San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-25

all that wOrk-it was my trade-till that
morning when / found her with the
singer from Venice, then / forgot all
used to know-it won't away somehow,
could never understand why. Here is
the fsherman's suit; you can take your
time to put It on-fasten the door the
room is at your service"
And he nodded several times in man
ner that was meant to be friendly, and
left me. | followed his advice at once
and locked myself in. Then l stepped
steadily to the mirror hanging on the
wall, and looked at my own reflection.
A bitter pang shot through me. The
dealers sight was good, he had said truly.
| was old! If twenty years Of suffering
had passed over my head they could
hardly have changed me more terribly.
My illness had thinned my face and
marked it with deep lines of pain; my
eyes had retreated far back into my
head, while a certain wildness of eX-
preston in them bore witness to the ter
rors had suffered in the vault, and to
crown all, my hair was indeed perfectly
white. understood now the alarm of
the man who had sold me graReS on the
highway that morning-my appearance
was strange enough to startle any one,
Indeed, l scarcely recognized myself.
Would my wife-would Guido recognize
me? Almost doubted it. This thought
was so painful to me that the tears
sprang to my eyes. / brushed them away
in haste.
"Fie on. thee, Fabio! Be a mani" l
said, addressing myself angrily. ''Of
what matter after all whether hairs are
black or white? What matter how the
face changes, so long as the heart is
true? For moment, perhaps, thy love
may grow pale at sight of thee; but
when she knows Of thy sufferings, wilt
thou not be dearer to her than ever?
Will not one of her soft embraces recon-
pense thee for all thy past anguish, and
suffice to make thee young again?"
And thus encouraging my sinking
spirits, quickly arrayed myself in the
Neopolitan coral-fsher's garb. The
trousers were very loose, and were pro-
vided with two long, deep pockets-con-
venient receptacles which easily con-
tanned the leathern bags of gold and
jewels had taken from the brigand's
coffin. When my hasty toilet was COM
pleted took another glance at the mir
ror-this time with half smile. True,
! was greatly altered; but after all did
not look so bad. The fisherman's pic
turesQue costume became me well; the
scarlet cap sat iauntily on the snow
white curls that clustered so thickly
over my forehead, and the consciousness
/ had of approaching happiness sent a
little Of the old fearless lustre back into
my sunken eyes. Besides, | knew
| should not always have this careworn
| and wasted appearance; rest. and per-
| hapS a change of air, would infallibly re-
store the roundneSs to my face and the
| freshness to my complexion; even my
| white locks might return to their pris-
| tine colour-such things had been-and
| surprising they remained white-well!
| =. there were many who would admire
| the peculiar contrast between young
\ mans face and an old mans hair.
| Having finished dressing l unlocked
the door of the stuffy cabin and called
! the old rag-picker He came shutting
along with his head bent, but raising
| his eyes as he approached me, he threw
! up his hands in establishment, exClaim'
| ing:
"Santissima Madonna! But you are a
fine mana fine man! Eth, Ell! Holy
| Joseph, What height and breadth! a
| pity-a pity you are old; you must have
] been strong when you were young"
Half in a joke, and half to humour
| him in his fancy for mere muscular force,
l rolled up the sleeve of my jacket TO the
shoulder, saying lightly:
ooh, as for being strong! There is
| plenty of strength in me still, you see. "
| He stared; laid his yellow fingers on
! my barred arm with kind of ghOul-like
| interest and wonder, and felt the muscles
| of it with childish, almost maudlin ad-
| miratiOn.
"Bpautiful, bcautiful.' he mumbled.
| "Likr iron-just think of it. Yes, yes.
You could kill anything easily. All!
| used to be like that once. was clever
| at sword play. | could, with well-tem-
| pered steel, cut aSunder seven-times.
| folded piece of silk at one blow without
| fraving out n thread. Yes, as neatly as
one cuts butter! You could do that too
| if you liked. 1t all lies in the arm-the
| the brave arm that kills at a single
| stroke"
And he gazed at me intently with his
small bear eyes as though anxious to
| know more of my character and temper
ament. | turned abruptly from him,
| and called his attention to my own dis
| carded garments
See" | said carelessly, you can
have these, though they are not of much
value. And stay, here are another three
| francs for some socks and shoes, which
| daresay you can find to suit me-"
He clasped his hands ecstatically, and
poured out a torrent of thanks and
praises for this additional and unex-
pected sum, and protesting by all the
| saints that he and the entire contents OF
his shops were at the service of so gen.
erous a stranger, he at once produced
| the articles l asked for. put them on