The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-03-08

an OBSTRUCTION wnlch ala not eaten tne
other, she threw up her hands in pret-
ty affectation of despair, which I tried
to initiate, but in an English and unsuc-
cessful fashion. And when they were
rudely run down by passing gondola
(Which happened not infrequently) she
pretended to cry, and I did the same.
Then, in pretty pantomime, she would
point downward to the sky, to tell mo that
it was destiny that caused the shipwreck
of our flowers, and l, in pantomime not
half so pretty, would try to convey to
her that destiny would be kinder next
time, and that perhaps tomorrow our
flowers would be more fortunate-and
SO the innocent couftship went on.
One day the little maid did not appear
on her balcony, and for several days l
saw nothing OF her, and although l
threw my flower as usual no flower
came to keep it company. However.
after time she reappeared dressed in
black and crying often, and then l knew
that the poor child's mother was dead;
as far as I knew she was alone in the
world. The flowers ca me no more for
several days, nor did she show any sign
of recognition, but kept her eyes on her
work, except when she placed her hand
kerchief to them. And opposite to her
was the old lady's chair, and could see
that from time to time she would lay
down her work and gaze at it, and then
flood of tears would come to her re-
lief. But at last one day she reused
herself to mol to me, and then her flower
came. Day after day my flower went
forth to join it, and with varying for
tunes the two flowers sailed away as of
yore.
But the darkest day of all to me was
when good looking young gondolier,
standing right end uppermost in his
gondola Gor 1 could sec him in the
fcsh) worked his craft alongside the
house and stood talking to her as she
sat on the balcony. They seemed to
speak as old friends-lndeed, as well as
l could make out, he held her by the
hand during the whole of their inter-
view, which lasted quite half an hour.
Eventually he pushed off, and left my
heart heavy within me. But I soon
took heart of grace, for as soon as he
was out of sight the little maid threw
two flowers growing on the same stem
an allegory of which l could make
nothing, until it broke upon me that
she meant to convey to me that he and
she were brother and sister, and that l
had no cause to be sad. And there
upon nodded to her chcerily, and she
nodded to me and laughed aloud, and I
lauehe in return, and all went on
again as before.
Then came dark and drcary time,
for it became necessary that should
undergo treatment that confined me
absolutely to my bed for many days,
and / worried and frctted to think that
the little maid and l could see each
other no longer, and worse still, that
she would think that had gone away
without even having hinted to her that
l was going. And l lay awake at night
wondering how l could let her know
the truth, and fifty plans fitted through
my brain, all appearing to be feasible
enough at night, but absolutely wild
and impracticablo in the morning. Ono
day-and it was bright day indeed
for mc--the old woman who tended me
told me that gondolicr had inquired
whether the English signor had gone
away or had died; and so Learned that
the little maid had been anxious about
me, and that she had sent her brother
to inquire, and the brother had no
doubt taken to her the reason of my
protracted absence from the window.
From that day, and ever after, during
my three weeks Of bed keeping, flower
was found every morning on the edge
of my window, which was within easy
reach of anyone in boat; and when at
last day came when l could be moved
l took my accustomed place on the sofa
at the window, and the little maid saw
me and stood on her head, so to speak,
and that was as eloquent as any right
end up delight could possibly be. So
the first time the goudolier passed my
window / bcckoned to him, and he
pushed up alongside and told me, with
many bright smiles that he was glad
indeed to see me well again. Then
thanked him and his sister for their
kind thoughts about me during my re-
treat, and then learned from him that
her name was Angela, and that she was
the best and rurest n alden in all Venice.
and that anyone might think himself
happy indeed who could call her sister,
but that he was happier even than her
brother, for he was to be married to her,
and, indeed, they were to be married
the next day.
Thereupon my heart seemed to swell
to bursting, and the blood rushed
through my veins so that could hear it
and nothing else for while. l managed
at last to stammer forth some words OF
awkward congratulation, and he left me
singing merrily, after asking permission
to bring his bride to see me on the NOR
row as they returned from church.
"For," said he, "my Angela has
known you for very long-ever since
she was child, and she has often
spoken to me of the poor Englishman
who lay all day long for years and years
on sofa at window, and she said
over and over again how dearly she
wished that she could speak to him and
comfort him; and one day, when you