The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-08-29

the household of Antonio The gondola
made its alleged monthly visit to the
squero to have it's bottom cleaned
at Mr.. Mildmay's expense, and tho
amount of repairs and paint whiLn
it needed did seem unexpectedly large.
But Antonio was not foolishly grasp
ing. So long as he doubled his wages
by tradesmen's commissions and by
little devices connected with the keep
ing of the gondola he felt that he
was combining thrift with prudence
He made, however, one serious mis-
take, of which he afterward repentod
when it was too late Instead of giy-
ing the Madonna the two wax candles
which he had promised her he gave her
two stearine candles, trusting that sic
would not notice the difference. 1t VS.
not in keeping with his honest and re-
ligious character, and there were times
when the recollection of it made him
feel uneasy
As the winter wore ON Antonio's de-
votion to his employers never slackened.
Beyond the commissions which it is but
lust and right that the faithful Condo
tradesmen, even if they did charge the
same commissions in his masters bills,
he was tireless in protecting the Mild
mays from imposition. He was never
too tired to do anything that he was
asked to do, and although, when his
brother Spiro was temporarily out of
employment, Antonio discovered that
there was nearly alv avs too much wind
to render it safe to take the gSndola ont
with a single oarsman, and that he
would, therefore, furnish a second oars
man i'll the person Of Spiro at his mas
ter's expense, he never intimated that
he was not ready to row hour after hour
while the Mildmays explored the city
and the lagoon. Mr.. Mildmay was fas-
cinated by the narrow Venetian streets
and spent hours exploring alone every
part of the city. He was probably per-
fectly safe in so doing, for highway rob-
berry and crimes of violence are almost
unknown in Venice; but, for all that,
he was always, though without his
knowledge, accompanied on his walk
ing excursions by the stealthy and un
suspected Antonio, who kept out of
sight, but in readiness to come to his as
sistance should the necessity arise.
Toward spring Antonio thought it
best to have his wife's mother die, but
to his surprise Mr.. Mildmay did not
offer to pay the old lady's funeral ex-
penses. He drew the line at mothers in
law, and Antonio received only his half
holiday to accompany the corpse to the
cemetery. This miscarriage made An
tonic think more than ever of that fail
ure to keep his promise to the Madonna
In the matter of the wax candles, and
he sometimes wondered if she were capa
BILE Of carrying her resentment SO far as
to take his Englishman from him.
There is gas in Venice but the judi
cious householder does not use it, save
when he desires to enshroud his rooms
in twilight gloom. If he wishes a
light strong enough to read by, he burns
petroleum. 1t was, of course, Antonio
who supplied the petroleum to the Mild
may household, and equally, of course,
he bought the poorest quality and
charged for the dearest. Now, in spite
Of all the care which timid person
may lavish on lamp burning cheap
petroleum it is nearly certain sooner or
later to accomplish its mission of set
ting somebody or something on fire, and
Antonio's petroleum, which was rather
more explosive than gunpowder, unac-
countably spared the inmates of the casa
Mildmay until the month of March,
when it suddenly asserted itself.
1t happened in this way: One even
ing Mrs. Mildmay took lamp in her
hand and started to cross the wide and
slippery floor of her drawing room.
The rug on which she trod moved under
her, and in the effort to save herself she
dropped the lamp. 1t broke, and in an
instant she was in blaze.
Antonio was in the anteroom. TIL
door was open, and he saw the accident.
He sprang to Mrs Mildmay' S assistance.
He did not attempt to avoid the flames,
but rushed directly through the pool of
blazing oil, burning his feet and ankles
horribly. He seized Mrs. Mildmay and
tore away her dress with his bare hands.
He had nothing to wrap around her, for
he was wearing no coat at the time, but
he clasped her close in his arms and
smothered the flames that had caught
her petticoat by pressing her against
his bosom. So escaped with nothing
worse than slightly burned finger, but
Antonio's hands. arms. feet and ankles
were burned to the boLe BY this time
Mr.. Mildmay, who had been in his
study heard his wife calling for help
and made his appearance.
Antonio asked the parona's permits
sion to sit down for a moment and then
tainted away. The cook was called and
sent for the doctor. She met Antonios
brother in the Gale, close to the house,
and sent him up stairs. With his help
Antonio was carried to Mrs Mildmay's
bedroom and laid on the bed. and be-
fore the doctor came the wounded man
regained consciousness and thanked the
Mildmays for their care of him.
The doctor. after dressing the wounds,
said that the man might very probably
recover, but Antonio announced that he
was about to die, on hearing which de-
cision the doctor changed his mind
"When a Venetian of the lower class
gives up and says he is going to die, "