Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-06-22
BY 4 WOMAN'S HAND.
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER I.
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 . square dingy room, made moro dingy and desolate by the dull yellow glare ot an oil lamp that was its only light. It seemed to hold but two things-a narrow pallet in the furthest corner and two wooden trestles close to tho window, on which canvas was outstretched. At sight of that Genna started and grew deadly pale. Her eyes turned eagerly to the motionlcss fgure-a hope that was half dread, half joy, swept over her heart. and held her for moment spellbound. Then she crossed the room and seized the lamp. and held 1t close to his face. while the sickly glare lit up the senseless eyes, the hard sharp outlines of the feshless limbs, the hollow cheeks, the changed and striken beauty of the man whom she had last seen on the hillside slopes of Glovoli.
 She knew him at once. No change. how ever ghastly, could deceive eyes so fonda love so true as hers. She knew him, and. knowing him. fell down on her knees at his side, her heart beating with the wild music of recovered joy, her great dread silenced by her greater passion. She crouched there. scarce daring to breathe, while the lamps dying rays struggled amidst the gloom, and the pale sickly light of dawn gleamed through the unshuttered windows. She touched his hand-it was cold us death. She glanced round, there was no firej in the empty stove, the window-pancs were broken and the cold evening air swept in and chilled even her strong frame as she knelt there. She glanced at the child.
 "Go and fetch some charcoal and wood" |" she said hurriedly: land see, hero Is money, buy wine and bread too. Make what haste you can for pity's sake."
 II will be as quick as bird," he said eagerly. and hew down the broken jagged stairs and out into the street, while she knelt there alone, chaflng his hands between her warm rough palms, murmuring incoherent tender words born of the great love her heart had so long held. her great joy that she had found him, even thus.
 When the child returned she lit the fire and warmed some wine. and gently tried to force a few drops be:ween his clinched teeth. At first he could not swallow, but her pa- tience brought success. Every half hour she gave him a little. She drew oif her own warm woolen petticoat and covered his frozen limbs. She watched him with untiring patience all through the long silent hours, during which the mute suffering of stupor was broken only by incoherent speech.
 He was very i'll dying of starvation. mis. cry, cold-here in great and populous city here, where the gold that her sister squan. dered on a toy to amuse, a jewel to adorn
 The night went by. An old crone looked T. R-n- his,
 "He has not been hero long," she said. "I think myself he was mad. I have seen him sit for hours thero before that great canvas, muttering ever and anon, doing nothing ever and then when his money failed and he grow i'll and weak. there he lay as you seo him now. l have done what I could, though many would not have given him house-room, seeing he had fever, and was poorer even than I, and can never give mo copper coin in payment"
 'You were worry good," murmured Genna. '"The Madonna will bless you for your char tty."
 "GoodI' said the woman. "No not that was tempted often 70 turn him out. or leave him to end his life there. It must como to that ere long, but somehow l had not the heart to do 1t. It cannot last much longer though-he will die very soon."
 "Oh, hush 1" walled Genna, as she threw herself beside the stricken figure and held the cold, thin hand to her warm, beating heart.
 The woman nodded slowly and wont away, closing the door and muttering to herself.
 "A sweetheart, no doubt. Well, hope she has something with which to pay me. She looks well of. Ut all events. But she is fool ish to waste money on one as good as dead. Better bestow it upon the living"
 The long slow day rolled on. Gonna never left her post. Toward evening he grew quieter. The incoherent words no longer followed each other in monotonous sen- tences. He fell asleep. aud siopt Il deep, dreamless slumbcr that was good to see.
 Then only she left his side and crossed over to the window and gazsd eagerly at the great picture stretched there in the gloom and darkness of tho desolate chamber. It was the painting he had spoken of.
 She saw the long stretch of hills with the sunlight falling like molten gold On their crests.
 She saw the long procession ot priests and FS~PASS eAN S"eS AA6 OoASOAS oAA "aSlAS UAu> u> ners and singing children then An. what was this! Across the two central figures of the procession was long black smear, which completely obliterated their faces.
 She knew in 8 moment what it was. Nita had spoilt her own likeness ard Genna's at the very moment when the picture was con- pleted-at thevery moment when the artists hopes were highest, and his dreams of suc- cess seemed about to become certainty.
 She shuddered as she gazed.
 "Oh, how could she do it2" she moaned. "How could she2'
 The tears rose to her eyes as she gazed dimming her sight, binding her to the colors and figures before her. She knew of the long hours, the wasted labor represented here, and all was marred and ruined by a woman's cruel malice. All this magnihcence of thought this glow of color. this glory where imagina- ton and realism were blended together-al, were wrecked, totally and forever. by hand ruthless and unsparing as only jealous and interruptions woman's hand could have been.
 And she was the child I loved," murmured Gonna, and then turned away, too sick at