Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-06-13
WIDOW GAMBERTI.


The regiment had been expected since
the morning.
In the villages remote from the great
centers, where life goes on calm and
even as the mechanical movement of
well regulated clock, the passage of the
troops is always an important event
The peasants even, naturally penuri-
GUS, do not complain of the slight ex-
pense and Inconvenience that the mill
tary guests bring for a day into their
houses, and be it noted that it is not
patriotic feeling nor affection for the
sons of others which animates them,
but it amuses them to pass the evening
in listening to the adventurous tales and
the jokes of the barracks of some SOL
dier that is rather chatterbox, espe-
clally it he is from the south. There
are fine things to be heard, you may be-
ieve me-
That day the young serving women had
done their daily tasks in the quickest
way and with various distractions. The
workwomen busy near the windows had
often raised the curtains to see better
an officer come to prepare the lodgings
who since dawn had galloped up and
down through the town satisfied no
doubt with attracting all the feminine
glances.
1t was cold day in the beginning
of April. The winter, which all had be-
ieyed to be definitely over, by malig-
nant caprice or to play bad trick on
its enemies was come back again, and
the icy white mantle covered the earth
anew and shone magnificent under the
sun of the first spring days.
''What a fine thing that the sun is out,
SO they will be cheerful when they ar
rive, thought the girls while they blew
upon their reddened fingers to warm
them and listened with beating hearts
whether the wind brought from afar
some sound of a trumpet or trampling
of horses.
All at once echoed fanfare rather
confused, but jovial. The regiment The
regiment!
Half an hour later the soldiers were
pouring into the village, filing it with
the clatter of their sabers and their
youthful voices in various dialects Of
Italy.
Together in the dining room, long and
low rooted, Of the Moon tavern the Off
GERS i'll fatigue uniform approached
their damp boots to the flames of pa
triarchal chimney in the happy frame
of mind Of those who after tircsome
days march finally have nothing more
to do except to rest III a comfortable
house, with the prospect of q good din
ner.
ST sayp' exclaimed Lieutenant Ter
biani, who was carelessly rolling Gig
arctic and rocking himself on a chair
near the window "Here are two fine
specimens of the natives. Come and see
Destrelli. AS for me, I never dreamed
Of more charming little women.
All the officers rushed to the window
i'll haste to test the accuracy of that opin-
ion.
"Oh, oh! They are elegant indeed"
"Look what tiny tracks those feet
leave on the snow"
"And what graceful movements.
''They are lovely and no mistake" 3"
'Look here, landlordn' called Lieu
tenant Varella, fitting his monocle into
the eye socket, care all the women Of
this place like those?'
The innkeeper, a stout man of about
so, smiled, stroking his beard, half red
and half gray, and declared:
''Not all, signor tenente. Our girls,
I may say, are not amiss, but those who
passed are Signorina Corati of Givi-
oso, daughter of the master of the villa
up there on the hill, and the other with
the dark hair is her sister, the Marchesa
Gamberti young Lady,
The lieutenant had opened his mouth
to ask some other question, but at that
moment servant maid came in great
haste to the master, because he was
wanted in the kitchen. One Of the young
men made d rather crude observation
on the plumpness of the girl, and the
conversation changed.
''Tell me, my dear fellows" asked
a captain recently promoted, chow are
you accommodated? Because you know
| that we shall stay here almost two days,
| so that the question is important. Are
| you content?"
Each of the officers named the lodg-
| ing assigned to him, and the comments
began.
''That uBlucky Destrelli He is al
ways destined to be quartered at hair
dresser's. i is true, however, that his
hair wants cutting See here, Destrellil
Put yourself right into the hands of your
hairdresser!'' They all laughed heartily.
LAS for Bompane, he goes from villa
| to villa. He stays with the aristocracy,
| does BOmpane! And this time, too,
| look! He is to be entertained by Baron
Corati of Givioso.'' -
"Ah! At the house of the beautiful
| little blond who Just now went by!'
''Lucky fcllow!" was cried on every
hand.
'And you--whose house are you for?"
asked Terbiani Of the lieutenant with
the eyeglass. They had been compan-
ions at the school of Modena and re-
mained intimate friends in the regi-
ment.
''As for me, I don't complain, re-
piled the other with his girlish voice,
drawing the words. ''The widow Gam
berti is my hostess"
"Widow! What, widow? That i'm
beetle of landlord did not tell US that
she was a widow"
''But that is just the thing for me.
Paolo, my dear fellow, be good. Let us
change lodgings. 1t is a favor for
which shall be grateful to You all my
life" Thus did Terbiani beg and sup
plicate him.
"Change with Bompane-that is bet