The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-03-20

|
"You never heard of the rich Coun
Romani?' he inquired.
Imade a sign in the negative, and
bent my face over my cOffee-cup.
"Ah, wellI' he went on with half
proan. tit does not matter-there is nc
Count Romani any more. 1t is all gone
finished! But he was rich-aS rich a:
the king, they say-yOu see how low the
saints brought him? Fra Cipriano of the
Bendictines carried him in here ycSter-
day morning-he was struck By the
plague-in five hours he was dead" here
the landlord caught mosquito and
killed it-''ahl as dead as that Zauzara!
Yes, he lay dead on that very wooden
bench opposite to you. They buried
him before sunset 1t is like bad
dream!''
IafTected to be deeply engrossed with
the cutting and spreading of my roll and
butter.
81 see nothing particular about IT,"
! | said, indifferently. THAT he was rich
is nothing, rich and poor must die
| alike"
"And that is true, very true" assent
ed PiatrO with another groan, "for not
all his poverty could save the blessed
Cipriano."
started, but quickly controlled my
self.
"What do you mean?'' l asked, as care.
lessiy as could. Are you talking Of
some saint?'
"Well, if he were not canonized he
| deserves to be-" replied the Landlords;
81 snake of the holy Benedictine father
who brought hither the Count Romani
| in dying condition. All! little he knew
how soon the good God would call him
himself!'
felt a sickening sensation at my
heart.
as he dead?'' exclaimed.
"Dead as the martyrs!' answered Pie
| tro. "He caught the plague | suppose
| from the count, for he was bending over
him to the last. Ay, and he sprinkled
! holy water over the corpse, and laid his
own crucifx upon it in the coffin. Then
up he went to the Villa ROmani, taking
with the counts trinkets, his watch
ring and cigar case, and nothing would
satisfy him but that he should deliver
them himself to the young countess, tell
ing her how her husband died"
my poor Nina, thought. "WaS she
much grieved?' inquired with a vague
curiosity.
How do I know" said the landlord
Struggling his bulky shoulders. ''The
reverend father said nothing, save that
she swooned away. But what OF that?
Women swoon at everything-from
mouse to corpse. As | said, the good
Cipriano attended the counts burial,
and he had scarce returned from it when
he was seized with the Illness. And this
morning he died at the mOnaStery-may
his soul rest in peace! | heard the news
only an hour ago All! he was a holy
mani He has promised me a warm cor
ner in Paradise. and l know he will keep
his word as truly as st. Peter himself"
pushed away the rest of my meal I'M
tasted. The food chOked me. l could
have shed tears fol- the noble, patient
life thus self-sacrifced. One hero the
less in this world of unheroic, ur:nSpired
persons! l sat silent, lost in sorrowful
thought. The landlord looked at ma
curiOuSly.
"The coffee does not please youf" he
said at last. "YOu have no appetizer
forced smile.
off the keenest appetite ever born of til
breath of the sea. Truly Naples affords
but sorry entertainment to a stranger;
is there naught to hear but stories of the
dying and the dead?"
PietrO put on an air that was almost
apOlogetic.
"Well trulyn he answered resignedly,
every little else. But what would you,
AMIGO? 1t is the plague and the will of
Cod
As he said the last words my gaze
was caught and riveted by the figure of
man Stroling leiSurely past the door OF
the cafe. 1t was Guido Ferrari,-my
friend? l would have rushed out TO
speak to him,-but something in his look
and manner checked the impulse as il
rose in me. He was walking very
slowly, smoking cigar as he vent
there was smile on his face, and in his
coat he wore a freShIy-gathered rosa
Gloire de France, similar to those that
grew in nrofusion on the upper terrace
of my villa. l stared at him as he
pasSed-my feeling underwent a kind of
shock. He looked perfectly happy and
tranquil, happier indeed than ever re-
mem6ered to have seen him-and vet
and yet-accOrding to his knowledge. |,
his best friend, had died only Yesterday.
With this sorrow fresh upon him, he
could smile like a man going to fiesta.
and wear a coral pink rose, which surely
was no sign of mourning! For one mo-
ment felt hurt, the next l laughed at
my own SensitivenesS. After all, what
of the smile, what Of the rose. A man
could not always be answerable for the
expression of his cOuntGnancc. and as for
the flower, he might have gathered it en-
PEASANT. without thinking, or what was
still more likely, the child Stella might
have given it to him. in which case he
would have worn it to please her. He
display ed no badge of mourning? True.
but the I consider, | had only died yeSter-
day! There had been 70 ;jme 10 procure
all those outward apDTrtenaRceS Of wIe
which st inI customs rendered necessary
.jui ". ere nc iHfai!ible signs of the
.:l~t.. -..i""Tity Satisfied with nv own
.a:i r"2~ '..HE | made no attempt to fol-
'''. -. t. 81 Ms walk. ] let him go on
h's way u:'c' luscious of my existence. I
would wait, thought. till the evening,
then everything would be explained.
turned to the landlord. How mach
to pay?' asked.
"What YOU will, amico," he replied
81 am never hard on the fisher fOk-but
times are bad, or you would be welcome
to a breakfast for nothing. Many and
many day have / done "a much for
men of your craft, and the blessed Clip
riano who is gone used to say that St.
Peter would remember me for it. 1t is
true that Madonna gives a special bless
ing if one looks after the fishers. but
hnrauSp all tho holy appStInS Uara oF ,bo