New-York tribune., 1885-03-15

since the previous night. She even began TO smile
ss.nsd q Ssr for s
actually laughed and blushed. and then getting up
ana ealing Is.t, her mule. she vent on her way
standing before Don Ernano's shop in the market
place:
,a.. aAh. sgnorina. ycu are early indeed to-day" he
began; then glancing ut tho unloadcd mule. be
was afraid Mother Ceprano-"
| - did not come about that" replied Lucia
abruptly. with IN odd. shy smile. al came to-day
| 70 ask your services hair-dresser: you cut and
asess or r hasir know. VIII you be 50 good as TO cut
@What, sgnorIna ~ cried the horriaed barber.
'tcqt tot. OH yonr ON beautiful hair! No, you don't mean
a.Are you a barber Don Ernano p asked Lucia.
With the gravity and frmness peculiar to her,
Yes; 1t is on the gnboard, and cut anybody's
sell your beautiful plat r he asked, with quito
sal expression in his kind eyos.
mo, don't want to sell 1t. but want IL cut oft;
ana have come to ask you to do 1t for me-"
answered Lucia firmly and decidedly. -
"Mnst really ~ said Don Ernano, feeling little
,",Yes-yoa must-f you wi' was her rather
Odd answer aud Herewith she hurried into the
"lf you knew how 1t grieved me ~ began the
barber again. Is it a vow, signorlna y
Something of tho sort, but it is more than that
TO me-" was the short answer
Then yOu have quite made up your mind y he
| vcnturcd to ask once more.
IWll you do it or will you not. Don Ernano r.
|
| leave the shop.
"well-,if 1t really must be done please to sit
reIuctonly to tie cupboard in which he kept his
| implements.
Just at this moment two men came into the shop,
and said with sly glance at his fair customer,
You're engaged. Don ErnanO"
AT your service IN a moment, gentlemen" he
answered then bending over Lucia % ana taking KIN ner
in his hand. he said in low tone You will have
just a little bit left r
| whisper.
Don Ernano gently put her head In the right
position and lucia looking calmly aud cheerlniiy
adismal csuntenanco tho lighthaircd giant went
about his task. which was no such easy Que. and
took some minutes to accomplish: 1t was done at
last however. and the barber held the severed
plat in his hands. his face wearing very troubled
expression.
| and bowling to the two men goOd-inOrning. Don
Ernanow and before he had recovered from his
trottng away her mule. leaving him to look after
her and shake his head in perplexity, while he still
held the beautifully plated tail OF hair IN his hands
! "A very pretty customer. sgnor!" sad MS
| vist tors. who had not heard all that had passed.
| a lovely girl" answered Don Ernano thought
fully, but strange, very strange, can't make her
OUT
aHave you bought tho plat r. they asked.
The barber shook hs head gravely.
"What thenp they asked with curiosity.
al don't know" was the short answer. as the
barber made hurried preparations for shaving his
| customers.
| He was anything but nervous In n general way,
but to-day his hand trembled nuch that he would
certainly have performed his duties very cnmsy
II he had not made great effort to recover his SELF
"What does It mean ~ he muitered. when he
! found himself once more alone. What am tn do
| with iti wonder whether 1t is n vow; know
the women about hero do make strange VOWS some
times but she Is 80 clever and sensible and not at
all suporstitous.
bon Ernano thought over tho affair for some
time but rs he conld not arrive at any conclusion,
he locked the plat OF hair up In his cupboard. and
spent the next few hours IN rather nncomfortable
stat. of mind feeling that he was involved against
| his will IA a matter which he did not understand.
w.
Lucia reached Palcnclla again about midday. and
rode into tho village holding in her hand tue kcr-
! chief she usually wore on her head, circumstance
which OF itself would havo been enough to attract
attention, since uncovered heads were rarely seen
revealed tho fact that her heavy pnlt had disap-
peared. leaving only n short. subby stump ~ show
where once IL had been. 1t was not many minutes
before the whole village was exclaimny, Lucia's
| hair has been cut or
| The news had spread like wild6re even before
Lucia reached her own door. and was speedily con
nrned. II confirmation were needsd. by the fearful
oniburst Of weeping and wa,ling with which
Mother Ceprano received her disfgured daughter.
The old woman wrung her hands. tore her hair
uttered and howled go wildly
that she was heard even in the furthermost hOnses
and tho whole population speedily collected round
! the house.
| Iuca had not vet dismOuntf Il. ana there snc now
sat on the mule. looking perfectly calm and col
lecied while the children danced round her mocking
and ieerina and the men and women whispered and
galed IN astonlshmcnt
IL must be confessed that the villagers first feel
| ing was one Of hearty satisfaction In tho pfond
Lucias humiliation. hut they quite expected 10
see some young man appear waving the plait IN
triumph. and when they found this did not happen.
| their gratiicaton gave way to wrath ana ihdigna
ton against ts p.rson wm0 Sa wa uonS Snrt ,e
| and wild voices heard shouting. w hoover it
| was he shall not 90 unpunisied! girl or our
village hs has insnlted us ALL every one1he shall
make il good or paw for it with his life" The men
doubled their fists and raised their arms, utferng
savage threats and iuprecations as they pressed
/ growing excitement and tumult with intense
| interest.
Who was iti who did it, the. shouted 70 her
from all sides - DO you know him Who has dared
| to insult you and all of usf You must say who It
Isl" were tho cries uttered In various tones by
| hundred angry men aud W )men IN -,
q lie must marry you. he must. or ho shall die!
| Who wns III whOT
voice.
aPalene he shall dic II he won't do his duty. But
what is his naInep
i" Don ErnanO" ~
| I" What, hei a foreigner! the light-haircd man!
| the sportsman ~ cried several voices -
It's all tho same" screamed Others. "its Iust inc
same. Ii would make no difference u no =" ere
townsman-he s::..! ,iie II he won't do yon justice
I and restore YOU to honor; yes hc shall dio Oy our
h@ufs" cried all. old and young with angry HASH
q lie mast givs the village sat sfaction at once"
cried one who had taken tho lead :" VIII go 10
him now. Take your knives. my men. ana Say.
! who'll 60 with me y
| al! r." cried ut least twenty voices. and number
Of men separated from the rest and started on at
rapid pace along the road to l'alene. ~.
| lucia now dIsmounted, lod the mule into his
stable and retrea.ed to her dismal little room out OF
her mothers way. Here she sat down quite ex-
hansted on the only chair 1t contained ana dre"
! deep breath ~ H.
"Now no one can kill him for marrying me. i9r
| they will make him." she said softly To herself,
and he won't refuse He likes me. I'm sure OF that
now. aud PietrO Antonio won't dare to tonch h,ni'