San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-18

( eu!' she Sdlu In low VOICE, you neeu
not apologize"
Her smile deepened; suddenly she
broke into ripping laugh, sweet and
silvery as bella laugh that went
through me like knife. Was it not the
self-same laughter that had pierced my
brain the night | witnessed her amorouS
interview with Guido in the avenue?
Had not the cruel mockery of it nearly
driven me mad? could not endure it, l
sprang to her side, she ceased laughing
and looked at me in wide-eyed wonder
ment.
"Listen!" l said in an impatient, al
most fierce tone. do not laugh like
that! 1t jars my nerves, it hurts me! l
will tell you why. Once, long ago, in
my youth, loved woman. She was
not like you, no, for she was false.
False to the very hearts core, false in
every word she uttered. You un-
derstand me she resembled you in
nothing-nothing! But she used to
laugh at me-she trampled on my life
and spoilt it-she broke my heart! 1t is
all past now. | never think of her, only
your laughter reminded me-there!"
And | took her hands and kissed them.
II have told you the story of my early
folly-forget it and forgive me! 1t is
time you prepared for your journey, is it
not? If can be of service to you, COM
mand me--you know where to send for
me. Goodbye! and-the peace of pure
conscience be with vou!''
And | laid my burning hand on her
head weighted with it's clustering curls
of gold. She thought this gesture was
one of blessing, thought God only
knows what ] thought-yet surely if
curses can be so bestowed, my curse
crowned her at that moment! | dared
not trust myself longer in her presence,
and without another word or look | left
her and hurried from the house. l
knew she was startled and at the same
time gratifed to think she could thus
have moved me to any display of emo
ton; but | would not even turn my
head to catch her parting glance. l
could not; | was sick of myself and of
her. | was literally torn aSunder be-
tween love and hatred-loye born basely
If material feeling alone; hatred, the
offspring of deeply injured spirit for
whose wrong there could scarce be found
sufficient remedy Once out of the in
auence of her bewildering beauty my
mind grew calmer, and the drive back TO
the hotel in my carriage through the
sweet chillneSS of the December air
luieted the fGverish excitement OF my
blood and restored me to mYfelf. 1t
was most lovely daY-bright and fresh,
with the SAVIOR of the sea in the wind.
The waters of the bay were of steel
like blue shading into deep olive-green,
aud soft haze fingered about
the shores of Amalfa like veil of gray
shot through with silver and gold.
Down the streets went women in pictur-
esque garb carrying on their heads bask-
cts full to the brim Of purple violets
that scented the air as they passed.
| children ragged and dirty ran along,
pushing the luxuriant tangle of their
| lark locks away from their beautiful
wild antelope eyes, and holding up
punches of roses and narcissi with smiles
as brilliant as the very sunshine implor-
ed the passengers to buy "for the sake
of the little Gesu who was soon com
ing!"
Bells clashed and changed from the
churches in honour Of San Tommaso,
whose festival it was, and the city had
that aspect of gala gaiety about it which
is in truth common enough to all Cont
mental towns, but which seems strange
TO the solemn LondOner who sees so
much apparently reasonless merriment
for the first time. He, accustomed to
have his reluctant laughter pumped out
of him by an occasional visit to the
theatre where he can witness the
'originaP English translation of a
French farce, can not understand why
these foolish Neapolitans should laugh
| 81 N
they do merely because they
are glad to be alive. And after much
dubious consideration, he decides within
himself that they are all rascals-the
scum of the earth-and that he and he
only is the true representative of man at
his best-the model of civilized respecta-
bility. And a mournful spectacle he thus
seems to the eyes of US "base" foreigners
in our hearts we are sorry for him and
believe that If he could manage to shake
off the letters of his insular customs and
prejudices, he might almost succeed in
enjoying life as much as we do!
As drove along saw a small crowd
at one of the street corners-a gesticu-
Iating, laughing crowd. listening to an
"improvvisatore' or wandering pOet-a
plump-looking fellow who had all the
rhymes of Italy at his fingers ends, and
could make poem on any subject or an
acrostic on any name, with perfect IA
cility. l stopped my carriage to listen
to his extemporzed verses, many OF
which were really admirable, and tossed
him three francs. He threw them up
in the air one after the other and caught
them as they fell, in his mouth, appear
ing to have swallowed them all-then
with an inimitable grimace, he pulled of
his tattered cap and said,
"AncOr' affamato, Eccellenza! Il an
still hnngrYN among the renewed