The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-01-14
LUCAS Duty.
BY oATHARINE CHILDAR.

"You do not love me, Lucia!S
The speaker was n tall, good-looking
Young fellow, dressed in the picturesqe cos
tune IF the shepherds of the Albano Noun
tains, but his handsome features were spoilt
by an expression of petulant ill-humor.
The girl whom he addressed as Lucia
sighed deeply, but she did not raise her
eyes nor make any answer.
as this your last word?" continued the
young man. "You mean to say you prefer
that wretched founding that miserable,
nameless cripple, to mey"
"Sce here, Enrico; what you ask me is
impossible! How can / turn out of doors a
helpless child of six years old? Who is to
feed him? Who Is to take care of him2"
"But We nre poor people. Why are we
TO keep strangers child?"
Lucia lifted her head eagerly the "we"
sounded encouraging
"Dear Enrigo. you shall have no expense.
He shall not cost You a farthing. The
English signorl who taught me to knit has
promised 10 buy all l do. l shall earn n
good deal, | am sure. See, have already
begun n stocking. and the work goes on
goes on; whether ! watch the goats, or the
soap upon the fire. knit and knit. Look,
how fast it goes!" and Lucia made the
steel needles glitter in the sunlight.
"Bahi That Is nonsense. and the Eng
lish lady will very likely never come again.
Those foreigners are not to be relied ON.
Besides, when we are married You Will have
more to do. There will be my clothes to
see to, and Why are you to be saddled with
fopndling? lie is DO relation OF, 49,,
"True; but he is almost like brother.
Did not my dear mother fird him lost
among the hills four years ago? Did she
not take care of him as if he were her own?
nc ha ,ft ol.to e1,o e., Il
home? And now that she is dead-she that
was his best friend. always patient when |
was angry. always gentle when / was Sc
vere-now, before she has lain month in
her cold grave, | am 20 turn out the poor
child sue rescued from death? Nc, Enlico
milo, such q thing is not possible. As for
loving you, ahl You know" Here the
poor girls voice broke, and she said no
more.
But Enrico did not seem convinced either
by her glowing words or her silent tears.
He made no attempt to console her; he
stood there frowning. and kicking the loose
stones OF the road, looking just what he
was, bad tempered, selfish fellow He
had been brought up with Lucia and had
loved her after his own fashion ever since
they were children-that is to say he had
tyranI lied over her himself, but had fought
her battles with others-and Lucia had re-
pail his championship with the deepest
love and admiration of her little heart.
Enrico had taken to spending his winters
in Rome. picking up what he could get as a
model and returning to his native noun
tains during the summer months. His. af-
lection for Lucia had become habit,
though, as she was poor, he looked upon
himself as n very magnanimous young fell
low for offering to marry, her, considering
II. e.. IL l.
son and manners. But as 10 the cripple,
the little orphan that Lucia's mother had
been silly enough to adopt, that was quite
another matter. He wasn't going to be
ssaddled with him, a useless creature, that
could never be turned to account.
Just then the poor child who was the
cause of the lovers estrangement came hop
ping and weighing toward them. One leg
tangled, perfectly useless, but he had a
ciutch. and by means of this and his I'M
injured leg he managed to get over the
ground tolerably fast Enrico saw the child
coming. but took no notice; he only kicked
the stones more viciously than before.
Take care. Enrico" cried Lucia, anx-
iously; "you very nearly hit his head"
She spoke too late. Enrico had sent a
sharp flint full into the little cripple's face.
1t struck his lip and made him cry. With
out a word of regret or farewell, Enrico
turned Oh his heels and strobe quickly
away.
The two creatures he had wounded so
cruelty wept in each others arms. Little
Pipino's face was cut, and the smart was
hard To bear, but what was that compared
To the pain in the true and loyal heart of
Lucia?
do not cry" whispered Pipino, forget
ful Of his own hurt, and stroking LUCAS
face with his small, thin hands, do not
cry. He is bad man. When grow big
and strong will kill him.
No, dear little ono, You must not say
such things. 1t is very wicked to be re-
vengeful. Enrico did not mean to hurt
you.'
"Yes. he did. He told me yesterday he
SHOULD like TO wiring my neck. He vould
have boxed my eaIs too, If Nicolo Prato
had not come up Just in time. Enrco is a
coward; be ran away when he saw Nicolo"
r"Hush, Pipinol" said Lucia, angrily
little boys know nothing about men
Nicolo Pato can box peoples ears too, 1
dare say"
"Ah. but not ours" said Pipino, with
snch a comic expression that Lucia could
not help smiling and blushing. She knew
very well why big. rough Nicolo Prato was
so kind to the little cripple, but she tried TO
pretend Ignorance.
Come, come," she said. when she had
washed Pipino's face and dressed his
wosnd. "a plate of soup, and then off to
bed"
II don't want any soup. Nicolo gave me
some, and / took it all, because / knew
there would be more for YOU
That was very naughty of you'll You are
never To do SO again-do you year2"
The child made no answer. He took his
reproof with an air of tolerant superiority,
and walked off to his primitive couch.
He wac soon asleep, bu. Lucia lay awake
al night. Her love for Enrco was deep
and siucor. and now an end had come-an
cnd 20 All hor fond hopes and bright plans
for the future.
Bnrico had never been model character