Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-11-07
THAT PARROT.

nor conceived any projects for cutting
canal through any isthmus. And II Amer
lea had not been discovered he would never
have played the part of Christopher Co
lumbus.
II is true that in his young days they had
tried to inoculate him with Latin and
Greek, but Vitruyio, like every healthy
boy proved refractory. However, If Sig
nor Lasagui was not n man of genius, he
was ventriloquist; so much of a ventrilO-
quist as to make one think that what ma
ture had denied to his brain she had Law
ished upon his interior economy. He owed
his place rs government clerk, at 800
lire the year, to tho amusement which he
had afforded the wife Of a potent superior.
So the young fellow had arranged his af
fairs. BY means OF his salary and the 0
lire which he earned every evening playing
the oboe he dressed well and led com.
Portable life, free from care.
But happiness is not OF this vale of tears,
and besides thorns had sprung up in the
roadway Of vitruyio's life-I say thorns by
way OF an expression. Really there was
only ono-theyoung Baroness Alice Tordin-
ilassen, and she resembled rose, not
thorn.
Vitruyio had met her at ball Of the
Artists club, Of which he was a member.
He had seen and loved her He had danced
with her almost the entire evening, for, be
it said with due Difference TO the modesty
Of the young fellow, Alice had not remained
unmoved by his sudden passion.
And Nitruyio was u handsome young
mana large aquillnc nose, pink ut the tip;
small, deep eyes, blond hair and mustache,
martial countenance-in short, he had
one Of those heads which, II the possessor
kept silent, might make him pass for an
emperor In disguise.
The girl had told him, of course, that a
cruel disenchantment had taken away her
faith in love, that she no longer believed in
life and many other things which girls be.
gin to say in their latter twentes.
From herconiidences Nitruvio had learned
that tho young lady was born In Italy of
German parents, that it was an aunt who
was her chaperon ut the ball, her mother
not coming on account Of grief for the ire
parable loss OF an aged parrot.
Her kind reception Of his attentions made
Vitruyio grow holder He had, in fact, in
this case of a charming and rich young
lady, abandoned his long time prejudices
against matrimony.
The ball was near its end. Already Q
o'clock had struck, and many people began
~ ~ away A4AasAAAl AuOh thuIuLt, anu
while with Alice he waited for other cou-
pies to finish a long figure of quadrille
he began in tremulous and impassioned
voice;
"signorina, pardon me il ask your per,
mission to"-
The girl, who was not unprepared for
something Of the sort, managed blush.
according to what it may BEL she re
piled.
"Oh, you know that could not ask of
you anything which you could not grant
IL mean TO say"--
Tho impassioned player of the oboe
lacked breath and ideas. Alice helped
him.
Tell me what 1t Is"
DO you promise not to be disturbed"
81 promise"
Nitruvio cast glance around. Nobody
was observing them.
when and how could address a long
letter to youy"
Second couple forward, )" Numbered the
voice of the prompter OF the ball.
Lasagul, between his teeth, sent n wish
concerning that official which, had it been
fulfilled, would have put an end to the
quadrille, However after few moments
the pair of turtle doves were again in their
place.
DO not be surprised at my frankness,
signorina. What would you have2 Such
fortunate meetings arc indeed rare. II Il
dld not open my heart to you--you under
perhaps never again-never''
Nitruvio spoke in warm and penetrating
accehts of love, but as i'll luck would have
it a gentleman, one Of n couple waltzing
Just as Nitruvio repeated never, never. y
trod on his pet corn with such precision
that the miserable lover hardly kept from
bowling.
Alice, who had perceived nothing, seeing
Nitruyio turn pale, feared an access OF DIES,
peration and wished TO be kind.
lie tranquil" she said in an undertone.
looking in another direction, write to Sig.
norma Anna koizer posto restrante. She
is my maid"
Nitrnvio, elated, forgot his bruised foot
50 tho tender idyl began. But the old
Siguora Eulalia, the mother of Alice. ON
account of the loss OF her parrot and for
other reasons, had to be kept In the dark
with regard to this exchange of affections.
Signora Eulalia, long and stout as n wal.
rus, with red unctuous face, with two
small green eyes buried in adipose tissues.
provided with gold eyeglasses and an enor,
nous tow wig, was a formidable type. Her
nusuhhu, provision dealer Of HAMBURG
had made millions by new process OF salt.
ing herrings. Having retired from busi
ness, he had bought baronial castle with
the annexed landholdings, furniture. Ii.
braty and title, and had set up himself aud
his family in prineely style.
The old merchant became Baron Anilul.
To- took TO reading codes OF ohivalry. fam
lily history, precepts OF heraldry, and wished
everything around him to have the tone OF
nobility. signora Eulalia, too, was infatu.
ate5 with the grand ideas Of her illustrious
spouse, and when the poor old baron died
ms desolate widow vowed beside his coffin
that Alice SHOULD wed only his peer in rank.
Alice however, who up to - years OF nro
had been OF the same opinion, changed il
little by little, and every year she had be,
come more democratic to that point that
she swore to herself and to her Vitruvio
that only death should prevent her from be.
ing his wife
But how to instill such ideas into the
mind OF Siguora Eulalin. who had become
still more intractahle since the irrenarable
loss OF the Tarroti She was capable OF
packing her trunks to return to Germany
and shutup the degenerate Alice in the an.
eestral castle. Therefore there was need to