The morning call., 1894-11-11

Antonio Forli was certainly dying. The
sweat on his face and his difficult breath
| ing told of il quite as much as the prayers
of the priest, who every now and again
came to pause and lowered his head sc
that he could look over his spectacles at
the sick man.
Forli's wife and son Cesare were also
| in the room.
The formers sobs were continuous. She
was on her knees by her husbands bedside,
holding the crucifix as the priest had d.
rected her, and at each pause in his rever-
ence's petitions she broke out int ejacula-
tlons of startling energy. One Of her cries
seemed to bring sudden vitality into the
sallow, pinched face of the dying man.
by the Virgin and San Antonio" she
screamed, "have we not suffered enough
wrong-we Forli? Let there be blood
reckoning between the Leonetti and US.
Oh, my poor, handsome husband, see to it
when thou art 10 Paradise"
"Chut! Chutw Interrupted the priest
quickly. Remember, woman, that he has
been anointed. the time for such thoughts
has passed."
But Antonio himself did not seem to
think so. Resting himself up so that his
back fell against the wall. he opened his
mouth as If to speak, aud waved a weak
hand toward his son Cesare.
"Come to thy father, son." said the
woman with apparent acerbity.
Cesare FOrli was but 16. though he had
the muscles and stature of man, and
also the firm expression of a man on his
dark face. He was Corsican to the toe
tips.
Again the priest tried to interfere.
"The Holy Mother" he exclaimed,
Let earthly dissensiOns be forgotten and
give thyself wholly to God"
MAY i be forgotten of God if DOR
said the sick man in a cageTnOus voice that
sounded very grim. There was flash in
his dark eyes as he spoke. Then he
turned TO his son.
II am going" he said, and it was as if
he pitled himself: his wife's means broke
out afresh. 81 am going, my son. But
there is work for thee. Speed to the Sar-
tene province of Corsica-ah! the dear
land, l die exied from it!-and there kill
first Giovanni Leonetti. Shoot him iD the
back as be shot thy dear brother who is in
heaven. And aferward kill all the other
Leoaetti Ia the land-ltke rats"
II command you" cried the priest.
"This is infamy."
But the dying mans voice rose above the
priests.
sit is MT infamy, it is duty. See to it,
Cesare. Place thy hand on my breast
ahw
He slid down into the bed again and lay
gasDing The lad, without moving a
muscle of his countenance, did as his
father babe him and stood watching the
struggles on his fathers face.
"He is going." whispered the priest 10
the woman.
once more in her arms. but with final
effort the exile opened his mouth to speak.
Swear" ne sobbed. staring at the lad
Swear, or l.
He could not finish. Even while Cesare
was murmuring the words, Il swear il,
father" with his right hand still on his
fathers breast, the mans jaws slipped
and his eyes lost their life.
1T IS a pity" said the priest, as he blew
his nose with loud report and drew near,
''men cannot be sensible in their last mo-
ments But there, it Is breath wasted to
reproach him now; you Corsicans are ali
alike. Cesare, | absolye you from your
bond to your poor father"
The lad lifted his eyes to the priest, but
said nothing.
"Promises of so sacrIlegious kind, ex-
torted by the dying, are not to be kept. In
fulfilling them you GO but pTot.act his
presence In purgatory. D0St hear me, my
sop?'
But the woman herself responded. She
turned an inflamed face upon the priest.
Father CorreggioW she said, with ter
rible earnestness, may the boy rot in this
world and the next. forever. if he forgets
his oath. The living as we'll as the dead
bind him."
The priest shrugged his shoulders, fold
ed his spectacies, put his breviary in his
pocket, shook his skirts to make sure they
hung freely. shuffied to the corpse and
made the sign of the cross on his fore
head-with n protesting movement of his
own head the while-aDd then murmuring
'Benedicite ~ left the room.
"They are GevilS--those COrsicans!' the
good father said to himself as he crossed
the TIRES hold,