The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-04-19

missed AlleSlO DrlgnJ 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 a Protestant
charity school; so she taught ragamuf-
fins the Testament twice week. The
ragamullins' fathers and mothers, To-
norantfolk, Pastor Comba declared, did
not like to see their children taught, and
they stoned the school-room one day.
Annina came home, martyr, with her
right wrist sprained; so [ wrote letters
for her to Allesio In them she des-
cribed infinitely 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, Allcsio's letters stopped.
The days went by, and it was almost a
week since Annina had heard from him.
She ate nothing, she refused TO 90 out,
and she locked herself in her room to
weep and be miserable. Her uncle
and aunt and I met in conclaye one
evening, for we feared she would fall
ILL.,.
"She was very feverish last night"
declared Pastor Comba, who loved his
niece, albeit he leased her unmerci-
fully.
"She has eaten almost nothing for
week" said his wife.
"She will def he deserts her." addId
!, the sentimental spinster.
Then we three grown-up people
smiled, but we all felt sorry for'the
poor girl. The next morning we called
in physician, who looked very gave.
"She must be cajoled." he said ''If
she will not eat, and will not go out,
and will only cry, she will sturdy get
the fever. There is good deal of
fever this spring"
What were we to do? We taioled,
we commanded, we implored; but An
nina refused to eat more than the least
morsel of bread, or to drink anything
but little water A girl might keep.
that up for two days-I mean q girl
who was shamming but Annina Kept
il up for nearly two weeks. At last
letter came from Allesio "a short letter,
written in wayering hand and dated
at Paris. He wrote that he was i'll and
among strangers, but that he was slow
ly getting better. Annlh was eager
to go to him by the first train-she
even tried to run away; SO we all
watched her like cats until Allesio was
well and back in Turin. As his letters
grew regular she regained her appe-
tite and was soon her joyou self once
more.
1t was my plan to join Mis- Leslie in
Venice that spring, but befoie l left
Florence l bought o wedding present
for Annina, which | contided T. Pastor
Comba's care. She besought meto come
to her wedding. which was to tabe place
in September, and sobbed whenI told
her that in September l hoped to;eturn
to America.
''You will be in Europe again ?n she
said. lifting her fearful face from my
shoulder.
Eyes, I shall come to Europe again"
I replied.
Then you must surely pay Allosio
and me long visit" She put her
mouth close to my ear. al shall be
his wife," she whispered. 81 shall be
Annina Ghiandaja."
"The cab is herew cried Pastor
Comba, and l tore myself free from
Annina's clinging arms.
She wrote me several letters that
summer. She seemed very happy. for
she was travelling with her parents. and
Allesio was with them for awhile. In
as | was speeding toward
London, an old gentleman in the rail
way carriage saw that was reading
Italian, and addressed me in. that
tongue. He was very polite to me, in
a benign way, and told me that he was
a banker in Turin so | asked him if
he knew Giovanni Comba, the silk mer-
chant.
Eyes, indeed" he replied; 81 know
him and his family very well. Are you
acquainted with them ?''
with the signora and with An
Nina" | said.
"Ah, Annina," he repeated. II
trotted her on my knee the other day,
and now she is engaged to be mar
ried."
40 Allesio Ghiandaia," added.
"He is not worthy of her." said the
old banker. "He drinks and he gam
bles. He went to Paris last spring, and
returned half dead from the effects of
dissipation. | hope Comba will break
of the match. Little Annina deserves
q better husband"
just before the steamer sailed from
Liverpool [ received letter from An
nina. She wrote in the gayest of spir-
its, although she told me that her mar
riage had been postponed
"Dear Allesio must go to Lyons on
business" she wrote. ''but he will soon
return. l have made him little tray
cling cap of blue silk, and you cannot
think how well he looks mi He saws
that he will not dare wear it, for all the
girls will fall in love with him, and he
will surely be carried oil by somebody.
And them he adds, what would you
do, Annina, nja}" All, what should
dor'
So she ran on for ten pages-Allesio,
Allesio, always Allesio. | answered as
soon Us | reached New York, and in