Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-11-17


had claimed my right, that lad
might have married me, instead of tn
! sen OF Maso the carrier!" Then b
, shouted, Long live the pairr' with tn
others, and Donna Isabella turned upol
him smile that appeared to him lik
the morning star when it shone upo.
the gloomy pond at dawn. That wa
a great lady! Although Cirillo had hat
little education, except that whicl
came in his blood because he was tn
son of the baron, and the good princi
pies taught him by mamma Bibiana
and little a, b, that he learned o
the parish prieSt-still he cOmprehended
how rude was Baron Corradino: a rea
peasant like his father the carrier.
But the beautiful baroness appeared
to notice nothing, not even when hel
husband stumbled in the train of hel
rich gown-no more than the mornins
star thinks Of the tree-tops which seem
to tear the clouds below it. That was
truly Il great LADY, AS she passed
through the doorway, with the servants
in line on each side, Cirillo heard her
say, who is that poor fellow?" and
her husband answered, ut is Cirillo
the frog-seller'' Cirillo struck his LEG
a smart blow in order not to cry out
L am the baronv' Then he thought of
mamma Bbibiana, and also how useless
| it would be to make noise, and get
himself driven away with sticks About
| this, too, he had patience, and went
away through the village, crying ''Pesci
cantanti!' to sell his frogs to those
who wished to make broth for the old
or the sick. Afterward, when he
brought fish to the great house, the
baroness, with her maid or her house
keeper, who was twice as grand as
Donna Sabina MoSca in her time, came
sometimes into the courtyard. Donna
Isabella would have paid Cirillo more
than his price, SO much she pitied him
but he would not take more than was
due. She talked to him with her sweet
voice, while he had mad wish to
throw himself on the ground and kiss
the hem of her gown, as to the Ma
donna del Carmine; and when she sent
the maid to bring 4 tray of refresh
ments, Cirillo would take only little
glass Of wine and a mouthful of bread,
that seemed to him like sacrament
This signora baroness" he thought,
must be like that other who died to
bring me into the worlu; she was an
nge!-but my true mother was mamma
Bibiana"
The fact is, the angels are well off in
heaven; but here on earth one must
have little bit of the demon in ones
body, in order not to get the worst of
it. And that little bit the baroness
had, so that she made her reasons
heard many times with Don Corradino.
He had the consciousness of being like
Il rude peasant, despite the escutcheon
over the great door, and the gallery Of
ancestors, and the silver plate with the
baronial cipher. Isabella was so beau
tiful, so white, he was in awe Of her;
he perceived that she avoided his
coarse, stubby hands with the bitten
nails. He knew how to talk of nothing
but the crops, or hunting, OF the the
alters of Paris of France, where, instead
of the holy mysteries OF the deeds Of
the Reali OF of Guerino il Meschino,
they represent things worse than the
dance of the witches around the nut
tree of BeneventO. She, instead, had
instruction; if the king himself had
come, she would have talked with him
as with any person whatever.
One day, in Cirillo's presence, the
baron and baroness were discussing
some tritie upon the steps of the house;
and at a blunder Of his she turned
upor him her great eyes, full of con-
tempt so that he raised his hand, just
like Maso, the carrier, when he quar-
relied with Bibiana, and would have
given her Il box on the ear, only that
Clrillo threw himself between them and
cried, Door, do not touch herr
At that word the baron lost his COM
pass; he saw everything red before
his eyes; he took Cirillo by the neck
and threw him backward down the
steps, like Il sack of rags. The instant
OF fury past, the baron leaped down
into the courtyard, full Of remorse;
while -Jonna Isabella ran to call some
servants to take Cirillo on their arms
baron, fiinging open the door of the
great room where his father died.
brother CirilIo!'
Then they saddled a horse to go for
the doctor. Cirillo recognized the sound
Of the hoofs of old Sultano, the roam.
'Good-bye and good luck, Sultano," he
into the house. Here, here" cried the
said. But it is l who am going away
this time" Then he begged Donna
TSa bella NOT to waan for tho harop
had not meant to harm him, and be-
tween foster-brOthers it is easy to for
give.
When Don Luca WHALE, now very
old. came, he looked through his glasses
and took snuff and shook his head,
just as when, so long ago, he visited
the baron. 1t was q question of some
broken bones, and strength consumed
by the malaria of the VALID, and Don
Luca said certain Latin big words that
nobody understood but they must mean
something very grave. Cirillo would
hardly last through the night.
When Don Luca WHALE felt the right
leg, broken little above the knee,
Clrillo looked fixedly at him. Now,
at last, the truth might have been
made plain, and by no act Of Cirino
But the old doctor had forgotten the
birthmark Of the son Of the baron.
Better so, mamma Bibiana," he NUT
tered; and Don Luca. who was little
deaf, believed that he was complain
ing of the pain Of the leg.
| Now that it was too late, Don Cor
L