The Iola register., 1891-07-31

| would have dared TO offer her the least
insult, or who would have ven-
tured to address her other
wise than respectfully. She was
good, innocent, aud true; how was 1t,
wondered dreamily, that l could not
have won woman's heart like hers?
Were the poor alone to possess all tho
old-world virtues-honour and faith, love
and loyalty? Was there something In a
life of luxury that sapped virtue at its
root? Evidently early training had
little to do with after results, for had
not my wife been brought up among an
order of nuns renowned for simplicity
and sanctity; had not her own father de-
clared her to be "as pure as as a flower
on the altar of the Madonna" and yet
the evil had been in her, and nothing
had eradicated 1t; for even religion, with
her, was a mere graceful sham, kind
Of theatrical effect used to tone down her
natural hypocrisy. My own thoughts
began to harass and weary me-.
took up a volume of philosophic
Essays and began to read in an
ondeavor to distract my mind from
dwelling on the one perpetual theme.
The day wore on slowly enough;
and l was glad when the evening
closed in, and when Vincenzo, remark
ing that the night was chilly, kim
died pleasant wood fire in my room,
nd lit the lamps A little while before
my dinner was served he handed me a
letter stating that it had just been
brought by the Countess Romanfs coach
man. 1t bore my own seal and motto.
l opened 1t; it was dated. LA Santissi-
ma Annunziata," and ran as follows:
Beloved. arrived here safely; the
nuns are delighted tie see me, and you
will be made heartily welcome when YOU
come. think of you constantly-how
happy / felt this morning! You seemed
to love me so much; why are you not al
ways so fond of your faithful
NISAP"
1 crumpled this note fiercely In my
hand and flung it into the leaping flames
OF the newlY-lit fire. There was a
faint perfume about it that sickened me,
"a subtle odour like that Of civet cat
when it moves stealthily after its
prey through tangle of tropical herb
age. l always detested scented note
paper-I am not the only man who does
so. One is led to fancy that the fingers
Of the woman who writes upon it must
have some poisonous or offensive tain,
about them, which she endeavors to
cover by the aid of a chemical concoc'
tion. / would not permit myself to think
of this so 'faithful Nina" as she styled
herself. resumed my reading, and con-
tinued 1t even at dinner, during which
meal Vincenzo waited upon me with his
usual silent gravity and decOrum, though
| could feel that he watched me with a
certain solicitude. 1 suppose looked
weary-l certainly felt so. and retired 20
rest unusually earlv. The time seemed
to me so long-would the end never
come? The next day dawned and trailed
its tiresome hours after it, az q
prisoner might trail his chain OF iron
letters, until sunset, and then-then,
when the gray OF the wintry sky flashed
for brief space into glowing red-then,
while the water looked like blood and
the clouds like fame, them few words
sped along the telegraph wires that still.
ed my impatience, reused my soul, and
braced every nerve and muscle in my
body to instant action. They were plain,
clear and concise:
"From Guido Ferrari, Rome, to II
Conte Cesare Olivia, Naples-Shall be
with YoG on the cath inst. Train ar
rives at $50 p. m. VIII come to you al
you desire without fail"
(To BE CONTINUED.