Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-04-18

II see you smoke" he said gaily.
'Can / offer you one OF my cigars!
They are unusually choice. Permit me, ="
and he preferred me richly en- bossed
and emblazoned silver cigar-case, with
the Romani arms and corOnet and
my own initials engraved thereon. 1t
was mine, OF course,-I took 1t with
sensation OF grim amusement-lka lad not
seen 1t since the day died."
"A fine antique" l remarked care
lessly, turning 1t over in my hand, ''cu-
rious and valuable. A gift or an heir
loom?"
ut belonged to my late friend, Count
Fabio," he answered, putting q light
cloud of smoke in the air rs he drew his
cigar from his lips TO speak. ut was
found in his pocket by the priest who
saw him die. That and other tritlos
which he wore on his person were deliv-
cred to his wife, and -
''She naturally gave you the cigar
case as q memento Of your friend, ~
said, interrupting him.
Just so. You have guessed 1t exact
". Thanks" and he took the case from
me as returned 1t to him, with frank
smile.
"Is the Countess Romani young?" /
forced myself to inquire.
"Young and beautiful rs midsum-
mer morning. replied Ferrari with en-
thusiasm. II doubt If sunlight ever fell
on q more enchanting woman! II you
you were young man, Conte, l should
be silent regarding her charms
but your white hairs inspire one with
confidence. ! assure you solGmnly,
though Fabio was my friend, and Ten cx-
cellent fellow in his way, he was never
worthy of the woman he married.
'Indced!" / said coldly, as this dagger
thrust struck home to my heart 81
only knew him when he was quite boy.
He seemed to me then OF warm and
loving temperament, generous to o
fault, perhaps over-credulous, yet he
promised well. His father thought
so; confess thought so, too. Reports
have reached me from time to
time OF the care with which he manag-
ed the immense fortune left to him. He
gave large sums away in charity, did he
not? and was he not lover Of books and
simple pleasures?'
'Ou, 4 kIdub 1Ou ull hCu
Ferrari with some impatience ''He was
the most moral man in immoral Naples,
IL you care for that sort OF thing. Stu
dious, - philosophic, - parfait gentil-
homme,-proud as the devil, virtuous,
unsuspecting, and withal,
fool!"
NV temper rose dangerously-tut I
controlled it, and remembering my
mart in the drama had constructed, l
broke into violent harsh laughter.
''Bravo!" l exclaimed. ''One can
can easily see what first-rate young
fellow you are! You have no liking
for moral men, ha! ha! excellent! l
agree with you. A virtuous man and q
fool are synonyms nowadays. Yes-l
have lived long enough to know that!
And here is our coffee-behOld also the
glorias! drink your health with pleas
Iure, Signor Ferrari-you and l must be
friends"
For one moment he seemed startled by
INV sudden outbreak Of mirth,-the next,
he laughed heartily himself, and as the
waiter appeared with the coffee and cog
mac. inspired by the occasion, he made
An eouivocal, slightly indelicate joke con-
corning the personal charms OF q certain
Antonietta whom the garcon was sup
posed to favour with an eye to matri-
nony. The fellow grinned, In no wise
offended,-and pocketing fresh gratuities
from both Ferrari and myself, departed
on new errands for other customers, ap-
parantly in high good humor with him
self, Antonietta and the world In gener-
al. Resuming the interrupted converse
tion said:
"And this poor week-minded Romani
was his death sudden?-"
Remarkably so," answered Ferrari,
leaning back in his chair, and turning
his handsome flushed face up TO the sky
where the stars were beginning to
twinkle out one by one; I" II appears
from all accounts that he rose early and
went out for q walk on one Of those in
sufferably hot August mornings, and at
the furthest limit Of the villa grounds
he came upon o fruit seller dying OF
cholera. OF course with his quixotic
ideas, he must needs stay and talk TO the
boy, and then run like o mailman
through the heat into Naples, to mud
doctor for him. Instead OF physician
he met priest, and he was taking this
priest to the assistance Of the frult-sell-
er (who by the way died in the mean
time and was past all caring for), when
he himself was struck down by the
plague. he was carried then and there
70 q common inn where in about
FIVE hours he died-all the time
shrieking curses on any one who should
dare 10 take him alive or dead inside Of
HIS own house. he showed good sense In
that at least-naturally he was anxious
not to bring the contagion 70 his wife
and child"
sis the child boy or grip" asked
carelessly.
"a girl A mere baby, an uninterest
ing-old-fashione little thing, very lik'
her father"