New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-29


"SIgnor Aessandro. you have talked about
your want of money: have said no'hhg apout
my novertv but IL is self-evident you see our
mode Of living | am not ashamed OF IL, Tor
owe no man anything, ne sald, sWnhs; anu
Fitting his pale thin face to meet hs 'an, =,
eyes with something of n proud defiance IN IL
II wish ! could say the same, my uehr reno" !,
but It is hard to keep out Of debt In these oad
times"
They both began to laugh
"The meaning Of this preface Is that | should
like TO ask you to dine, instead OF iettlhs you
90 away on this cold night to your hotei; pul
our fare IS poor and mean compared WIN what
Won are accustomed to: still. II you would be so
kind and friendly as to excuse all dehcieh-
cies'- A. 49,,
my dear fellow, I shall be only 100 HAPPY
IN make the acquaintance Of your family: and |
trust you will not treat me as a stranger. me
ladies will excuse my dress. looking al MS
rough gray suit
Amedeo laughed .
Don't imagine we dress for dinner" he said.
Excuse me for a moment must u" NY
mother" ,
Alexander OWNED something OF his friends
p4cuniarv circumstances. for h" was oDserNaht
and sympathetic; but he was too much OF
stranger to him and to the ways oI the poor
Italians to know the full depth OF the poverty
of Government employees Forty poufds year
Is considered a high salary for teacher III
the national board schools and Amedeo beihe
still young, had not yet attained !, lIlat -
that the maintenance of the household depended
mich on the foreign pupils in winter. lie ana ME
sister like all their class, managed To uIess
respectfully but to do so, comfort In other ways
had 10 be sacrificed 10 an extent when thghsn
travellers could hardly understand. People III
their position never entertain: every man eats
at home and meets his friends at the care or
club. Alexander. accustomed To the roush P'ents
of an Irish country house, where An uncerehlo-
Mons hospitality was the rule. had no notion
what ii cost this proud reserved ltaIlah 10 p'eaA
down the barriers which concealed the donestlo
misery and admit a stranger to spy out the
.povertv Of the land But AmedeO was, after
all of Irish blood: the claim of kinshlp was
strong and Alexander had personal fascination
for him which had attracted him even wheh
they were quarrelling over the letter. u was,
however difficult for him t. reconcile MS ho'her
and sister TO such an unooked-lor event as d
visitor and make them prepare for MIN In a
few minutes. But Silvia would do anything u
please her brother and she was the housekeeper.
She unlocked the wardrobe in the hhll ana go,
out her finest table linen (of That the poorest
Tuscan ha~ "A good stored ana went INTO the
kitchen TO help and direct the old servant In the
culinary business. There plenty of soup ana
maccaroni but the meat that made the soup
was a very small lump almost boiled away.
THE meat is not enough. Maria. SAID SILVIA.
contemplating II mournfully. You must cut up
the fowl at once and fry it on another fire.
santa Madonna" cried the old dame aghas''
"The chickens for the fiesta tomorrow sig
norma MIA do YOU know what fowl costs at TINS
season? You know it is only for grand festa
we can have II (Only bit Tor the Slshora De
cause she is ilD. and tomorrow Is christmas
Day" ,.
Never mind Maria. The case is urgent 1t
is a friend of my brother and he Is Yer!
hungry"
In a wonderfully short time the Signor.na came
10 the salotta 10 announce dinner; having brushed
her hair and changed her frock she looked even
brighter and fresher than on her first appearance
Her black dress was relieved by soft creamy SILK
scarf round her neck tied In a bow in front she
had an ivory complexion. glossy black hair simply
cDled at the back Of her small graceful head WIN
tiny curling rings round her forehead and the
nape of her neck and black penced eyebrows
but when she raised her lashes the beholder was
surprised to find, instead of the black eyes ne eN'
pected. a pair of soft. serious gray ones
The little dnng-room was more conlortaDle
than the salottino: there was iire III the stove
and in an easy-char near ii sat delicate old iauy
wrapped In shawl, embracing niue oIdSs
scaldino full of red ashes, with both her cooriess
hands She was tall and gaunt. her dark eyes
looked out Of caverns and her ABUNDANT snow
white hair was covered with little black lace
kerchief. There was a certain All OF purltanlca
simplicity about her which explained itself to
Alexander when he learned that she was a true
Waldensian from the Vale Pellice, whose famly
had been heroes and heroines in the bad old per-
scouting times. She very clever ana spoke
both French and English well.
Her children seemed devoted to her, so sne
must have something fine in her character. NJ
concluded
Alexander was presented as a relative, and was
received cordially by the ladies': as they spoke
English better than he spoke Italian. the con-
versat!on was carried on in his OWL language ana
as he was always at his ease, he made himself
amusing with MS stories OF MS tIdNflS, hll''-
dates Of famous persons, and his mimicry o. &c
centric acquaintances. which he rendered with "A
dramatic effect that made his entertainers laugh
heartily.
The dinner consist I'd Of large plates Of soup and
great slices Of dark bread. small quantity OF
boiled beef. and after that the famous FOWL irlel
with cauinoNer; then came salad ana cheese anu
il wound up with a cup Of black coffee They had
also good red wine but that had been special
flask procured for Christmas. The old woman In
the kitchen shook her mead rueiulIy over the
empty dishes and
Bitterly thought on the morrow
while the ringing laughter OF the young people In
the parlor resounded through the little house and
made her reflect on the thoughtlessness ana recK-
lessness Of youth.
Alexander. while entertaining his hosts. was not
less entertained himself He was amused and m
terested in watching an Italian interior OF the
middle class. and h found his cousins enphatc-
ally what the Italians call smpatici. He watched
the S!gnOrina taking down from the cupboard a
dainty little service OF antique china. arrange the
cups on the table and pom out the coffee which
she had made herself with spirit lamp, and ~
wished to help her. but
from utter courtesy forbore."
Amedeo offered his visitor a cigar while they were
stu at table. Alexander glanced at the Signorna
/ and asked If the smoke annoyed her. she assured
him that she was accustomed to 1t and liked 1t
So they puff ID away contentedly. while Signorina
removed her coffee cups, brought them PACK
washed. and proceeded 10 hang them up in the
cupboard. Alexander admired her quiet graceful
movements and the simplicity of her manners.
/ she is nice. sweet girl, ne Thought, anu
would be pretty II she had a little more flesh on
her bones. They all look thin and pale and under
fed"
Silvia sat down by the lamp with her muslin
embroidery and then the visitor could watch hel
! more persistently without causing her any EN-
barrassment. He admired her pretty head bent
over her work her fine black tresses, the delicate
waxlike ear and throat. the small slender hands.
"SignOrina." he said suddenly. as he was about
10 depart edo YOU know that you remind me OF
one If my aunts? ! cannot tell IN what particu
final
You are a true Bodkin. In spite Of being grated or
a new stock.
The girl flushed. and her defect being want OF
color she looked charming At that moment, with a
sweet shy look in her dark gray eyes. which some
times took a deep violet shade.
What you say must be true" said Amedeo. 90
never noticed it till now. but Siva's eyes are jus
like yours. Is II not so. mother"
The mother looked from one To the other anC
| recognized the likeness. Alexander bowed anC
said you hatter me, my friends; but | an