The Dickinson press., 1894-12-08

such things"
But Nita only laughed. why not
IL they are so foolish? l did not want
them to fight.'' =.
"But you were the cause, Mia, and
Tista loves you so dearly; he would
make you q good husband, too"
The girl laughed merrily. Il have no
fancy for marrying she said. Look
ut the women around the household
drudges. with not a thought beyond
their potato pot and their cabbages and
their straw-plaiting, and the brown ba-
bies rolling about in their washing
baskets-all the dull, hard, coarse life, |
that is just eating, working, sleeping, |
one way like another, as the beasts"
"VVhy-Nita?" exclaimed Genna, in
open-eyed establishment.
"Oh, yes! It is very well to say, Why.
Nita,' " repeated the girl angrily. II
do not are to spend u nuns life here
forever. l should like to 70 into the
world and see the great cities, and all
the wonderful things that We girls new
or hear of, buried as we are here. You
do not care; you are content, feeling
nothing, seeing nothing, caring for No
greatness, only grubbing among your
cabbages and forcing me to do the
same"
"Nita-Nita! Who has put these
things into your head? Do you know
what you are saying!
The agony and entreaty of her sisters
voice touched the girl to a feeling of
momentary regret for her rash impa-
tent words. Well enough she know
what q dull, dreary, unlovely life Gen.
Sn4SA HnA hNon md vrynns rvak vrn 11vn-
plant ever left the patient lips-no muir
mur against the constant uphill strug-
gle with poverty and labor eve had
entered her heart. She had a nature
whose sunny content made her happy
with very little; a nature so patient
and enduring that 1t showed her no
brighter lot which she cared to covet-
no hardship against which she could
rebel.
Her sisters words shocked her great
ly, betraying as they did an inward
discomfort against the humble peace
and safety Of her life, and a longing
for things unattainable, and therefore,
to Genna's ideas, wrong.
II did not ear to e yOu," said
Mia. penitently; ''but, indeed, I can
not help wishing for what I said. The
faces around me r always the same;
everything here is dull, stupid mono
tonous. I am sick Of 1t oil. If only ]
could get away-to Forence-Rome."
ITO Florence?" echoed Genna, in
amazement. 1t was to her Us If Nita
had said the end of the world, even
though from her own high hills she
could see the white. cleaning roofs of
the City Of Lilies. ITO Florence! Oh,
Nita, my dear, you surely do not mean
| It'll"
II do" said the girl, wilfully; ut is
90 foolish Of you and every n here
just to live on and plod on, while q
days journey away lies the beautiful
towns and cities of which you know
nothing-of whose marvels you will
live and die in total ignorance. I would
20 away tomorrow II l could"
Genna looked Mt her with u helpless
terror that would have been almost
ludicrous had not the passionate love
in the pathetic brown eyes redeemed
the face from its childish bewilder
ment. Indeed. Nita had but spoken thu
truth, for the peasants often live ant
die within q score Of miles Of the cities
and never travel to see them once. O.
any world beside their oS:n hamle
they are as ignorane as children.
"Some M has been telling you abou
the Cities" said Genna presently
"Vho was it,"
The hot color surged to the girls
brow at the question. THAT is my Of
fair" she said, sullenly, and 81 ros'
and pushed aside her plate, and wen
of to her own little loft without an
other word.
Genna sat there perplexed, terrified
bewildered. "What has come to tn
child?' she murmured, while the grea
tears gathered in her eyes and fel
down on her coarse, rough hands; F"
cannot understand"
And she could not, for God had Civ
en- to these two sisters natures rs di1
ferent as drought from rain, as sun
mer from winter. Nita's words wer
all obscure to Genna-terrible, inc0n
prehensible, full of i'll in store.
From childhood she had been her on
care, her one thought, the one poem q
grace and sweetness and beauty in th
dead level of her life. She chung t
Nita with an intense fidelity. She wa
the sole rny of light in her long day {
toll and ceaselcss labor. though bot
labor and toll were alike unrecOn
pensed. and performed simply from til
sense Of duty that to her meant life
strongest obligation. And now TIL
simple, faithful. tender affection ":
as nothing to her who owed it-ws
!. not for one moment regarded as Wort
consideration besides the alluremen'
Of another life In which all was do
eef. ana In which she could have a
part
II am nothing to her" she said sadl,
and the tears gathered in the grea
wistful eyes. She went to the ROOF
she shared with Mia and lay down I
rest.
Mia raj asleep looking beautiful
q picture. with her flushed cheeks an
tumbled waves of hnir, and parte
scarlet lips. Genna did not kiss he
She feared to awaken her.
" 'She is but a child" she though
looking lovingly at the beautiful fac
a "She did not mean It,"
And go comforting herself with thu
thought she fell asleep, while the still
ness and fragrance Of the SUNNI,
night wrapped all the quiet house
its own soft mantle Of peace and rea
CHAPTER III.
The First STEP.