The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-05-03
PRUDENCE IN ITALY
Humorous Picture of a Yankee Wife with
Italian Family

FhOOENCe IN ITALY.
Humorous Picture of a Yankee Wife with
Italian Family.
IL was Just sixteen years ago since
she had first entered the hill town of
ST Francis. She had not entered IL
alone, but in the company of hand
some bridegroom, Antonio Guadagni
by name, and so happy was she that
every thing had seemed to her enchant-
lng-theSe same steep streets with
their ancient dwellings, the same dirt.
the same yellowncss, the came contin-
nous leisure and causeless bcatitudo.
And when her Tonic took her through
the town and up this second ascent to
the squalid little house, where, staring
aud laughing and crowding nearer 10
look at her, she found his family as
rembled, innumcrablc children Cthev
seemed innumera bio them, a bed-rid-
den grandam, a disrcputablc old uncle
(who began to compliment hoI). even
this did not appear a burden. though
OF course it was a surprise. For Tonic
had told her, sadly, that no was .all
alone in the world" l. had been one
OF the reasons why she had wished TO
II
home for 50 desolatc q man.
The home was already made. and it
was somewhat full Desolate Tonic
explained, with shouts OF laughter. In
which all the assemblage Joined, that
seven OF the children were his, the
eighth being an orphan nephew left to
his care; his wife had died eight
months before, and this was her grand
mother-On the bed there; this her
good old uncle, a very accomplished
man who had written sonncts Mrs.
Guadagni number two had excellent
powers OF vision, but she was never
able 10 discover the goodness Of this
accomplished uncle; it was quality
which, like the beneicencc OF angels,
one Is Obliged to take on trust
She was forty-Gve, a New England
woman. with some small savings, who
had come to Italy rs companion and
attendant to Il distant cousin, an in
valid with money The cousin had
died suddenly at Perugia, and Pru-
dence had allowed the chance of re-
turning to Ledham with her effects to-
pass by unnoticed-a remarkable
lapse of the quality of which her first
name was the exponent, regarding
which her whole life hitherto had
been one sharply outlined example
This lapse was due to her having al
ready become the captive of this hand
some, this Irresistible, this wholly I'M
expected Tonic, who was serving as
waiter in the Perugian inn. Divin-
ing her savings, and seeing with his
own eyes her wonderful strength and
energy, this good-natured reprobate
had made love 20 her a little in the
faciie Italian way, and the poor, plain,
Supplemented spinster, to whom no
one had ever spoken = word OF gal
lantry in ali her life before, had been
completely swept of her balance by
the novelty of it, and by the thronging
new sensations which his few English
words, his speaking dark eyes, and
ardent entreaties reused in her mai
den breast 1t was her one moment of
madness (who has not had one?). She
married him, marveling n little in
wardly when he required her to walk
TO Assist, but content to walk to China
If that should be his pleasure. When
she reached the squalid house on the
height and saw its crowds of occupants,
when her own money was demanded
to send down to Assist to purchase the
wedding dinner. then she understood
why they had walked.
But she never understood any thing
else. She never permitted herself 10
understand Tonic, plump and idle,
enjoyed q year Of paradislacal opulcncc
under her ministrations (aud in spite
OF some OF them); he was eighteen
years younger than she was; it was
natural that he should wish to enjoy
on a larger scale than hcrs-so he told
her. At the end OF twelve months a
fever carried him of, AMI his widow,
who mourncd for him with all her
heart, was left to face the world with the
eight children, the grandmother, the
good old uncle, and whatever courage
she was able to muster aftor counting
over and over the eighty-five dollars
that alone remained TO her of the six
hundred she had brought him.
OF course she could have gone back
TO her own country. but that idea
never once occurred to her; she had
married Tonic for better or worse; she
could not in honor desert the worst
now that it had come. 1t had come in
force; on the very day of the funeral
she had been obliged TO work eight
hours; on every day that had followed
through all these years the hours had
been on an average fourteen; some
times mOre.-FrOnI Mss IPoOkSoH's
story, 1.-The Front Yard" t31 HdrpeS''s
Mdgdzt16