The Columbus journal., 1884-06-25

20. she had . resm of paper this
morning" his wife answered, trif1e
impatiently. She was . plain, matter
of-fact woman. and she thought Annina
o silly, romantic girl, whose enthusiasm
should be crushed She told me pri-
vstely that she had very poor opinion
Of Allesio Ghiandaja-
my brother-in-law would do better
to arrange . marriage for Annina with
his partner. Signor Benelli." she said.
'.He il . prudent, middle-aged man.
and would make an excellent hus-
band"
s.But if she loves Allesio?" asked;
for although 1 was forty-seven. l was
sentimental.
SignOra Comba shrugged her hand
some shoulders. 'Annina' love doesn't t
count for much" she replied. "She
would love broomstick."
did not agree with her. Annina
was Q child of an ardent. passionate
temperament. She could love, and she
loved Allesio.
Late that night she came to my bed
room, dressed in flowing white wrap
per and pair of scarlet slippers, her
long black hair floating about her shoul-
ders. If she had sung the mad-song
from Lucia l should not have been par
ticularly surprised; but l was surprised.
not to say Mortified, when she flung
herself on her knees before me and
burst out crying. finally succeeded
in comforting her, and she raised her
disheveled head. ''O," she moaned.
''you will think me SO wicked! lied
to you. l did see Allesio alone once.
1t was in the garden, and by moon
light. You will never tell? Promise
me never to tell"
solemnly promised. Ihad heard OF
lovers in q moonlight garden before,
and mentioned the fact now.
''But in America" she exclaimed, as
though gh anything were possible there. Il
was so frightened that evening" She
shuddercd at the recollection. 81 only
stayed ten minutes, and was trembling
all the time; for If my mother had dis
covered US, she-oh. cant think what
she would have doner'
saw him at Christmas time, this
Signor Ghiandaja. for he came with his
future mother-in-law to pay a visit.
They arrived late one evening, and the
mother entered first Allesio had
stopped below TO pay the cabman, she
said; but in a minute he walked into
the drawing-room, where we were all
assembled. He greeted Pastor Comba
and his wife. he was introduced to me,
and finally he approached Annina, with
both hands Outstretched. She came
forward slowly, her head hanging ard
q hot flush dycing her cheeks; she put
her hands in his and looked up at him
shyly. He glanced over his shoulder
at the mother, a plump, consequential
little woman. with your permission"
he said; then without waiting for it. he
stopped and kissed Annina. For a
moment she stood bewildered. Her
mother began to laugh, and Annina
covered her face with her hands and
ran away, while Allesio twirled his
mustache and looked very handsome.
l admire audacity in a man, and l ad-
mired him, although there was CLEAN
in his eyes that made me distrust him.
He OWNED that was sinapatica, and
during his visit he poured out his he:sft
to me. as Annina had poured out hers.
took these lovers under my wing;
carried them of on walks and drives.
never neglecting an opportunity to turn
my back on them, and acting deaf and
blind to their whispers and glances, In
return these lovers declared an undying
affection for me.
''You must come and see us. when we
are married." Allesio said. ''There
shall be room set apart for you; and
you must stay weeks-a whole winter
Annina nata and will try to prove that
we are not ungrateful. We shall never
forget you, eh. Annina?"
She shook her head and slipped her
hand in mine, by way of reply. She
never chattered in his hearing; she be-
came shy and silent in his presence.
hardly daring to raise her eyes; but
when she did raise them, it was to be-
stow an eloquent glance on her lover.
At table she sat beside him, and she
blushed when he filed her wineglass.
blushed again when he passed her the
bread Alone with me, however. she
ratified away as though to make up for
lost time.
Once l asked her who Signor Benelli
was. and she looked at me in surprise.
"Papa's partner" she replied.
''Do you like him, Amman"
"Cosi, cost. He is not young: he is
fat, he is bald, but he is very amiable."
Clearly the thought of him as suitor
had never entered her head, and l con-
cluded that Signora Comba had men,
toned him only to contrast him with
Allesio. rather fell in love with the
young man. too. He was always the
same, serene and smiling; perhaps
tribe arrogant. trifie vain, but cour-
teous and considerate. Annina's mother
I disliked. for she seemed a purse-proud
dame. and know that she told Signora
COmba that ought to pay more for my
board. Annina stood in awe of her. and
her mother corrected her continually
1t was sit up, Annina;" or, Turn
out your toes, Annina;" or, Take care
what you say, Annina." / was glad
when the tiresome wOmaa went, but l
missed Allesio's bright smile and melo-
diOus voice, and Annina was sad-eyed
for . week. She wrote more letters
than ever, and. received more; mean
while the spring came up our way.
Annina grew very religious; she went
to prayer-meetings with her uncle, she
attended service three times on Sunday
and she visited the poor with her aunt
She became interested in q Protestant
charity school; so she taught ragamuf-
fins the Testament twice q week. The
ragamuffins' fathers and mothers, ig-
folk, Pastor Comba declared, did
not like to see their children taught, and
they stoned the school-room one day.
Annina came home. a martyr. with her
right wrist sprained; so wrote letters
for her to Allesio. In them she des-
cribed minutely all that she did and
thought; nothing was too trivial, and
was skeptical enough to wonder if any
man lived in this workaday world
who could read one of those ten-page
letters through, every morning for a
year. But man in love performs ex-
traordinary feats-there is no doubt of
that.
Suddenly. Allesio's letters stopped.
The days went by, and it was almost
week since Annina had heard from him.
She ate nothing, she refused to go out,