Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-07-18

easy chair that had always occupied
one particular corner OF the yerandah
was gone, a little tame bird that / had
loved, whose cage used to hang up
among the white roses on the wall,
was also My old butler the ser
want who admitted Ferrari and myself
within the gates. had an expression of
WEAKNESS and injury on his aged fea-
lures which he had not worn in my
/ time, and which / was sorry to see.
| And my dog. the noble black Scotch
collie, what had become Of him. I won
dered: He had been presented to me
by a young Highlander who had pass
ed one winter with me in Rome, and
who, on returning to his native noun
tains, had sent me the dog, a perfect
specimen of its kind. as a souvenir Of
our friendly intercourse. Poor Wyyis!
I thought. Had they made away with
him? Formerly he had always been
visible about the house or garden; his
fayorite place was on the lowest We
randall step, where he loved TO basg
in the heat of the sun And now he
was nowhere visible. I was mutely
indignant at his disappearance. but I
kept strict watch over my feelings.
and / remembered in time the part I
had TO play.
Welcome to villa Romanir' go said
my wife. Then, remarking my silence
as I looked about me, she added with
a pretty coaxing air.
Il am afraid after all you are sorry
I you have come TO see me"
/ smiled. 1t served my purpose now
TO be as gallant and agreeable as I
could; therefore / answered:
Sorry, Madame! IL l were, then
should be the most ungrateful Of all
men! Was Dante sorry, think you,
when he was permitted to behold
ParadiseT'
She blushed; her eyes dropped soft.
" under their long curling lashes.
Ferrari frowned impatieEtly, but was
silent. She led the way into the
house-into the lofty cool drawing
room. whose wide windows opened out
to the garden. Here all was the same
as ever with the exception Of one
thing-a marble bust of myself as a
boy had been removed. The grand
piano was open, the mandolin lay on a
side table, looking as though 1t had
been recently used; there were fresh
flowers and ferns in all the tall Vene-
tian glass vases. l seated myself and
remarked on the beauty Of the house
and its surroundings.
4 remember it very we'll" / added
quietly.
You remember it, exclaimed Fer
rari quickly, as though surprised.
Certainly. | omitted TO tell you.
my friend, that l used to visit this
spot often when a boy. The elder
Conte Romani and myself played
about these grounds together. The
scene is quite familiar 10 me.
Nina listened with an appearance
of interest
Did you ever see my late husbandT'
she asked.
once" / answered her gravely.
HE was a mere child at the time,
and. as far as 1 could discern. a very
promising one. His father seemed
greatly attached to him. / knew his
mother also"
Indeed" she exclaimed. settIi~-
herself on a low ottoman and fixing
her eyes upon me, what was she
likeT"
L paused a moment before replying.
Could l speak of that unstained sa-
cred life Of wifehood and motherhood
TO this polluted though lovely crea-
ture?
"She was abeautiful woman uncon-
scious OF her beauty" / answered at
last. There, all is said. Her sole
aim semed to be to forget herself In
making others happy, and to surround
her home with an atmosphere of good
ness and virtue. She died young.
Ferrari glanced at me with an evil
sheer in his eyes.
That was fortunate" he said. "She
had 10 time to tire of her husband,
else-who knowsF"
My blood rose rapidly to an aston
ishing heat, but I controlled myself.
Il do not understand you" / said
with marked frigidity. The lady I
speak of lived and died under the old
regime of noblesse oblige. / am not
so well yersed in modern social forms
of morality as yourself.
Nina hastily interposed. "Oh, my
dear Conte," she said la~ughingly,
"pay no attention to Signor Ferrarii
He is rash sometimes, and says very
foolish things, but he really does not
mean them. 1t Ia only his way! Ny
poor dear husband used to be quite
vexed with him sometimes, though he
was so fond of him! But, Conte. as
you know so much about the family,
| am sure you will like to see my lit
tie Stella Shall / send for her, or are
you bored by children?'
"On the contrary, Madame, ! am
fond of children" I answered with
forced composure, though my Ec.rt
throbbed with mingled deligbC ard
agony at the thought of seeing my lit
tie n again. "And the cnild of nv
old friends son must needs have a
double interest for me-"
My wife rang the bell, and gave or
ders to the maid who answered il to
send her little girl to her at once. Fer
rari meanwhile engaged me in con-
yersation, and strove , I could see.
by entire Difference to my opinions, to
make up for any offence his previous
remark might have given. A few mo-
ments passed-and then the handle OF
the drawing-room door was timidI-
turned by an evidently faitering and
Impractical hand. Nina called out i'm
fsatiently-"Come In, baby! Do not be
DC inv With tbot tba 1oor