San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-20

a llving for fGrself and him; Taught him
TO weave baskets, so that he might not
feel himself entirely dependent on her,
and she sold these baskets for him so
successfully that he was gradually max
ing quite q little trade of them. Poor
child! for she was not much more than
a child-what a bright face she had!-
,glorifed by the self-denial and courage
of her everyday life. No wonder she
had won the sympathy OF the warm
hearted and impulsive Neapolitans-
they looked upon her as heroine of ro-
nance; and as she passed through the
streets leading her blind husband ten
derby by the hand, there was not crea-
ture in the city, even among the most
abandoned and vile characters, who
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, and true; how was it,
wondered dreamily, that l could not
have won a woman's heart like hers?
Were the poor alone to possess all the
old-world virtues-honour and faith, love
and loyalty? Was there something in
life of luxury that Slapped virtue at its
little to do with after results, for had
order of nuns renowned for simplicity
and sanctity; had not her own father de-
clared her to be las pure as as 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 volume Of philosophic
essays and began Ito read in an
endeavor 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, kin
died pleasant wood fire in nry room,
and lit the lamps. A little while before
my dinner was served he handed me
letter stating that it had just been
brought by the Countess Romani's coach
man. 1t bore my own seal and motto
| opened it; it was dated, LA Santissi-
ma Annunziata," and ran as follows:
Beloved l 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
NINA?"
/ crumpled this note ferCely in my
hand and flung it into the leaping flames
- L. L. Ern Frhnrn tKrng n
faint perfume about it that SiCkened me,
"a subtle odOur like that OF civet cat
when it moves StealthilY after its
prey through a tangle of tropical herb
age. | 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 faint
about them, which she endeavorS to
cover by the aid of a chemical concOc-
ton. | would not permit myself to think
of this so faithful Nina" as she styled
herself. l resumed my reading, and con-
tinued it 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. | suppose | looked
weary-l certainly felt so, and retired to
rest unusually early. The time seemed
to me so lOng-would the end never
| come? The next day dawned and trailed
its treSOme hours after it, as a
prisoner might trail his chain of iron
| letters, until sunset, aud 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 flame, them few words
| sped along the telegraph wires that still
ed my impotence, reused my soul, and
Sraccd every nerve and muscle in my
body to instant action. They were plain,
| clear and concise:
| "FrOm Guido Ferrari, Rome, to Il
COnte Cesare Olivia, Naples-Shall be
with YoU on the 9th inst. Train ar.
rives at 6:3O p. m. Will come to you as
| you desire without fail"