Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-12-21
(iINEN RA.

Signora Gincvra Lafarguc never told any
one the story of her marriage, but when
she found herself alone with Paulo, her
husband, she liked to talk of it, as it gave
her pleasure to recall their mutual rcmcu-
ORANGES. Why should she let any one else
know that when she WAS Is years old her
beautiful brown eyes, her fresh complexion
and her black halr were her sole doWrY?
1t is n great deal if one only thinks so, ard
yet it is not too much nowadays.
AT g. Ginevra had known the discom-
fort of roueing herself, the piercing cold on
coming ont from the warm covering, the
icy additions that harden the skin. The
THRILLING of the bell for the first breakfast,
when she had only got as far as lacing her
boots and the second call of this miserable
bell that gave the signal to 90 out for the
: o'clock mass mt the parish church. while
she was just entering the dining room, the
hurried rush across the corridors and
through the street. with her mouth full, to
Join, all breathlcss, the long line Of pupils
gathered at the church door.
Every morning, in winter especially,
there were the SAME trials. the same hurry,
the same rushing, and this morning what
i'll fortune! 1t had been freezing cold for a
her watch was 10 minutes slow.
When. after the hurried effort of dressing
and getting her breakfast, she reached the
archway of the great door, every one had
been gone some time--thc hum of the col
lective life suspended fora half hour left
the house more silent and empty. y few
servants in the distance We're occupied with
setting the dormitories in order.
Ginevra drew the bell rope of the door in
the porter's deserted room and let the heavy
doors fall together with a noise against her
shoulders Then she tried to 20 out, but
she was Unexpectedly held fast from be
hind, shut in by her quick slamming Of the
door The resistance to her impulse had
been so strong that she Just missed falling
forward on her nose.
When she recovered her equilibrium, she
was pleased to think she had escaped two
misfortunes, two disasters ut once-not only
might she have scratched her nose and cut
her lips, but she might have torn her dress,
fine dress of black silk that occupied the
second place in her wardrobe and was used
| for Thursday-a half holiday.
Luckily the stuff, of good quality, had
resisted. Not one tear, nothing but a bit
of the underskirt caught and firmly held in
| the crack Of the door.
of complaint, today | shall not he in time
for the mass that is all. / will ring the
bell and go up stairs to the piano. 1t will
be ware in the music room
She reached out her arms toward the
| bell but suddenly drew back frightened by
| n slight warming creah. Then she sought
to gain a little more height by twisting her
arm and her shoulder Alas even with
! her head turned back she could not meas
IRE the distance, the enOrmous distance, Is
inches at least, between her extended hand
and the bronze hand that hung inert and
inaccessible at the end of the bellrope.
When she realized how the case stood
| the prisoner let her arm fall, and her heqrt
beat quickly, for very few people passed
through this out of the way alley.
But after few minutes an apphrition
came to reanmate her and all her longing
all her emotions, all her lost strength
centered with a bound in the fat milk WON
an, who slowly advanced from the end OF
the street balancins - two brass pots that
dangled before and behind her, fastened tC
"A pole.
She was going to pass by without motto
ing Ginevra, with the extraordinary indif
ference OF the peasant who does not under
stand the curious ways of the city people
when the girl decided to call to her softly.
"Signora-signora!'
The other turned her great fat, rosy face
questioningiy, and with little tmidity
Ginevra explained the cas-.
"Ah! well!'' said the woman, without
showing surprise. wait moment, sig
norma"
She set down her water jugs asked Gin
ezra to draw a little to one side To let her
arm have free action, then rang tho bell SC
vigorously that the glasses tremRled, anC
duh rumbling was heard thrG Igh thc
house as if II violent storm had shaken The
foundations.
Content with her good action, she raised
the wooden yoke TO her shoulders again.
rose slowly to her feet to get the jugs IL
place without disturbing the milk, and SCI
out with the same swinging gait as before
that she might not delay her customers
At first Ginevra thought she heard som,
one in the house ut n great distance; theT
every noise ceased until the arrival of "A new
passerby,
This was young cavalry officer, walking
along with his nose in the air, proudl,
swinging his body, clad in a dolnlan al,
loose pantalCons. She drew back quickly
decided not tolnyoks the aid Of this gentle
man who advanced without seeing her eu
tirely occupied with himself, and when h
discovered her she had already had time q
taste Ill anticipation the modification o
this moment. She was bent, with her bscl
nailed up against the door and her heu,
bowed but she was not able to cXtinguisl
the fire on her cheeks, which, it seemed t,
her, must illuminate the street like aga,
colored ansign. The officer stopped me