Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-02-28

fOuno Win weeping, elO0Weo ner way
through the little throng to the front
apd spoke.
MAY the Holy Virgin and saints bless
your Majesty" she cried in shrIll &C.
cents. "And rs for what Is wrong. Il
would soon be right II those shameless
pigs" pointing to the beccamorti,
''would let Us alone. They will kill q
man rather than wait an hour-one lit
tie hourl The girl is dead. your Majesty
and Giovanni, poor lad! will not leave
her; he has his two arms round her
tight;-Holy Virgin! -. think Of i'll
and she cholera corpse-and do what
we can, he will not be parted from her,
and they seek her body for the burial.
And II we force him away, poverino, he
will lose his head for certain. One little
hour, your Majesty, just one, and the
reverend father will come and persuade
Giovanni better than we can"
The King raised his hand with slight
gesture of c0mmand-the little crowd
parted before him-and he entered the
miserable dwelling wherein lay the corpse
that was the cause Of all the argument.
His attendants followed; l, too, availed
myself corner In the doorway. The
scene disclosed was so terrible pathetic,
that few could look upon II without emo
tion-Humbert Of Italy himself uncov-
cred his head and stood silent On q
poor pallet bed lay the fair body Of girl
In her first youth, her tender loveliness
as yet untouched even by the disfguring
marks OF the death that had Overtaken
her. One would have thought she
slept had IL not been for the
rigidity OF her stiffened limbs, and
the wax-like pallor Of her face and
hands Right across her form, almost
covering It from view, man lay prone,
as though he had fallen there lifeless;
indeed he might have been dead also for
any sign he showed to the contrary.
His arms wore closed firmly round the
girls cOrpse,-his face was hidden from
view on the cold breast that would no
more respond TO the warmth Of his
caresses. A straight beam OF sunlight
shot like o golden spear into the dark
little room and lit up the whole scene,
the PROSTATE figures on the bed, the
erect form OF the compassionate King,
and the grave and anxious faces Of the
little crowd Of people who stood around
him.
''See! that is the way he has been
ever since last night when she died."
whispered the woman who had before
spoken-'tand his hands are clinched
around her like iron-one cannot move
fnRerl"
The King advanced. He touched the
shoulder Of the unhappy lover. His
voice, m0dulated TO an exquisite softness,
struck on the ears Of the listeners like
note Of cheerful music.
"FIglio mOil'
There was no answer. The women,
touched by the simple endearlng words
of the monarch, began to sob, though
gently, and even the men brushed few
drops from their eyes. Again the King
spoke:
s'Figlio milo! am your King. Have
you no greeting for me?"
The man raised bis head from its pill
low on the breast Of the beloved corpse
and stared vacantly ct the royal speaker.
His haggard face. tangled hair, and
Wild eyes gave him the appearance OF
Ono VINO had long wandered In o Iapyr-
NTH Of flRhtful visions from which
tbese Was no escape but sslf-murder.
"T0Lr hand, my sOn!" resumed the
King In tone Of soldier-like authority.
Very slowly,-very reluctantly. as
though he were forced to the action by
some strange magnetic influence which
be had no power TO Withstand, be lOos-
ened his right arm from the dead form
lt clasped so pertlnaciOuslY and stretched
forth the hand as commanded. Hum
bert caught it firmly within his own and
held it fast,-then looking the poor fel-
low full in the face, he said with grave
steadiness and simplicity:
"There Is no death in love, my
frIendT'
The young mans eyes met hls,-his set
mouth softened, and Wrestling bis HAND
passlonately from that Of the King. he