The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-05-22


music and played n great deal in her
hours Of solitude
BY and by she noticed that a large
spider calno out OF his lurking place to
listen to her. Joined BY a long and slen-
der thread to tho back of u mirror, no
got himself we'll In evidence upon dec
Grated oornicc, with his keen eyes, his
long legs and remained immovablo, rs
if hypnOtized by tho soft harmonios OF
Chopin.
Paolettn gradually ccaeo1 to fear him.
But whom to this great spider wero add-
ed several others sho resolved to remove
this largo family. domesticated no doubt
for number of years. She called in
carpenter to take down tho mirror,
laughing to SOC tho tribe scamperipg
Suddenly she uttered cry Of sur
prise. Wrapped up us il net, invested
with great mass Of cobwebs, letter
sealed with black fell from behind the
mirror
Tho workman, no less surprised than
the young lady, presented the letter to
Paolotta, who took ii, trembling. On
tho outeide abe read:
TO be delivered to Signoe 0torpio
DnFAi u1VSI my uedtI.
Tho young wifc's heart beat fast.
This letter was directed 10 her husband.
What could it contain?
III must have been written long
time age" said the workman
1T is directed to my husband re-
sponded PnOletta The man smiled mus
ingly,
"a letter from q woman, F" he thought.
Should she burn this letter unopened?
What might it containp Should she give
it to Giorgio?
No, no; certainly not
After long time she broke the seal,
and this Is what she read:
My dear Giorgio, am sick and sad
The house is a prison. I seem to find in
it something tragfcal leading to re-
venge and death.
Although it is ended, completely
ended, do not doubt but we shall sec
each other again. Is our love to endure
but ono season? Do you not remember
your oath Of eternal fidelity?
Il havo not forgotten and have re-
turned to our nest. Now I would like
to die surrounded by the things you
cnre fm
II have re-entercd this room, filled
with tokens Of your love. That reclin-
ing chair has seated you frequently,
when. returning from long excursion
In the woods, came to rest my head
against your knees, while yuu touched
the brown locks which fell over nv
forehead. have reviewed all that year
Cd happiness day by dny and only desire
to die IN this house where you and 1
have loved. :"
Pnolctta gavo loud cry and fell to
the floor. When sho returned to her
senses, the sun had set, the day was
slowly departing, tho horizon, tinted
with purple forming luminous gar
land. Nothing was changed in the life
Of the world about her. There was tho
same azure sky. the same strident shrek
of the railway train, the hilarious shouts
OF the children released from school
Was what had passed dream, some
strange fnncy: No, the letter was there
at her feet Il recalled her to reality 1t
was true-all WIS true! And suddenly
she folt within her heart an enoqmous
weight, and upon her shoulders some
thing laid almost insupportable.
She remained for long time motion
less and silent, making thousand prof.
cots Then gradually her nerves gave
way and tears flowed from her eyes
When Giorgio returned, he found her
calm, but little ncryuus
Several days passed, then Poolctta
took to her bod
a mAlady which had not been able GO
carry her to the tomb year before re-
appeared. The physician announced that
| all was over; she would NOT outlast the
| fall of the leaves
She treated Giorgio with coldnoss, of
which she gave no explanation. He at
tended her, watched over her. supplicat-
ed her to tell him why she had changed,
but she remained silent. and her calm
ness made him almost insane
One morning she said to him, "You
will return early today, will you not,
Giorgio:''
He bent over her. kissing her ten
derby.
"Yos, my darling, he said
That evening, when he returned, she
was dead. She held in her rigid hands
a lcttcr-tho letter of Chiara. Ii pencil
shc had added these words:
II am jealous of this woman, and of
jealousy die Adiou, Giorgio Prom
tho Italian
Womcn's Editions