Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-12-12
ca .pTER XIV.

~ ELCOME to Villa
( Romaniw
1h AaF The words fell
~ ;zss 4Gy strangely on my
N&S4E ears. Was I dream
ing. or was I &C.
1y standing on the smooth green lawn
OF my own garden mechanically sa-
luting my own wife. who, smiling
sweetly. uttered this cordial greeting7
For q moment or two my brain b.
came confused; the familiar verundah
with its clustering roses and jessa-
mine swayed unsteadily before my
eyes; the stately house, the home of
my childhood, the scene Of my past
happiness, rocked in the air as though
it were about to fall. \ choking SEN
sation affected my throat. Even
the sternest men shed tears sometimes
such tears too! wrung like drops OF
blood from the heart. -. And L
I could have wept thus. Oh. the dear
old home! how fair and yet how sad
it seemed to my anguish gaze! 1t
should have been in ruins surely
broken and cast down in the dust like
its masters peace and honor. Its
master. did I say? Who was its mas
ter? Involuntarily glanced at Ferrari.
who stood beside me. Not hc-not he;
10y heaven, he should never be MASTER!
But where was my authority? l came
to the place as 4 stranger and an
alien. The starving beggar who
knows not where to lay his head has
no emptier or more desOlate heart
than had as looked wistfully on
the home which was mine before l
died! l noticed some slight changes
here and there; for instance. my deep
easy chair that had always occupied
one particular corner of the verandal
was gone; little tame bird that had
loved, whose cage used to hang up
among the white roses on the wall.
was also gone. My old butler the ser
want who admitted Ferrari and myself
within the gates, had an expression of
WEAKNESS and injury on his aged fca-
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. | Won
dered? He had been presented to he
by n 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 it's kind, as a souvenir of
our friendly intercourse. Poor Wyvis!
l thought. Had they made away with
him? Formerly he had always been
favorite place was on the lowest We
randall step, where he loved to bask
in the heat of the sun. And now he
was nowhere visible. l was mutely
indignant at his disappearance, but
kept strict watch over my feelings.
and I remembered in time the part l
had to play.
welcome to Villa Romaniw so said
my wife. Then, remarking my silence
as looked about me. she added with
4 pretty ccaxing air.
II am afraid after all you are sorry
you have come to see me-"
I smiled. 1t served my purpose now
to be as gallant and agreeable as [
could; therefore answered:
Sorry, Madame! If 1 were, then
should be the most ungrateful Of all
men! Was Dante sorry, think you,
when he was permitted to behold
Paradise?"
She blushed; her eyes dropped soft
ly under their long curling lashes.
Fcriari frowned impatiently, but was
silent. She led the way into the
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 oI;,,. the mandolin lay on a
side table, locking as though it had
been recently used: there were fresh
flowers and ferns in all the tall Vene-
tan glass vases. 1 seated myself and
remarked on the beauty of the house
and its surroundings.
I remember it very WELL" l added
quietly.
"You remember :t.' exclaimed Fer
crari quickly, as though surprised.
Certainly. l omitted to tell you,
my friend. that l used to visit this
spot often when boy. The elder
Conte Romani and myself played
about these grounds together. The
scene is quite familiar to me.
Nina listened with an appearance
of interest
did you ever see my late husband ?'
She asked.
"Onee," answered her gravely
l,''He was a mere child at the, time
and, as far as could discern, a very
promising one. His father seemed
greatly attached to him. l knew his
mother also"
Indeed" she exclaimed, settling
herself Oh Il low ottoman and fixing
:in. eyes npon me, what was She
iil5cw
paused Il moment before replying
Gould speak of that unstained sa
cred life OF wifehood and motherhood
to this polluted though lovely crea
ti:r! =.
SIZE was abeautiful woman uncon
Sous Of her beauty" l answered a
lost. There. all Is said. Her SOLE
;;.iln semcd to be to forget herself i,
iraking "''r"s happy, and to SURROUND
l.r' boa" with an atmosphere ofSgood
ifos~ n'A virtue. She died young.
,fe.suri glanced ut me with an cyi
siDeer In his eyes.
That was fortunate" he said. "Sh
had no time to tire of her husband
else--~wlio knowsy'
My blood rose rapidly to m aston
f..l 49,. n a.