San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-01


seemed to gaze into mine With sor-
rowfu ompassion-a almost | fancied
the firm-set lips trembled and moved to
echo my sigh.
SIS that a good likeness?" Ferrari
asked suddenly.
started, and recollecting myself, an
swered-
Excellent So true a resemblance
that it arouseS long train of memories
in my mind-memorieS both bitter and
sweet. All! what proud fellow he
wasr
"Fabio was also very proud" chimed
in my wife'S sweet voice. Very cold
and naughty"
Little liar! How dared she utter this
libel on my memory! HaughGy, l might
have been to others, but never to herr
and GOODNESS was no part of my nature.
Would that it were! Would that / had
been pillar of ice, incapable of thaw-
ing in the sunlight of her witching
smile! Had she forgotten what slave
l was to her? what poor, adoring,
passionate fool became under the in
fuence of her hypocritical caresses! 1
thought this to myself, but l answered
aloud
Indeed l am surprised to hear that.
The Romani hauteur had ever to my
mind something genial and yielding
about i'll know my friend was always
most gentle to his dependents"
The butler here coughed APOLOGIZE
cally behind his hand dan old trick of
his, and one which signifed his intense
desire to speak.
Ferrari laughed, as he held out his
glass for more wine.
Here is old Giacomo," he said, nod
ding to him lightly.
He remembers both the Romans
ask him his opinion of FabiO-he wor-
shipped his master"
turned to my servant, and with q
binignant air addressed him
"Your face is not familiar to me, my
friend" said. perhaps you were not
here when l visited the elder Count
Romani?"
mo, Eccellenza," replied Giacomo,
rubbing his withered hands nervouSly
together, and speaking with a
sort of suppressed eagerness, 81
came into my lords service only
year before the Countess died. mean
the mother of the young Count"
''Ah. then 1 missed making your ac-
Quaintance," l said kindly, plying the
poor old fellow. as | noticed how his lips
trembled, and how altogether broken he
looked "You knew the last Count from
childhood then?''
Il did, Eccelenzar And his bleared
eyes roved over me with a sort of
alarmed inquiry.
You loved him well?" l said compos-
eddy, observing his embarrassment.
"ECcellenZa. | never wish to serve a
better master He was goodness itself
fire, handsome, generous lad-the
saints have his soul In their keeping!
Though sometimes l cannot believe he
is dead-my old heart almost broke when
l heard it. l have never been the same
SINCE lady will tell you sO-she is
often displeased with me-"
And he looked wistfully at her; there
was a note of pleading in his hesitating
accents. My wife's delicate brOws drew
together in frOwn; a frown that l had
| once thought came from mere petulance,
but which l was now inclined to accept
as a sign of temper
Eyes indeed, GiacOmo." she said in
hard tones altogether unlike her usual
musical voice. 'YOu are growing S0
fOrgetful that it is positively annoying.
You know have often to tell you the
same thing several times. One COM
mand ought to be sufficient for you"
. GiaComo passed his hand over his fore
head in troubled way, sighed and was
silent. Then, as if suddenly recollect-
ing his duty, he reflled my glass, and
shrinking aside resumed his former posi-
tion behind nv chair.
The conversation now turned on de-
sultory and indifferent matters. knew
my wife was an excellent talker, but on
that particular evening l think she sur
passed herself She had resolved to fas-
cinate me, that | saw at once, and she
spared no pains to succeed in her ambi-
tion. Graceful sallieS, witty bon-mots
tipped with the pungent sparkle of sa-
tire, gay stories well and briskly told,
came easily from her lips, so that though
knew her so well, she almost surprised
me by her variety and fuency. Yet this
gift of good conversation in a woman
is apt to mislead the judgment OF
those who listen, for it is seldom the re-
suit of thought, and still more seldom is
it proof of intellectual capacity. A
woman talks as brook babbles; pleas
antly, but without depth. Her infOrma-
ton is generally of the most surface
kind,-she skins the cream off each
item Of news, and serves it up to you In
her own fashion, caring little whether
1t be correct or the reverse, And
the more vivaciously she talks,
the more likely she is to danger
ously insincere and cold-hcarted, for
the verv sharpness of her wit is apt
to spoil the more delicate perceptions OF
her nature Show me brilliant woman
noted for turning an epigram or pointing
a satire, and will show you a creature
whose life is a masquerade, full of vanity,