The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-06-21

was happy and contented. She adored
music and played a great deal in her
hours of solitude.
By aDd by she noticed that q large
spider csIne out Of his lurking place to
listen to her. Joined by long and slen.
der thread to the back of a mirror, he
got himself well in evidence upon a dec
Grated ~cornice, with his keen eyes, his
long legs and remained ~immova5le, as
II hypnotized by the soft harmonies of
Chopin.
Paoletta gradually ceased to fear him.
But when to this great spider were add
ed several others she resolved to remove
this large family. domesticated no doubt
for a number of years. She called in a
carpenter to take down the mirror,
laughing to see the tribe scampering.
Suddenly she uttered a cry of sur
prise. Wrapped up as III a net, invested
with n great mass Of cobwebs, a letter
sealed with black fell from behind the
mirror.
The workman, no less surprised than
the young lady, presented the letter to
Paoletta, who took it, trembling. On
the outside she read: r.
"To be delivered to Signor Giorgio
Dorval after my death"
The young wife's heart beat fast.
This letter was directed to her husband.
What could it contain?
"It must have been written a long
time ago." said the workman.
1T is directed to my husband" re-
sponded Paoletta. The man smiled mus
ingly.
"A letter from q woman, he thought.
Should she burn this letter unopened:
What might it contain? Should she give
it to Giorgio?
No, no; certainly not.
After n long time she broke the seal,
and this is what she read:
MY dear Giorgio, I am sick and sad.
The house is a prison. I seem to find in
it something tragical, leading to re-
venge and death. ~
although it is ended, completely
ended, do not doubt but we shall see
each other again. Is our love to endure
but one season? Do you not remember
your oath of eternal fidelity?
Il have not forgotten and have re-
turned to our nest. Now i would like
to die, surrounded by the things you
care for.
Il have re-entered this ROOM, filled
with tokens of your love. That reclin-
ing chair has seated you frequently,
when, returning from a long excursion
in the woods, l came to rest my head
against your knees, while you touched
the brown locks which fell over my
forehead. I have reviewed all that year
of happiness day by day and only desire
to die in this house where you and I
have loved"
Paoletta gave a loud cry and fell to
the floor. When she returned to her
senses, the sun had set, the day was
slowly departing, the horizon, tinted
with purple, forming q luminous gar
land. Nothing was changed in the life
Of the world about her. There was the
same azure sky, the same strident shrek
Of the railway train, the hilarious shouts
Of the children released from school.
Was what had passed a dream, some
strange fancy? No, the letter was there
at her feet. 1t recalled her to reality. 1t
was true-all was true! And suddenly
she felt within her heart an enormous
weight, and upon her shoulders some
thing laid almost in~supportable.
She remained for a long time motion
less and silent, making a thousand prof.
ects. Then gradually her nerves gave
way and tears flowed from her eyes.
When Giorgio returned, he found her
calm, but a little nervous.
Several days passed, then Poaletta
took to her bed.
A nialady which had not been able to
carry her to the tomb a year before re-
appeared. The physician announced that
all was over; she would not outlast the
fall of the leaves.
She treated Giorgio with GOODNESS, of
which h 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.
eyes, my darling, he said.
That evening, when he returned, she
was dead. She held in her rigid hands
q letter-the letter Of Chiara. In pencil
she had added these words:
II am jealous Of this woman, and of
jealousy die. Adieu, Giorgio!'-From
the Italian.
vTon,opss E1ifgora