The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-05-29

exclaimed Iara. stopping in her occu-
! patton of measuring ont the maccaroni
| "Nrvcr mint Thou wilt see. Thy
! father does not 90 so often to the Pontc
! Tor nothing"
IL do not understand" began Iaira
but Just then her father and her two
| brothers entered the room and they sat
down to dinner
1T is time that Zaira went into the
mill" remarked the old woman. after a
pau-'.
"phi Aunt Nita! please don't
'lcs. ii il. Thou ,loSt nothing but
play around, instead of carnin" some
thing to put bread into our mouths :
That certainly is not true, spoke
up Tommasn. "Who has washed the
clothes for the English down in he vi
/ la-r all Summer, and cot Il good Iri G
for it, too! Everybody know Shat il
always.
The saints he prai~rd!" calculated
the old aunt. dcvoutly.
And she has picked grapes. added
little Giovanni. II saw her hands all
torn from the vines.
Nevertheless, all the other girls
work in the mill. continued the aunt
land they oct good wages, too. Thou
knowcst. Pictro." turning to her broth
er. who still sat silent. there WAS MAJ
ria Pomoni and Matilda Carini. and
Teresa Calvi," she added with sly
look.
Yes" responded Signor Pcrromi,
''it is time for thee to 90 Zaira. The
winter will soon come. and then there
will he no more washing. for the ,tran-
gers are nearly all gone now. The
grapes are harvested. and only the
chcstnutS remain. When they are
gathered. thou must 90 to the mill"
And Paolina, :.ther::'' asked the girl,
raising her fearful eyes t" his face.
..Ah. there it is. interrupted Aunt
Nita. always Paolina, One would
think that IN old woman Of sixty had
never taken care OF baby, While
thou hast had such cNpericncc.'
..Surrlv, thine Aunt Nita can tend
the little one. and. aS she said.
thou must earn money. And then
there may he another arrangement by
that time. said the father, aS he took
his hat, lighted his old pipe, and start
cd out again to his work.
Aunt Nta grinnc,l malicinuSly at
Zaira. who stood 4 moment and then
ran er her father.
"Flthrr. thou wilt not send me to
the mil: | shonld be gone from sunrise
until sunset. and the baby will cry SO.
She has never been 80 long away from
me. Please do not send me tot he mill
| will work hard at home if YOU will
only let me stay. she pleaded. Aunt
Nita does not hear Paolina's 5 calls.
There is the cliff. father: the child
might fall over.
"Wcli. WELL we shall see. As said.
probably some arrangement can he
made for the child" And with that
she was forced to he content.
That afternoon there was waShin" to
be done Zaira. lightly poised the
bundle of clothes on her head, took her
little sister. and went down the path
between the stone walls enclosing tie
vineyards. Late autumn roses droor-
ed gracefully over the gray stones
Lacy ferns Grew in the craviccS. and
great punches of gol,lcn-rol spread
their glory over the unsightly places
Several women were kEerIing hv the
river when the two reached it, Their
gaudy hcatLroverinGS were brilliant in
the bright sunlight and their arms
1Ii>trnad as they rubbed the white oar
ments. \ Young girl. with glossy
block hraidS wound back and forth
arro~, her head called: Come. Zaira.
here is Il fine place and a lovely smooth
stone. and Iaira and her charge pick
ed their way carefully over the rough
rivcr-shorr until they reached her. The
mountains rose abruptly on each side
of the Swilt-howing Lima, and far up
the valley stood ON" majestic peak. aS
ii keeping guard over the clustered vii
lngrS papIma to,.llal lufrontpn1r,ilv.
and busted herself with building play
hoHS" with the round pebbles which
she found in quantities on the dry riv-
cr-hrd. The two 9iris Rubbed their
clothes with hlnc and white soap. dip
ped them in tn" rippling water OF the
murmurinG mountain stream. and beat
them on the stones
How low the river IS remarked
Zaira
YES. replied Marietta "Thcrc has
been no rain for Ipn- time. Just
wait till il hcgnS And she tossed