St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-12

floor. Angelina would have thrown
herself into his arms in the JOY of see
ing him return, but her mother with
held her.
The hands of the clock had gone
twice around the dial before the door
opened again and Tomaso reappeared,
the Inspector with him.
Monsieur" he said to him, pointing
to the mOtionleSS figure beside the fire
place, "my father has to tell you that he
was forced to go to Bastia. He has re-
turned and brings you your money. 1t
is here!' and he placed in his hands
pocket-book drawn from the breast of
his jacket. The inspector accepted it
without word he understood, but
withdrew saluting them cOurteously.
the door closed upon him, addressing
his father, ''dost thou wish to go and
pray upon the tomb of thy mother?''
To-day is not the anniversary of her
DEATH" replied the collector, who
seemed to see all at once in the flesh
and blood of his son the flesh and blood
of the old Angelina Carpi.
$50 be it; and now" added TomaSo,
regarding his father fiXedly, Ito the
chamber and finish the rest!"
Taddeo leaped to his feet pale and
Shuddering.
''Thou wishest it," he cried, "that I
kill myself, thy father?"
TOMASO BENT HIS HEAD.
81 have none" he responded, "there
is no longer Taddeo Carpi in the fam
ilyw
The collector appealed to his wife.
She, too, turned her back upon him with
the sign of the cross, and placed herself
between him and the sObbing Angelina,
conscious that sorrow had come upon
them, yet ignorant of its cause. 1t was
the last blow. Taddeo resisted no
longer. He flung himself toward his
chamber. the words of his son, "You
have an hOurW going with him as he
climbed the stairs.
Profound silence now rested upon the
household. Caterina knelt before her
crucitix, the beads of her rosary gliding
rapidly between her fingers. Angelina
knelt beside her. Tomaso leaned
against the window frame, his face set
and int1eXible, listening to the ticking
of the clock on the wall and counting
pitilessly the seconds.
Profound silence did say? Yes, but
broken from time to time by the sound
of restless footsteps in the room above
stairs-at last by despairing voice cry
ing out, IN horror of the silence:
$50 to him, dearest" SAID Tomaso to
his sister; embrace him, but return
quickly. Also say to him that he still
has twenty minutes"
Angelina needed no second bidding,
but ran to throw herself upon the neck
of the father she adored, the echo of
whose Sobs, mingled with the sobs and
the tender caresSing tones of his child,
fioated to the foot of the stairs.
And hast thou been wicked father?"
they heard her question him: ''hast
thou been wicked to be thus put in pun
iShment?"
Alas! poor Angelinal
When there remained but five min
uteS more of the hour TamaSO recalled
his sister, and as the hour began to
sound lifted his gun again.
His gun?-hiS gun, but needleSSly, as
you will see, for simultaneously with
the last stroke of the hammer upon the
gong a dull report and the noise of
falling body came from the chamber
aboveI
.'Mother," said Tomaso, going to her
side and laying his lips upon her brow,
Il am now the only Carpi!''
Two days later Taddeo, followed by
the villagers, the relatives from Bastia
and neighbOring cities. Tomaso walking
at the head of the procession, was car
ried to his last resting place, honored
and respected as of yOre-had he not in
the eyes of all Corsica sufficiently
atoned?
Only Caterina. when alone in her
chamber, again threw herself upon her
knees before the image of her Savior
and wept bitterly, for she had loved her
husband dearly. Nevertheless, when
her son rejoined her, her face was calm,
her eyes dry and the hand with which
she gave him the account books and the
keys of the household as firm as his