Daily Kennebec journal., 1895-08-08

POOR LITTLE MANI" SAID ANDREIs.
and came leaping wildly from one
barge to another, screaming: "The
child. the child! my Carlino!"
She was his mother. Andreis gave
| him to her outstretched arms and
slipped some money into the little
ragged shirt.
Il will come1and see how he is in an
hour" he said to her, amidst her prayers
and blessings. "He is not well. You
must take care of him-not leave him
alone"
The child opened his eyes and smiled.
Andreis stopped and kissed him.
''Go home by yourself. 1 will stay
and see what is the matter with him, "
said Damer. Andreis went. Damer,
bidding the woman go before him,
walked over the barges until he
reached the one in which she had q
sort of rude deck-house or cabin, in
which she and five children lived. There
he examined the little boy.
| "a sore throat" he said, simply. 81
will bring you remedies"
He hailed passing gondola and
went to his house in the Fondamente.
"What is amiss with him?" said
| Andreis, later in the day.
"You would have done better to leave
him in the canal water" replied Da-
mer "He is weak little thing; he
has never had any decent food; he viii
| never recover"
but what is it?"
"a sore throat" replied Damer' as he
! had replied to the mother.
The went both to the Ca LaraniCra
that evening. There were several peo-
pie there; the night was very warm; the
tall lilies and palms on the balcony
| glistened in the light of full moon;
there was music. Veronica held out the
| lutte to Andreis.
"Will you not sing with me to-
night?"
ALIAS! You must forgive me. I am
rather hoarse. l have no voice." he
answered, with regret.
Il heard of what you did this morn
ing" she murmured, in low tone.
Your gondolier told mine. Perhaps
you have taken a chill. will go and
see the little child tomorrow"
''We will go together" he replied, in
the same soft whisper, while his hand
touched hers in seeming only TO take
the lutte. Damer saw the gesture
where he sat in the embrasurc of
window speaking of frontier question
of the hour with German minister
who was passing through Venice.
When they left the house two or
three other men accompanied them on
to the watersteps. Warm though as
tho night was, Andreis shivered
little as he wrapped his overcoat round
him. Il could bear my sablcs," he
said. as he descended the stairs. Damer
looked at him in the moonlight, which
was clear as the light of early morning.
you should not plunge into sewage
water and embrace little beggars," he
said, coldly, as he accompanied one of
the Venetian gentlemen whose palace
was near the Fondamente, and who
had offered him seat in his gondola.
Andreis, refusing the entreaties of
his companions to go and sup with
them at Florian's, went to his rooms at
the hotel. He had a flood of happiness
at the well-springs of his heart, but in
his body he felt feverish and cold.
at is the sewage water. 1t got down
my throat as I dived," he thought, re-
calling the words of his friend. II shall
sleep this chill off and be well again in
the morning"
But he did not sleep; he dr. 7is same
iced drinks thirstily, and only i'll .u.o
a troubled and heavy slumber az the
morning dawned red over the roofs of
Venice, and the little cannon on the
Giudecca saluted new day.
He felt i'll when he rose, but he bathed
and dressed, and, though he had no ap-
petite for breakfast. went down to his
gondola, which he had hidden to be be-.
fore the hotel at nine o'clock.
At parting from her he had arranged
with Veronica that they should go ut
..dat hour to see the little child of the
Bridge of Paradise.
AS he stood on the steps and was
about to descend Damer touched him on
the arm.
"You are going to take the Countess
Laranigra to the sick boy?"
"Yes," said Andreis, with naughty
accent; he did not like the tone of au-
thority in which he was addressed.
II forbid you to do so, then," said
Damer. "She would only see dead
body, and that body infectious With
disease"
Andreis was panied.
SIS the little thing dead2" he said, In
, hushed voice. dead already?"
''He died twenty minutes ago. He
had been i'll for three days"