Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-06-16

AN ITALIAN LOVE STORH In WHiCd ri0
IRE A COUNTESS AND STREET
MUSICIAN.
| II am at home every evening at this
time. You may-may come again to NOR
row, She waved her hand with care
iless gesture. then turned her back on him
rs he lett the rom.
K..p,o ept sway thoroughly satisfied.
How kind to let one little tune pay tor the
1.-Two goId pieces! Andthen how good she
had b. en- to him. though to be sure her
humor bad been so quick to change. But
Then one can never depend on woman
Ibumo,s. and B-ppo hal not PLAYED among
them these ten years without finding that
out.
But she was different from those in the
Via Ma-che-one-he took peculiar salts
faction in repeating that to himself. though
he c.uld not say in what particular, cir
cumsraniial evidence b. ing strong against
her, for the house smelt fearfully Of to-
barco; and then that big drunken fellow
who had spoken TO him near the gate
we'll, he could not comprehend it all but
he would not wrong her by SO much as
an evil thought.
Not only the next day did Beppo 60 to
the Conltesse de Charneau's villa, but
many days thereafter, ami the gold pieces
ere plenty, and he lived like Prince
among his ragged comrades. Il do not
like such smell of smok around" ne said
one evening when the atmosphere was un-
usually sizzling and close. IL cannot play
where he fresh air does not come" There
was not the slightest fault to be found
| with the atmosphere of the villa after that.
In bis dull way he saw that she strove
to please him.to gain his favor and friend
ship. though why they should be OF any
consequence to a great lady like the Com
tesse he could not guess. and did not
trouble his head with vain imaginings.
One nigh, he was later than usual. A
noisy crowd around the church of St.
Clement detained him, and it was past
nine when he entered the small salon.
The h. avy chandeliers were ablaze with
light. and she stood directly underneath
them. She was clad in ball costume Of
creamy satin with rare jewels flushing on
her breast and arms.
B-ppo paused on the threshold as that
vision of beauty met his gaze. She
smiled and stretched out her hand to him,
and blinded, bewildered, he went slowly
towards her.
lie bowed. and said, bashfullv:
"Ah, mil adj is so cnarming!" But that
was not enough for her. Deeply in love
with Beppo, she longed for the admiration
which only love can give.
81 want to be charming-to you," she
mur,nurtd and drew him to her. so near
that he felt her hot breath on his forehead.
"Whv will you not UNDERESTIMATE" she
said. her arm r. sting caressingly on his
neck. Caro-, caro-. why are you blind to
me?'
Never blind to her beauty-oh, no.
Could he be blind to her love, so freely
offered. toop
A deathlv paleness came upon his face
as he raised it to hers and saw in the
depths of her eyes passion such as he
could not believe he was capable of in
spring in woman so tar removed from
him. You are playing with meteor
turing me!' he cried. angriy. thrusting
the hand from his neck and moving lit
tie distance off. IL am only poor beg
gar and You are great lady. and should
be content with other game, and not dis
turb one like me, who has an honest heart
to give"
His voice sank into whisper. My la.
dy came over by the fireplace where he
stood, and took his hand in hers.
And that is what want-an honest
heart ~ she said boldly. Then she laid
his head npon her bosom and kissed his
throbbing temples again and again.
All how sweet to be loved like that
All his life long be had dimIy dreamt of
Cupid's coming. Why repulse it nowp
So torgelful of the world wide differ
ence between them, oblivious of what the
future might bring. he gave himself up to
the delicious intoxication Of this suddenly
awakened passion. and was nearer Para
disc than he had ever imagined it posi-
BILE for mortal to be and live.
"Caro, caro-" she kept murmuring be-
tween her kisses, and so Beppo took cour-
age and kissed In his turn.
1--WE shall live together always" she
said softly. Nothing shall ever part us
now. have fortune for both. Beppo-
you will not deny me the luxury of shar-
ing that ?"
"But | have not a scudi in the whole
world!" he answered, the sense of his
poverty falling more heavily upon him than
1t ever had when he was almost starving.
ouC duNWViVu HotutuR. OpHCtulUE III his
tone seemed to ring through her heart like
the echo Of a voice heard long ago.
"You are very dear to me-" she said
presently, at length, looking into his face
with an earnestness which somewhat
abashed him. II cannot bear to let you
leave me-" But midnight came in, and
she had to send him from her.
When he left she was still standing bv
the fire place, and she stood there for
many an hour after.
| Why had she yielded to this strange in
ta'uaionp Simply because he reminded
her ola first love. dead now and sleeping in
green valley by the northern hills of
ltalyP Because he brought before her
shad IVY realization of what little child.
born to her among the Tuscan Mountains
some eighteen years ago might have be-
come, had he not died. as the peasant
woman said. with whom she left him. She
raised her head defiantly as such thoughts
crowded on her memory and laughed
ha-shly. and struck her hand fiercelv on
the marble mantle. and vowed that she
would marry him come what would.
The desire of possessing him was so
strong upon her that she mistook it for a
different love than that which lawfully she
should lave for him. But she was blind
then. and did not know, or would not
The next evon,nv ho an,o OF HE ,,er,l