Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-09-19

ton at a glance, dismissed the lay-sis-
ter, and, possessing herself Of the tum-
bier of water. %sprinkied the forehead
of the interesting patient, and forced
some drops between her clenched
teeth. Then turning TO me she in
quired, with some stateliness of man
ner, what had caused the attack.
II really cannot tell you. madame"
/ said with an air OF affected concern
and yexation. II certainly told the
countess or the unexpected death of a
friend, but she bore that news with
exemplary resignation The circum-
stance that appears TO have so greatly
distressed her is that she finds, or
says she finds, a resemblance between
my hand and the hand Of her deceased
husband. This seems 10 me absurd,
but there Is no accounting for ladies'
caprices."
though / were annoyed and impa-
tient.
over the pale. serious face of the
udn there fitted a smile in which
there was certainly the ghost Of sar-
casm.
"all sensitiveness, and. tenderness Of
heart, you see" she said in her chill,
p~assionless tones, which. icy as they
were somewhat conveyed to my a
another meaning than that implied by
the words uttered. I'VE cannot per-
haps unders tand the extreme delicacy
Of her feelings and We fail to do jus
tice TO them"
Here Nina opened her eyes, and
looked at us with piteous plaintive-
ness, while her bosom heaTsd with
those long, deep signs which are the
finishing chords Of the Sonata Hys-
terra
You are better. I trust?" continued
the nun. without any sympathy in her
m~onotonous accents, and addressing
her with some reserve You have
greatly alarmed the Count Olivia"
Il am sorry," began Nina feebly.
l FASTENED 10 her side.
Pray do not speak of It," / urged,
forcing something like a lovers ardor
into my voice. Il regret beyond meas
ure that il is my misfortune to have
hands like those of your late husband,
l assure you l am quite miserable
about il. Can you forgive meE'
She vas recovering quickly, and she
was evidently conscious that she had
behaved somewhat foolishly. She
smiled, a weak, pale smile: but she
looked very scared, worn and Ill. She
rose from her chair slowly and Ian
guidly.
Il think l will go to my room" she
said, not regarding Mere Marguerite,
who had withdrawn TO a little dis
lance, and who stood rigidly erect,
immOvably featured, with her silver
cruciix glittering cOldly on her still
breast.
"Good-by. Cesare, Please forget my
stupidity, and write to me from Avel-
limo"
| took her outstretched hand, and
bowling over it. touched il gently with
my lips. She turned toward the door,
when suddenly a mischievous idea
seemed to enter her mind. She looked
at Madame la Yicaire and then came
back to me.
"Addio, amor mio!" she said, with a
sort Of %rapturous emphasis, and throw
ing her arms round my neck she kiss
ed me almost passionately.
Then she glanced m~a!iciously az the
nun, who had lowered her eyes till
they appeared fast shut. and breaking
into a low peal Of indolent, amused
laughter, waved her hand to me, and
left the room.
/ was somewhat confused. The sud
denness and warmth of her caress
had been, / knew, a mere monkeyish
trick, designed to yex the religious
scruples OF Mere Marguerite. / knew
not what TO say to the stately oma
who remained confronting me with
downcast eyes, and lips that moved
dumbly as though in prayer. As the
door closed after my wife's r%etreating
figure, the u looked up; there was a
slight flush on her pallid cheeks, and
TO my a~stonishment tears glittered on
her dark lashes.
Madame" | began earnestly, II as
sure you"
Say nothing, signor," she inter
rupted me with a slight d~eprecatory
gesture; lit is quite unnecessary. To
mock a religieuse is a common amuse-
ment with young girls and women Of
the world. l am accustomed to II.
though l feel it's cruelty more than /
ought to do. Ladies' like the Countess
Romani think that we've, the sep
ulchres of Notwithstanding
that we have emptied and cleansed to
the best of our ability, so that they
may more fttingiy hold the body of
the cruciied Christ; these grandes
danes, l say, fancy that we are ignor-
ant OF all they know, that we cannot
understand love, tenderness or pas-
sion. They never reflect. How should
they, that we also have had our his
tories-hlstorles, perhaps, that would
make angels weep for pity! /. even
l." and she struck her breast ~fiercely.
then suddenly ~recollecting herself, she
continued coldly: The rule of our
convent, signor, permits no visitor to
remain longer than one ~hour-that
hour has expired. / will summon a
sister to show you the way out"
Wait one instant, madame" I said.
feeling that To- enact my part thor
oughly 1 ought TO attempt TO make
some defense of Nina's conduct; per
init me 10 say a word. My iancie is
very young and th~oughtless. / really
cannot think that her very innocent
parting caress 10 me had anything in
II that meant to purposely annoy you"
The nun glanced at me; her eyes
flashed disdainfully.
Yea think * was all affection for
you, 10 doubt. slgnor. A very natural