The Penn's Grove record., 1885-09-26
rhe matohnaEer.

the Portuguese girls and their lovers.
In a chamber hung with sky-blue two
Young girls were chatting while spread
ing a covering Of immaculate white lace
over the bureau which they were about
to transform into al altar.
ssDear Maria" said one, ''it Is bind
of YOU to come to pass the holidays with
me-"
SIT is no sacrifice On my part, Anto-
MIA. - answered her companion. lam
30 lonely IN my country home that IL Is
q real delight for me to be able TO come
hither to kiss thee and help to celebrate
thy eighteenth birthday"
'tAnd It Is the first time father ha
given q reception since poor mother
died"
.'What a pity she is not here to see
thee to-dayI'' murmured the other. The
young girl sighed and pointed heaven
ward.
"But look how beautiful our altar is
going to bel', CT ed Maria in order to
cheer away the momentary sadness OF
her friend. snow get me the andes
and Saint Antony"
Antonio left the room and soon re-
turned with a magnificent statuette OF
terra.cotta representing Saint Antony
with the Child Jesus in his arms.
ttDiosl How beautiful it isl'
ayes: that was one of papa's surpri-
ses. He brought it to me yesterday"
And now w must Illuminate the
dear saint and surround him with
flowers. so that he will get us married
during the course Of the year. Tell me,
darling, hast thou made thy choice
YETI"
ssSome one whom / love, and who
does not love me-" answered Antonio,
sadly.
sis there indeed anyone who dares
not to love thee, my angel?" asked
Maria, kissing her friend.
stYes; there is one whom l have never
ceased to think of for two whole years,
and, who, nevertheless, seems not to
know it."
ssTell me whop"
"Agosto de Carvalho-my fathers
god. son.
How can one know? Perhaps he is
sbvI Thou art rich, and he is less so,
and even in our country, where love
holds the first place among the motives
of marriage, this sometimes causes diff
Guilty."
"Ah,u said Antonio, ''let US not
speak of him any more. Let us go and
make ourselves pretty to receive the
guests"
Senior Silva, Antenia's father, gave
a charming entertainment that night.
OF course, everybody admired the altar
of SAINT Antony; then the young folks
danced; there were household games
masculine and feminine names were
drawn by lot. so that each II might
know what the name of his future wife
or her future husband would be; and
when the pleasant gathering broke u p 1t
vas very late.
After receiving the paterrnal bene-
diction, Antonio and her friend retired
to their apartment.
"And our lovesyo questioned Maria,
smiling.
stDid he even so much as look at
me?" mournfully questioned the yonng
girl.
"Thou art blindl Why, he worships
theei l watched him all the evening,
and he had eyes for only theel'
''Thou sayst that just to console mel'
"Probablyl Come let us pray to thy
patron saint together, and beg him to
perform the miracle for u.s."
'rNay, | have already prayed to him
so much, 80 much; and he has not heard
me-"
Maria twined her arms about her
friends waist, and kissing her, whis-
pered:
SIN my province folks say M must
maltreat Saint Antony to make him
perform MIRACLES
"Maltreat him?"
Eyes; they say he never yields except
to violence
Antonio stamped her feet, rushed to
the altar, seized the s~tatuette, and flung
it through the open window. A cry of
pain re echoed through the night.
"Ohl what hast thou done?" cried
Maria, running to the window. The
two girls looking down. beheld the fig
ure of a man lying PROSTATE on the side
walk.
Wild with fright, Antonio rushed
from the room,
Father, fatherl come down quicklyl
/ have killed somebody"
Senior Silva, who had not yet retired,
descended, accompanied by his servant.
The two men carried the injured way
farer into the house, where the young
girls awaited them with fearful anxiety.
"Poor boyi his head is badly hurt.
but how did he happen to be under our
windowsp"
"Who2n cried Antonla.
"Agosto my godson."
With a scream the young girl sank
fainting into Marla's arms. When she
came to herself her father was holding
her hands in his; and the wounded lad
was lying on Senior Silva's own bed.
"Comfort thyself, my darling girl.
tnou mayst feel assured the poor boy
will get WELL"
Antonio threw her arms about her
fathers neck.
II love him so muchl' she murmur-
ed.
"a strange way TO manifest one's
lovei--by breaking the head of the be-
lovodi Maria told me all; | know it was
Saint Antony who did the mischief.
The physician arrived, and after an
examination of the wound declared it
was quite serious, and that the young
man would be confined to bed for no
short time,
II cannot" SAID Senior Silva, 'un-
derstand how Agosto happened to be
under the window at two O'Clock in the
morning"
HE was signing beneath the balcony
Of his sweetheart whispered Maria.
The wounded youth recovered con
seriousness, but soon became delirious.
For a whole month, Antonio never left
the bedside of Agosto de Carvalho; and
during his moments of delirium the
girl had ample opportunity to discover
the depth of the affection that she had
inspired-the secret of a love which diff
ference of fortune alone had prevented
from being revealed. One evening the
sick man opened his eyes and recognized