighed regretfully.
What Is 1t dear, are o hungry stillf'
asked Margretta, ~auxiously.
NO. he answered lightly; ''but l have to
to town to-day. should have saved the
pear for my dinner; you nov 1 cant eat dry
bread, Margretta: | would starve first"
But his sister was equal TO the emergency.
She was quite used to being his providence.
From the cupboard she produced triumph
antly a slice OF cheese. There, Lippol look
at that! and with a loaf Of yesterdays baking
you will not dino badly, l am thinking.
Now. go, my child, get yourself ready for
your journey"
While she cleared away the meagre rem
nant Of the meal Lippo went 10 don his festal
array. 1t was the cast-off velvet lounging
suit OF the count. who came at rare Intervals
To the villa, and Margretta had purchased
them from his valet with the price Of her sill
yer earrings. She shed a few tears at part
ing with them, for they were her only
treasure, excepting her string Of pearls, but
she wished to surprise Lippo with the gift on
his name day, and when she saw how beanti-
full lie was in the rich, little worn garments
she rejolced at the sacrifice. Even the string
Of pearls must go now, for tho last payment
on the two fields Wa due, aud when they
were bought Lippo would 30 free to bring
home IA wife at any time.
Heretofore Margretta had always been
able to meet the payment, but last winter
Lippo was sick and needed wine and nourish-
ing food, and in the spring one Of the oxen
died; so with Il little pang Margretta de-
cided the pearls must go. Lippo would take
them TO town to-day, and old Andrea. who
lived by the church and who bought the
peasants marriage plates and linen chests TO
sell again to the rich folk from abroad. would
give her u fair price for the pearls; enough
to pay for the two fields and u little over 20
make Lippo a wedding feast when he should
have u mind TO marry.
Lippo came down the steps from the loft,
dressed for his errand, and Margretta stood
aga1s. as she had lone a thousand lime sinse
his babyhood, lost In admiration OF his soft.
dirk beauty; his long. slender body was 80
1.-the and supple, his oval face so smoothly
curved, his lips were Like a scarlet flower, and
his eyes like starr In the dusk.
He came merrily out through the cottage
garden, picked a crimson carnation. which
he stuck behind his ear. kissed Margretta,
and swung gaily OF down hill.
h kiss repaid Margretta for all her sac
riices when Lippo was but a toddling baby,
and she must work early and late to keep the
two, with nc time for fetos or lovers like
other girls had His little clinging arms and
caresses had consoled her for everything, and
she held the dances and kisses Of the young
men as but n feathers weight when balanced
against the comfort and happiness OF her
pretty bambino.
Now, Mhrgretta had no lovers to repulsa.
One does not rise long hours before day 10
dig, TO weed, to toll increasingly for twelve
hours each day, TO live spare and sleep little,
and yet retain the Smoothness of youth. Her
hands were coarse and red, her face a
withered brown, her back broad, and her
step heavy, though she was but u.
The years had slipped by UNDECIDED, while
the e~xacting baby was growing an indolent,
beautiful man. 50 many years Margretta
had toiled for him hat 1t seemed but natural
she should continue to do IL.
She would have resented n suggestion a.
to his laziness and want Of consideration.
Did not lippo always some ut sunset TO help
her fetch water up the hill, taking the jar
from her us II she was IA princess. And did
he not come in the evening and take her
away from her work, drawing her into the
garden among the carnations and lilies, de
claring she worked too hard and must come
out in the moonlight IL listen 10 the
nightingalesf
Did that look as II he were inconsidernte
And ON saints days did he not always go
with her to mass. carrying her book and
offering her the holy water as II she were
his sweetbearti
Were there any other young men who
treated their sisters like that No, decidedly,
she had nothing To complain Of In Lippo.
So she went cheerfully about her work all
day, and when the night fell she ga1ed with
pride Mt the clean garden and the heaps Of
uprooted weeds. Then she drove the cows
from pasture, stopping to talk with Ruin, to
ask when the count was expected, aud
whether the fruit ripened well. when the
COWS were penned she dashed water over her
brown throat and arms, smoUthed her hair.
and rctied hor kerchief, FOR Lippo liked to SEQ
her neat. Then she seated herself 10 rest and
walt FOR Lippo,
She was very tired, she did not remember
feeling so tired In all These years; but then
she was up so early, and tho sun had been
very hot to-day; perhaps she was going ~
have a fever, many OF the people had had
fSyers during the summer. but she had no
time To 30 sick, what would become OF Lippo
thenI
All her limbs felt numb and dead, but she
had not the energy to stir them; she hardly
seemed to care whether she ever moved at
all, and her thoughts grew faint and cou-
fused; she could not think whether IL WIS ths
nre-aies that sparkled up above her, there
was another name for them she knew but
couldn't remember II, and there they were
again, Pickering and glittering In the cedars.
IL was very strange, vet she didn't much care
to solve II. Was that "a nightingale singing,
or was it Lippo who's voice came np tho
roadi ILppo could sing until one would
weep for the beauty OF IL, md now the sound
gave her a strange, lost, far-way feeling that
was like u pang. She dimly felt she must go
get LLppo's sunIer Isady, and yet lacked the
will to move
Through the gate at last he came, calling
to her and saying something she
could not understand. She tried 10
rise, but she could not move. The cold sweat
stood out on her brow from the Intensity OF
her effort, yet she sat as still Us the marble
virgin in the church.
1t was all dim aud confused; LIppo cried
out, and Run aud his wife came up the hill
Get Il, Surel