The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-09-08
CARLOTTA'S INTENDED.
By RUTH M'BNBRY STUART,
copyright, 1885, by ]. B. Lippincott Company
and published by special arrangement With
CHAPTER I


CHAPTER /.
A short, swarthy, gray haired old man
who swung his little legs on opposite
sides of the barrel upon which he sat.
who smoked stumpy old pipe. whose
one heavy eyebrow ran clear across his
forehead, who wore tiny gold earrings
and seldom cut his hair, who spoke in
monosyllables-such was Carlo di Carlo.
1.-THE dago."
A tall, fat, blooming brown creature.
loud talking and voluble, full of fun and
temper, luxuriant to coarseness, whose
bust measure and age were both some.
where in the early forties, who seemed
fashioned for laughter and unlimited
maternity, who sat every evening on the
front doorstep of the shop opposite he1
husband-this was the Signora di Carlo.
A dainty bit of a girl, radiant as pc
lite, dark as her father, symmetrical as
her mother of 20 years ago, whose 1.-THE
figure was just throwing out hints of fu,
ture PROJECTIONS, whose long black hair
was straight as an Indians, but fine as
the down upon the head of the babe who
lay Growing upon the mothers lap, who
was reticent like her father, but whose
mothers fire flashed from her eye on oc-
casion-a girl to love, to hate, to do and
dare-behold the sweet daughter, Car
lotta di CarloI The discerning eye be-
held in her promise of romance, posi-
bilities of tragedy, and he who looked
upon her once paused to look again,
a row of little black eyed dagees of va
r1ous ages and sexes, of various degrees
of beauty, but all handsome, healthy.
picturesque, noisy lot, quarrelsome with.
out pugnacity-the were the little Di
Carlos.
A small, square front room, with a low
shed around its two sides over the ban
quette, an oyster counter along its parti.
ton wall, a fruit stand spread beneath
it's sheds opening on two streets, red
lantern hung out at the corner for sign
SEQ the mercantile house of Di Carlo.
Within front corner of the shop in
winter and out on the banquette in sum.
mer, his chair placed so as to commands
view Of the fruit shelves on both sides,
sat one legged cobbler surrounded by
his professional litter of old shoes, tools,
strings and scraps of leather.
Fourteen years ago Patrick Rooney
took this chair, engaging to pay for the
rent and privileges of the same by doing
the family cobbling-a fair arrangement
with circle of three when Carlotta was
wearing her first shoes; but, to quote
from Pat, ST res been niver time
since but the Jams been aither afthe1
raisin the rint ON me or a-threatenin to
do that same, an sure I'd we deserted
long since if she'd liver STINT me notiica-
ton be an ugly messenger, but whin she
anither wan o. thin black eyed beauties
forninst her buzzom, do put by fresh
batch O. little scraps for patches an trate
mesilf to dozen ON the half shell on the
strength o. the new customer to the
thrade,"
The Di Carlos doubtless knew good
bargain when they had it, and so Pat
had been encouraged to remain by per-
quisites in the way of oysters and fruit.
This, however, was scant Offset to an
increase from one to nine healthy shoe
wearing boys and girls.
If Pat had begun to think seriously Of
the matter some years ago, the christen-
ing of newcomer, when Pat hobbled
all the way up the aisle at st. Alphonse's
one morning and recorded a sponsors
vows for diminutive little beauty of
the name of Patrick Rooney di Carlo,
held him firm to his chair for some time,
and then-well, the signora counted on
this and became reckless, and there were
twins and in a year another. There's no
telling what discomfort might have begun
to ferment in Pats breast had itnot been
that Carlotta began to grow SO startling
" beautiful, and young men and old men
and boys began hanging about the shop
when there was nothing to buy, or buy
ing things they evidently did not want,
and all the time looking at Carlotta.
Pat had petted the child, called her his
s'swateheart," trotted her on his one
knee and sung her to sleep 10 'Lanigan's
Ball" from the time he came to the Di
Carlo shop.
Only within the last year, however,
since the halo Of glorious womanhood
was lowering about her. had tender
solicitude about the girl entered his heart,
and although the signora fortunately did
not suspect it no added duty would have
driven him from his post now.