Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-08-22

sucn q rememprance?" or Hast f!lou
no desire for that past delight But
to all such inward temptations my
soul was deaf and inexorable; justice
stern, immutable justice was what l
sought aud what l meant to have.
Maybe you find Ii hard to under
stand the possibility of scheming and
carrying out SO prolonged a vengeance
as mine: liz you that read these pages
are English, / know that 1t will seem
to you well nigh incomprehensible.
The temperate blood of the Northern
er. combined with his open. unsus-
picious nature, has, I admit, the adj
vantage I'VE us In matters of personal
injury. An Englisman, so / hear, is
incapable Of nourishing a long and
deadly resentment, eve against an
unfaithful wife-he Is too Indifferent,
he thinks IL not worth his while. But
we Neapolitans, we can carry a
vendetta through q lifetime-ay,
through generation after generation!
This is bad, you s~ay-immoral, IN
christian. No doubt! we are more
than half pagans at heart: we are as
our country and own traditions have
made us. 1t will need another vista
ton of Christ before we shall learn to
forgive those that despitefully use us.
Such a doctrine seems to us a mere
play upon words-a weak maxim only
fit for children and priests. Besides,
did Christ Himself forgive Judas?
The gospel does not say so.
When I reached my own apartments
at the hotel l felt worn III and flag
ged. i resolved to rest and receive no
visitors that day. While giving my or
ders TO Eincenzo, a thought occurred
to me. / went to a cabinet in the room
and unlocked a secret drawer. In it
lay a strong leathern case. / lifted
this, and babe Vincenzo unstrap and
open IL. He did so, nor showed the
least sign of surprise when a pair OF
richly orGamented pistols was dis
played TO his view.
Good weapons?" I remarked in a
casual n
My valet took each one out of the
case, and examined them both criti-
cally.
"They need cleaning, E~ccellenza."
Good" / said, briefly. 'Then clean
them and put them in good order. I
may require to use them"
The imperturbable Eincenzo bowed,
and, taking the weapons, prepared to
leave the room.
"Stay!'
He turned. / looked at him steadily.
II believe you are a faithful fellow,
Vincenzo," l said.
He met my glance frankly.
1.-THE day may come" / went on
quietly, when / shall perhaps put
your deity to the proof"
The dark Tuscan eyes, keen and
clear a moment before, flashed bright
ly and then grew humid.
"Excellenza, you have only to COM
mand! / vas a soldier once-I know
what duty means. But there is a bet
ter seryice-gratitude. i am your poor
servant, but you have won my heart.
j would give my life for you, should
you desire it,"
He paused, half ashamed of the emo
ton that threatened to break through
his mask of impassibility, bowed
again and would have left me. but
that / called him back and held out
my hand.
shake hands, AMIGO 1 said sim
ply.
He caught il with an astonished yet
pleased look,-and STOPPING, kissed
ii before / could prevent him, and this
time literally scrambled out of my
presence with an entire oblivion of his
usual dignity. Left alone, / consider
ed this behavior Of his with h~alf-pain-
ed surprise. This poor fellow loved
me, It was evident-why, / knew not.
/ had done nc more for him than any
other master might have done for a
servant. / had often spoken to him
with Impotence, ever harshness; and
yet l had won his heart"-so he said.
! tNh~ should hn m tx f4r rnn N.hr
should my poor OLD butler Giacomo
cherish me so deyotedly in his men,
DRY; why should my very dog still love
and obey me, when my nearest and
dearest, my wife and my friend, had
so gladly forsaken me, and were so
eager TO forget me! Perhaps fidelity
was not the fashion now among edu-
Gated persons? Perhaps Ii was a worn
out virtue, left to the baspeuple-to
the vulgar-and to animals? Progress
might have attained this result-no
doubt Ii had.
l sighed YEARLY, and threw myself
down In an arm chair, near the win
dow, and watched the white-sailed
boats skimming like flecks of silver
across the blue green water. The tink
ling of a tambourine by and by at
tracted my wandering attention, and
looking into the street just below my
balcony / saw a young girl dancing.
She was lovely to look at, and she
danced with exquisite grace as well
as modesty, but the beauty Of her face
was not SO much caused by perfection
of feature or outline, as by a certain
wistful expression that had In 1t
something of nobility and pride. I
watched her; at the conclusion of the
dance she held up her tambouriue
with a bright yet appealing smile.
Silver and copper We're freely flung
TO her, l contributing my quota to the
amount; but all she received she at
once emptied into a leather bag which
was carried by a young and hand
some man who accompanied her. and
who, alas! was totally blind. l knew
the couple well, and had often seen
them: their history was pathetic
enough. The girl had been betrothed
to the young fellow when he had &C.
cupied a fairly good position as a
worker In silver filigree jewelry. His
eyesight, long painfully strained over
his delicate labors, suddenly failed
him. He lost his place, of course. and