The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-02-28

double effect of the light on the square
and the moon ON the wave. True to the
instant, as the boat touched the steps
the white lady appeared. Would she
have gone had she known what madness
was boiling in the young gondolierf As
the first hint of the moon tipped the
horizon her voice came quietly, but not
to be gainsaid, "Sing, ZefrinoP' The
poor boy was very nightingale that
night, with his breast against the thorn
of love. AS he continued it seemed as
absurd and hopeless as possible that he
should ever win the woman before him.
Therefore it was that his melancholy
became wonderfully mingled with tri-
umph, and that when he could sing no
more, the lady was interested enough in
the singer to ask him something about
himself.
She did not understand all he said,
but the dream, the way she mixed up in
it, struck her fancy immensely, and
perhaps alarmed her little to boot.
Feeling thrs, she wrote down, with
out thinking, numbers on the edge of the
boat and gazed at them in the brilliant
moonlight. Strange! She was just 1e,
and two of the other numbers were just
the ages of the two persons who stood
nearest to her in life! 1t was shock.
Perhaps there was something in it.
"Zefrino, buy and IS and 49,"
The white lady was reused from the
delicious reverie in which moonlight in
Venice sleeps one. Boats came down
the canal in a knot, from which rose
the twanging of guitars and formed a
background for two cries. One was
"Zefirino," the other LA donna
blanca" That was what Zefirino had
called her, and she had been amused
thereat. But the boats stopped at the
hotel, and before the porters could hold
them in a parley, the revelers had pick
ed Zefirino up and carried him bodily
Oh to the terrace to render thanks to the
white lady, who had counseled him so
we'll. For poor Zefrino, when the strain
gave way, must needs blab of her to
whom he firmly believed his fortune
was due. AS the excited men rushed up
a tall figure rose in leisurely way from
a chair, and taking the white lady's
arm in his faced the group with no very
amiable countenance.
"Who are those insolent beggars, my
dear?''
''Hush," said the white lady, putting
her hand over his mouth. "This is my
gondolier, Zefrino, whom advised to
buy certain number in the lottery, and
he has won, see.
$50 that is the way they spend their
money!
"Oh, dear, you old goose, will you
never stop being SO practical? They are
like children, don't you see?"
Zefirino was white and trembling, but
he plucked up courage to thank his saint,
his liberator, his patroness, his goddess,
for having brought him luck and made
him rich man. Then he stopped and
said timidly:
, 'And to your zio, illustrious white
lady, T.
The white lady burst out laughing
and said in low tone.
"George, do you hear? He takes you
for my uncle"
"Humph see nothing childlike in
that! !"
'Zefrino, this gentleman is my hus-
band, and his age is one of the numbers
I chose from the five you selected. -
"Maritol' cried Aefrino, with a
quaver that let all the persons present
into secret he would have done better
to bury deep in his breast. One or two
began to feel the awkwardness of the
whole proceeding, and by happy di-
version caused the whole party to retreat
under volley Of thanks and compli-
ments. On the hotel steps Zefrino was
like dazed man.
"After all, he muttered, she is not SO
young-he may die. "-Gentlewoman.