Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-12

strong that | seemed for a moment taken
possession of by her, and I was not sur
prised when, unlimited, she entered my
room, declining, however, with an i'm
patient gesture, my request to her to be
seated.
"Signora, you saw me weep last night?"
81 did, Rosina. Are you in trouble?"
81, Signora? | am ever in trouble am
burning up here" She struck her hand
heavily upon her heart You sing the
story of my life when see you in the last
act there. know shall do the same as
/ you do in the end"
mo, no, Rosina; she dies, You will not
! and vengeance is poor thing"
at is not she said fiercely. at is
blessed! it is beautiful 1t is the only thing
: that will stop the ache here" again strik-
ing her heart. "Why do come and tell
you this? Because | feel when you move
me so that we share for the time the one
heart. All, signora, you sympathize with
me-"
YES, ROsina, but not in that way: not
! in the way you think. / do because Won
, were a good, loving daughter and sister
! they tell me, and now you are alone and
unhappy for those lost ties
| oh" she gave suppressed scream.
! Leave that alone, they rest. | shall
] SpuH NilbhliS q SOD, ne abruptly and
! Aurriedly left the room, aud | saw her onIT
/ in the theater from the stage after that.
| Then came the news of her murder. fol-
/ lowed soon after 10y THAI of the arrest of
/ some men at the brick kilns who were
suspected OF the crime. After eXamina-
/ ton all but three were discharged, these to
! I've tried for murder, the penalty being i'm
! prlsonmcnt for life, as there is no capital
| punishment in Italy. Tho fiery, impetuous
| Italians convicted of murder are known TO
plead hard for death, as the ball and chain
for life are particularly dreaded
As these men stood in ne prisoners dock
the day of trial they pres euted Il truly ter
rible aspect, unShaveu, haggard, with fierce
/ or lowering faces and furJive Chances. with
gestures Of impotence and rage they
looked indeed capable of any sinister un-
| dertaking, and public sentiment was
| strongly against them. The arguments
/ on both sides were brilliant and eloquent
now she was dead many ielt sympathyand
! some sorrow for poor Rosina, who had
certainly been inoffensivo enough, and in
/ terest and sympathy are always manifested
/ for those we are accustomed to see daily;
! besides her graceful calling her generosity
! with her fragrant wares had contributed
! TO make her favorite, and thus, said the
! lawyer as he pictured her, graceful. hand
| some, generous, kindly and indeed en-
dOweI with those numb erless pleasant
! traits people are wont to discover in US
! after death.
! The crowd in the hall of justice, as the
! imposing and pillared courtroom was
| called, hung breathless on the eloquent
/ lips Of tine lawyer; even the prisoners mani
| tested an interest ana listened. doggediy 20
! be sure, and seemingly i'm spite Of them
! selves, as the waves of tha flowing and pc
! etical language poured from the impas-
! stoned lips such was RoSna as she
! walked out Of our quiet c ty that night. lit
| t,e su~pcctiny her fate. on her way to visit
! 4 poor relative ju a ncighAor.ug city. Born
! peasant, she ~COrued aUghG but peas
| ants methods OF travelling, and alone and
! on foot she pursued uur way. Bent
on her kind and charitable erraud,
! she approaches the waste lonely fields
| where are the brick k ms; her coming
! Is marked by these b aCk hearted vii
| lains; she never passes the brick kilns,
| Is never seen more after the light from the
blazing furnaces flashes on her beautiful
! face. Ask these men, the lawyer said
| pointing to the prisoners, "where Rosina
! is" Then in deep and thrilling voice he
repeated, his long forefinger pointing at
the sullen men, "Where is Rosina?"
! "Here" cried a ringing voice, and in the
| midst Of a wild rumulI ROsina herself
walked with massive dignity down the
! great hall between the crowded benches to
! the judge, who looked appalled, at what
, seemed the substantial gl Ost of a murdered
| woman.
She turned and looked at the prisoners:
| a babel of noise prevented her speaking;
the crowd at length realizing that she must
have story to tell, became silent.
| "Those men there? l never saw them
| before, they never saw me, for | never went
to the brick kilns. l took the train yes,
peasant as | am. | took the train. did
not walk. signor advocate. l took the
train for Turin"
why did you ret come bcfore2" asked
the judge
a. came when my worl was finished"
''What work." said the Judge
! Il went to Kill, not TO De killed" Rosina
replied with blood curdling simplicity and
brevity.
"To kiII"' Gasped tn, judge. ''who2
! What2 Howl
Count Torraui,n she replied, with the
same stony calmness. 4 great shudder
seemed to run through the hail. and the
! judge motioned the gems d'armes nearer.
You have killed him? sternly inquired
the judge.
AEtS, no. ne huu hllltl hlilSell. w men
he heard had come to carry out my threat
he cheated me again.
But why did you wish to kill hims''
81 loved him. He promised | should he
his wife, the Countess Torrani. He spent
my money. He jeered at me. L was a
peasant, he nobleman; could a peasant
and an aristOcrat, an officer in the Italian
army, mate? He abused me; he turned me
away, then my head went bad. / couldn't
think, it was all confused; he took away all
love and hope out of my life; I hated him
then; said l would Kill MIN, but even that
hope he destroyed with himself Heaven
itself is against me, and nell will not help
mel" She burst into wild shrek, half
laughter, half an agonizing wall. Those
who head it will never forget it. She fell
on the floor, writhing in agony; people
crowded around her and Hforts were made
10 .LD-. Il