San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-05-30

|
| lips to kiss me! Half startled at this man
Hesitation Of affection, hurriedly caught
her to my heart and returned her caress,
then l looked furtively at my wife and
Guido. Had they any suspicion? No!
why should they have any? Had not
| Ferrari himself seen me buried? Reas-
sured by this thought addressed myself
to Stella, making my voice as gratingly
harsh as l could, for dreaded the chid's
| quick instinct.
| "You are very charming little ladyl"
| said playfully. "And so your name is
Stella? That is because you are little
star, / suppose?"
She became meditative. Papa said
| l was" she anSwe, ed softly and shyly.
Papa spoilt your interposed Nina,
pressing tilmy black bordered handker-
| chief to her eyes. ''PoOr papa You
were not so naughty to him as you are to
me-"
The child's lip .quivered, but she was
| silent
sob, fie!" / murmured half chidingly
Are you ever naughty? Surely cot!
All little stars are good-they never cry
they are always bright and calm"
Still she remained mute-a sigh, deep
enough for an older sufferer, heaved her
tiny breast. She leaned her head against
my arm and raised her eyes appealingly.
"Have you seen my papa?" she asked
timidly. "Will he come back soOn?"
For a moment did not answer her.
Ferrari took it upon himself to reply
roughly:
Don't talk nonsense, baby! You know
your papa has gone away-you were too
naughty for him, and he will never come
back again. He has gone to a place
where there are no tiresOme little girls
to tease him."
Thoughtless and cruel words! / at
once understood the secret grief that
weighed on the child's mind. Whenever
she was fretful or petulant. they evil
IDENTIFY impressed upon her that her father
had left her because of her naughtiness.
She had taken this deeply to heart; no
doubt she had brooded upon it in her
vague childish fashion, and had
puzzled her little brain as to what
she could possibly have done TO dis
please her father so greatly that he had
actually gone away, never to return.
Whatever her thoughts were, she did not
on this occasion give vent to them by
tears or words. She only turned her
eyes on Ferrari with look of intense
pride and scorn, strange to see in so liz
tie a creature-a true Romani look, such
as had often noticed in my fathers
eyes, and such as knew must be fire.
quently visible in my own. Ferrari saw
it. and burst out laughing loudly.
"There!" he exclaimed. Like that
she exactly resembles her father! 1t is
positively ludicrous Fabio
all over! She only wants one thing to
make the portrait perfect" And ap-
preaching her, he snatched one of her
long curlS and endeavored to twist it
over her mouth in the form of NOUS
tache. The child struggled angrily, and
hid her face against my coat. The more
she tried to defend herself, the greater
the malice with which Ferrari tormented
her. Her mother did not interfere-she
only laughed. / held the little thing
closely sheltered in my embrace, and
steadying down the culver of indignation
In my voice, said with quiet frmness-
Fair play, Sgnor Fair play!
Strength becomes mere bullying when it
is employed against absolute weakness"
Ferrari laughed again, but this time
uneasily, and ceasing his monkeyish
FRANKS, walked to the window. Smooth
ing Stella's tumbled hair, | added with
a sarcastic smile
TINS little dOnZella will have her re-
venge when she grows up. RecOllecting
how one man leased her in childhood,
she, in retun, will consider herself justi-
fled in teasing all men. Do you not
agree with me, Madame?" / said, turn
ing to my wife, who gave me sweetly
coquettish look as she answered.
well really, Conte, do not knowl
For with the remembrance of one man
who leased her, must come also the
thought of another who was kind to her
-yOurself-she will find it difficult to
decide the juste mlieu."
A subtle compliment was meant to be
conveyed in these words--I acknowledged
it by silent gesture of admiration,
which she quickly understood and &C
cepted. Was ever man in the position
of being deicately tlattered by his own
wife before? | think not! Generally,
married persons are like candid friends
fond of telling each other very I'M
pleasant truths, and altogether avoiding
the least sOupcon of tlattery. Though
l was not so much flatUered as amused,
| considering the position of affairs! just
then a servant threw open the door and
announced dinner. / set my child very
gently down from my knee and whisper
ingly told her that l would come and see
her soon again. She smiled trustfully,
aud then in obedience to her mothers
imparitive gesture, slipped quietly out
| OF the room. AS soon as he had gone, l
| praised her beauty warmly-for she was
! really lovely little thing-but could
| see my admiration of her was not very
acceptable to either my wife or her lover
We all went to dinner, Il, as guest, hav-
| ing privilege of escorting my fair and
! spotlesS spouse On our reaching the
dining-room, Nina said