Connecticut western news., 1893-06-08

assumed the behavior fitting to the cir cumstances-Maria was always pale, with melancholy air, never smiling, always talking to her girl friends about her joyless days, refusing to amuse her self, content to resemble in all respects one of Mastriani's heroines.
 Carlo took lonely walks, was always deeply depressed; at balls, he never moved out of corner, content that they murmured around him, Poor young man; that unfortunate love affair sad dens his lifep' In society, at small fes- tivities, in visits, with the unwarying monotony of the province, the discourse always returned upon the subject of the two lovers Carlo and Maria bore with dignity the burden of their popularity.
 Finally, after don't know how many years-four or five, it seems to me-of this continual struggle, of daily weep ing, of long, long love maintained alive by dissensions, the aspect Of things changed. There was worthy person there still are such-who with many ef- forts of eloquence persuaded the parents that by the lawsuits they were losing property and much of it, as witness the two advocates who had grown rich at the expense of their clients; that those two young people were pining and would go into a decline because of that thwart- ed love; the houses were side by side and the estates contiguous; Christ for gave, and they must forgive if they wished to find forgiveness. He said so much and so many other persons, moved ky ha nln inf Ina questions came to a compromise which had as its first chapter the marriage of Carlo and Maria.
 Here, surely, every one will suppose that the young people were greatly con soled, and will suppose truly-but my obligation as sincere story teller con- strains me to say that in their first free colloquy reigned great embarrassment. They were accustomed to see each other at distance by stealth; to speak from a first floor window down to the street in the darkness, disguising or smother ing their voices; they found themselves quite different, perhaps little ridicu lous; they had no subjects of conversa- ton, they were often silent, hastening in their thoughts the hour when they should quit each other.
 There were no more imprecations and tears to be mingled with the ink; they no longer wrote to each other. Every thing was free, smooth, easy for their af lection; they were not obliged to think of subtleties by which to evade the vigi- lance of their elders; they took no more pleasure in murmuring few words in secret; they made no more daring prof ects for the future. They would be married prosaically, without obstacles, like so many other silly couples. The townsfolk no longer took thought of them; the wonder and the comments on the marriage once over, Carlo and Maria no longer awoke attention, were no longer talked about; their behavior was noted no more; they ceased to be point ed out as an example of fidelity. Now all eyes were fixed on the eyes of the pretor, who was accused of too great partiality for the vice attorneys seri- ous piece of business.
 The two lovers felt themselves for saken-a great coolness arose between them. Carlo found that the virtues of his fiancee, those virtues which shone in her letters, were dimmed by the atmos- phere of home. Maria frequently thought that Carlo was rather commonplace ill lis tastes, and to that end, with stupid marriage, so tempestuous love was un- worthy a reader of Mastriani. A few lively remarks passed between them ill regard to ''illusions contradicted by the reality" about "mirages," optical de- lusions" and similar pin bricks; quar- rel ensued, then two, then they became daily occurrence. One evening Maria said with an irritated tone:
 Carlo, let us leave it of"
 Let us." he replied without hesita- tion.
 And the next day he set off on jour ney for the improvement of his mind; Maria went to Naples. to the house of a cousin, to fish for "a heroic husband. The families had new falling out; Ma ria's father had an opening made for a window which overlooked his neighbor s courtyard; the latter, in order to annoy | him, built a dove cote of which the doves ran about everywhere; immedi- | ately there was a summons, second, d | third, the lawsuits began again, and | this time, the advocates said, smiling, | without hope of any compromise | Translated from the Italian of Matilde 6erao by E. Cavazza for Short Stories. Keeping Sponge Sweet.
 There are few things that are so care lessly handled and which give so little satisfaction for this reason as bathing sponge. A large sponge is always . somewhat expensive item, and when if becomes odorous, as it sometimes does after little use, one hesitates to throw it away at once, expecting to restore it. | This is very difficult matter tc accom- plish. Repeated scaldings will often fail | to make sponge sweet and soft as 1t was originally.
 The best way to do is to take care of it at first. If the sponge is freed from soapsuds and hung where it will get dry each time after it is used, it will not be- come sour. In order to do this, wash the soap out with warm water after using it and rinse it in cold water Squeeze it as dry as you can with the hands, but do not wiring it, as tha, would break the fbers.
 It is good thing to dry sponges in summer in the bright sunshine. win, ter they must be dried by artificial heat and for this reason special care must be taken to rinse them clean after using them. It is a great mistake to shut 6 sponge up in a close box, even though i may be one of solid silver. A sponge shut up in this way with the least damp ness is sure to acquire an impure odor 1T time. The best place to keep sponge is on hanging earthen tray or in aI open basket of wire near the bathtub where it can dry and is always conven ient.-New York Tribune.
 The Cashmere Shawl
 In the glittering but chilly salons O Versailles doubtless it was for comfor that Josephine wore the cashmere shawl that the Egyptian expedition introduced