The Iola register., 1891-10-09

an old story that came from Padua-of
how a young and handsome nobleman
had been found dead at her palace doors,
stabbed to the heart Perhaps-who
knows?-he also might have thought
sChe bella cosa de morire ucciso
iNanz. ALA porta DELI innamoratal"
Some said the Duke had killed him;
but nothing could be proved, nothing
was certain. The Duke was silent; so
was his Duchess; and Scandal herself
sat meekly with closed lips in
the presence of this stately and
august couple, whose bearing towards
each other in society was a lesson
of complete etiquette TO the world. What
went on behind the scenes no one could
tell. | raised my hat with the profound
est Difference as the carriage containing
the two ladies dashed by; 1 knew not
which was the cleverest hypocrite of the
two. therefore did equal honor to both.
I was i'm a meditative and retrospective
mood. and when / reached the Toledo
the distrcting noises, the cries Of the
flower girls, and venders Of chestnuts and
confetti, the nasal singing of the street
rhymers, the yells of pulcinelIa, and the
answering laughter of the populace,
were all beyond my endurance. To
crafty sudden whim that seized me, /
made my way into the lowest and dirt
lest quarters of the city, and roamed
through wretched courts and crowded
alleys, trying to discover that one miser-
able street which until now / had always
avoided even the thought of, where l
had purchased the coral fish
arss nln hn nf my
return from the grave. l went
in many wrong directions, but at last l
found 1t, and saw at Ga glance that the
old rag dealers shop was still there, In
its former condition of heterogeneous
filth and disorder. A man sat at the
door smoking, but not the grabbed and
bent figure had before seen-this was
younger and stouter individual, with a
Jewish cast Of countenance and dark
ferocious eyes, 1 approached him, and
seeing by my dress and manner that /
was some person OF consequence, he
rose, drew his pipe from his mouth, and
raised his greasy cap with q respectful
yet Suspicious air.
"Ays you the owner Of this placer l
asked.
Isl, signor"
"What has become of the old man
who used to live here?"
He laughed, shrugged his shoulders
and drew his pipe stem across his throat
with significant gesture.
$50, signor!-with sharp knifei He
had q good deal of blood, too, for so
withered body. To kill himself in that
fashion was stupid: he spoilt an Indian
shawl that was on his bed worth more
than a thousand francs. One would
not have thought he had SO much
blood"
And the fellow put back his pipe in
his mouth and smoked complacently. l
heard in sickened silence.
He was mad, I suppose?" ] said al
last.
The long pipe was again withdrawn.
Mad? Well, the people say so. fol
one think he was very reaSonable-al
except that matter of the shaw
he should have taken that OF
his bed first. But he was wist
enough to know that he was Of no use tc
anybody-he did the best he could! Die
you know him, signor?"
Il gave him money once" / replied
evasively; then taking out few francs
handed them to this evil eyed, furtive
looking son of Israel, who received thu
| gift with ELUSIVE gratitude.
THANK you for your information"
said coldly. 'Good day."
Good day to you, signor," he replied
resuming his seat and watching me curl
| ously as turned away.
1 passed out Of the wretched stree
faint and giddy. The end Of the miser
able rag dealer had been told to m
briefly and brutal enough-yet somehow
I was moved to sense of regret an
pity. Abjectly poor, half crazy, an