The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-07-30
THE FREETHINKER.

THE FREETHINKER. !,
Michelina, the little model from Castle ,,
iondolfo, told me this;
1t was my own father, she said, "But
you must understand 1t was years before
he was my father-years before he took
the wine shop or married mamma and
years and years before any Of us were
born or thought of. Afterward he was my /,
father, but then he was young, just like
else, and he worked In the Non
nos fields at home, and when there was
wine or oil to sell he put 1t all on big OK
cart and covered 1t over with fresh green
leaves In the proper fashion and drove II
all the way along the side of the hills I'M
der the trees to the market place at AL
bano.
You. gentlemen-you are not Chris
tians at all, " says little Michelina, shak-
ing her long earrings and looking straight
over at Dysart, who had Just left Oxford
and had feelings-assorted feelings-about
ritualism, but you come over here In
crowds from outside, and you make stat
ues, and you make pictures, and that is
work for us. Father Francesca was parish
priest at Genzano, and Father Teobaldo
was parish priest at Arriocia, and ut
Castle Gondolfo we had our own Father
Gabrielle. And when the oil was not want
ing for one altar or the corn and the chest.
nuts had all been blessed and q little por
ton carried home for each good father to
taste, as was only Just and fitting, there
were always all the brethren in the big
convent on the other side of the lake, who
never touched aught but clear water at
their meals-holy men-except by dispen
sation or in case Of urgent sickness That
was why my own father and other young
men of his age and his way of thinking
would speak of the time of the new wine
making as the sickly season. Ill words
have hundred legs, SO that these things
and Others came to tho ears of Father Ga
briele, who thereupon took his stick In his
hand, clapped his hat on his head and
climbed up the hillside to call upon the
Nonno.
Il have heard my father and my grand
father tell the story many times-how,
when all the proper courtesies had passed
and his reverence had tucked up his skirts
and was seated under the arbor, with q
glass of last years best before him and
this years green grapes hanging down
over the top of his tonsured head, A fine
house, rich house. Sor Michele, he be
gins, looking up and down the fields and
taking no manner Of notice that my father
was busy cutting the young vine shoot,
not 10 yards away "A rich house-th,
richest in my parish, he says, and crosse.
!, his legs one over the other, with the fla
steel buckles twinkling in the sun.
! 'Eh--eh, says my grandfather, hi
reverence will have his little joke witt
3 us. Then he picks up a clod of earth ant
crumblcs it between his fingers, and look,
at it, and turns IL over, and smells it, ant
then throws it away from him, as IL 1
, were too poor stuff even to mention IL
such company. Lacking horses, a maj
drives donkoys, your reverence. And TIL,
thirsty ass will drink dirty water-as hi
reverence knows better than l, says IN,
grandfather very innooently, and goes t,
fill up Don Gabrieles glass. And m,
father snickcrcd, bending his head dow
over his vines.
" Sor Michele Sor Michele, tits an ex
pensive donkey that kicks its own master,
: says his reverence, looking very dark
And tits l who hope you may not find |
out for yourself-when 1t is too late, So
Michele, he says, picking with his han,
at his black soutane. @......5.
Then my grandfather, who was an oil,
white wolf for clcverness-the saints hav
his soul-saw he had gone too near tn
fire. Con rispeto, what is THAR h
asks as If he had not heard or understood
Was your reverence meaning my littl
!, old she ass who carries down the basket
to Albano of u morning? Affeddioi
, was just thinking in my mind 1t would b
easy for her to stop at the canonica doc
on her way down. 1t would be an homo
to rs all, and she would feel 1t, poor beast
If his reverencc's cook would just lool
D.. over the baskets. She knows when he
' load is lightened. She understands lik
4 any Christian says my grandfather, feel
!. ing uneasy.
i Sor Michele, Sor Michele, be careful
y that there are not better Christians in you
cow stable than about your hearthstone,
. says Don Gabrielle very solemnly, and a
r that my own father drops his big vine cut
Il ter and steps up nearer, dragging his oil
> hat off his curly head with both hands
Perhaps IL your reverence is kindl
: speaking of Inc, he begins, half laughing
!, for he was lion of courage, was my ia
!. Their, But he never got "a chance TO finis
/. what ho meant to say.
n For his reverence jumped up, leavin
/ his full glass untouched before him, an
II for those who knew him that was cnoug
" tuTii Out ) litSll uUtl DiODu INTO plaster
, Sor Michele, and thou, Michclc's son,
!, say it to both Of you alike. This is bu
i the beginning of the working week, bu
II before the end, before Sunday at earl
g mass, shall have seen you down ON you
!: four knees in the dust. In the dust of tn
u common highway you shall kneel, befoi
n the weight of your sins Of pride and stiff
n neckedncss and evil speaking OF digniti,
be lifted from off your miserable soul
IS You shall knecl there. and 1t Is /, yor
Ii parish priest, with authority to loose an
r. to bind, who tells you So In nominc Pi
iris ct Fill ct Spiritus Sancti, says Fl
+, Their Gabrielle, making great sign of IL
J. cross.
If when he was safely away down Il
nd hill, By Diana and Diogcnesi' says III
/ father Where the fox has been there yo
ii can smell his skim says my fathe
lel scratching his head.
81 But the Nonno, he was true wolf (,
:, wisdom. silence thou disgrace of III
q ruined home! . thou misbcgotten, tho
lawbreakcr! Truly, truly it is said, ":%oi
to bring up, iron TO chew Come, con
thou hither to me- that l may break cvei
bone in thy body, ungratcful onel
youth without an education ain ii
dust, " says the priest J. Michele III Sg
c St Michael and all good angels be b
d tween us and evil Amen
Z. And now, gentlemen, listen to whit
Of happened, for this was on u Monday TIN
IL his reverence visited the house. And Il
working week passed, and every nigl
''fis one more gone, says my father, al
his heart rose lighter and lighter insi,
him, like the wings Of a little bird. b,
tho Nonno, he said nothing And on Sa
he urday it was market day at Albano, M
All what with this and with that, and a frig
tie that one of the new oxen had gone lam
nd and the tasting glass every time ba
Of gain was finished, and another glass or
no might be two while he told the story
T. Father Gabrielle prophecy to friend
"a was nearly 10 o'clock, and every light W
IL out in the village before my father turn,
Ne his cart out of Albano gate 'Tis o
IT. more day gone, and, by Diana, It's t
last hn IN, hff.fsplf kp mi, On