Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-02-28

sake, sin &c he bad made me what
was: Then she clasped my hand
closely and tenderly, and they left me.
was softened somewhat to be sure.
4 but stlH went to bed thinking OF him
and Of her rather than my triumph.
i And it was as / feared. Day after
/ day row, his carriage drew up to her
door; aud why not? Was not Signore
4 verniti painting his portrait and
4 must he not sit for It? For 1t was
i quite usual Of course for rich gentle
man to run around after a poor artist
i instead Of requiring him to come to
/ them.
4 Ole evening at about $ o'clock word
came to me that he was giving little
impromptu dinner party, and would
| return in the carriage which would
wait for me?
| had been waiting for the lamps to
be lighted across the way. to go and
sit with her and her father. as l did
every evening when / did not sing.
My first impulse was to refuse any
way, but i said: "Guidn, this is fool
4 ish! Dress yourself" Upon which
made ready and went
The first person l saw in the recep-
ton room upon entering was Signore
4 Vertini; the next was-Carlotta.
i | did not approach her; | even let
] Signore Arleigh lead her to dinner,
and | took / know not whom. Not
once during the evening did 90 where
she was, though I found her eyes
fastened upon me reproachfully more
than once. At last | saw him go to
hen, and able to bear it no longer as
he bent over her and she raised her
face in answer to his question,
slipped into the little conservatory, on
a low couch behind some palms. But
in another moment voices came to me,
and realized that he had entered
with-her.
| was too angry to be honorable
enough to make myself known at
first, and after that it was too late,
for he was saying. hurriedly: "You
say you cannot, Carlotta; whyT
Because" she replied, steadily, az
shall never marry anyone but"
"Anyone but" lie repeated; go
on, Carlotta, Is 1t someone herein
Florence?"
Yes she answered, bravely; sit is
Guido Ferrara."
j "Guido!' he cried, in establishment;
Il did not dream of him! Why, he is
a mere boy! oh. my darling!" he
burst out, suddenly, II cannot give
You up to him! Come with me to Eng
hand as my wife, Carlotta, and / will
love You and care for you more than
he ever can. We will travel to Naples,
to Greece, where you will! To beauti-
full lands where we shall live and
love each other only. In London
what you will shall be yours to COM
mands. Oh, my love, do not tell me
no! l cannot bear it,"
4 | could see her through the palms,
and l wonder my eyes did not burn
themselves into her consciousness.
She sat with her face buried in her
hands; he bent over her and drew
them gently away"
look at me" he said.
Il cannot; am afraid" sue an
swered him. in low tore.
look at me-" he repeated. Then
she raised her face and her eyes met
him; and then-I could have cried out
aloud with the pain, for their lips had
met.
She drew back with something like
sob and covered her face again with
her hands.
my little lover he said, tenderly.
Il love you-love you, my darling
and | will not give you up. You will
come with me-"
She shook her head silently.
"You will come with me?" he repeat
ed, taking her hands away again and
holding them closely. There was no
answer.
"Look up my darling he breathed,
Say you will comet"
For just moment she struggled.
then she looked up.
Il will-ask Guido" she said
In a few minutes all was over
had come before them suddenly, and
had told her in voice whose calm
ness surprised me, that she was free,
and | had complimented hun ON the
jewel of fidelity he had won. Then |
left the house.
For week | cid not see Carlotta.
her faner palpably avoided me and
one morning | learned that Signore
Il Nerniti had a position as instructor
in an art school in Naples; that the
+. Slgnore had left the Villa Franco; and
that the artists daughter, Carlotta,
had gone 70 London the bride of the
Englishman.
n | sang my engagement through In
Florence. | plunged into the whirl of
social gayety in which | had become
one of the fayorites suddenly. | en-
gagged three seasons ahead, and left
Florence. That was my outward exist
ence. Do not ask me what my inward
life was.
Two years passed. | sang my second
season in Naples. my third in Rome.
rrh,. GAMING ono I waS ia bn i'm on.