The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-05-17

! penses of his child When Antonio appear.
ed in the morning, quiet, sad, but scrupu-
| lously anxious to do his whole duty, the
| Mildmays felt that they really loved the
silent and stricken man.
Misfortune seemed suddenly to have run
| amuek at Antonio. A week after the death
of his child, he announced in his usual quiet
way that his wife was dead. 1t was very
sudden, so he said. He did not know ex-
actly what was the disease, but he thought
II was rheumatism. The Mildmays thought
1t strange that rheumatism should have car
ried off woman only % years old, but
strange things happen in Venice, and the
climate is unquestlOnably damp. Antonio
only asked Tor half a holiday to attend the
funeral, and he added that unless the paroB
could advance him 200 francs of his wages.
he would be unable to save his wife from be-
ing buried in the common ditch. OF course,
this could never be permitted and Antonio
received the 200 francs, and Mrs. Mildmay
told her husband that if he should think of
deducting it from the unhappy mans wages,
she could never respect him again.
For a time the darts of death spared the
household of Antonio. The gondola made its
ALLEGED monthly visit to the sguer0 to have its
bottom cleaned at Mr. MiIdmay's expense,
and the amount OF repairs and paint which
1t needed did seem Unexpectedly large But
Antonio was not foolishly grasping. So
long as he doubled his wages by trades
mems commissions, and by little devices
connected with the keeping of the gondols,
be felt that he was combining thrift with
prudence. He made, however, one serious
mistake, of which he afterwards repented
when it was too late Instead of giving the
Madonna the two way caDd loo which he had
promised her, he gave her two stearine
candles, trusting that she would not notice
the d ference. II was hot in keeping with
bis honest and religious character, and there
were times when the recollection of it made
him feel uneasy.
AS the Winter wore on Antonios devotion
to his employers never slackened. Beyond
the commissions which it Is but Just and
right that the faithful gondOlier should ex-
act from those dogs of tradesmen, even if
they did charge the same commissions in
his masters bills, he was tireless in pro-
tecting the Mildmays 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 en-
ployment, Antonio discovered that there was
nearly always too much wind to render it
safe to take the gOndola out with single
Oarsman, and that he would therefore furnish
a second oarsman in the person of Spiro at
his masters expense, he never intimated
that he was not ready to row hour after
hour while the bfildmays explored the city
and the lagoon. Mr. Mildmay was fascI-
nated by the narrow Venetian streets, and
spent hours exploring alone every part of
the city. He was probably perfectly safe in
so doing, for highway robbery and crimes of
violence are almost unknown in Venice;
but for all that he was always. though without
his knowledge, accompanied on his walking
excursions by the stealthy and unsuspected
AutODio, who kept out of sight, but in readi
ness TO come to his assistance should the
necessity arise.
Toward Spring Antonio thought it best to
have his wife's mother die, but TO his sur
prise Mr.. Mildmay did not offer to pay the
old lady's funeral expenses. He drew the