The record-union., 1896-12-06

man, am to support useless, idle dog.
No, say; better the worst I will not.
Co."
You need helper here, you lazy old
loafer. You'd like to have young man
with brains and Drawn to do your work
While you lie off taking afternoon sizes
tas. You could gossip with the neigh
bors while l, slave to love, give up nv
freedom and work like horse for an
old hypocrite 1 would rather stick my
stiletto into. And all this simply be-
cause you happen to be the father of
the woman 1 love-
The prospect pleased Marco. But he
wondered if he could trust Luigi The
fellow would surely draw custom, if only
he would work. 1t was a great risk
Thus he thought.
Il give up my shop" he was saying.
trust my stock and trade and good
name to worthless drunkard and street
brawler?''
Luigi now was tired of the game they
We're playing, and he said what he had
come to say:
Hear me, you ancient fish, listen and
be still. l, Luigi Delgatti, a gentleman
OF Italy, will put into this loathsome
business S1OO-mark, one hundred
American dollars-in cash a week after
your daughter is my wife. That is my
guarantee of good faith and industry -
Where will you steal that?" asked
Marco. amazed that this good for moth
ing had saved so large a sum.
Think of it, old man; no second fool
will come your way
With this Luigi marched out hum
ming merry air. Marco watched him in
wonder and admiration. Then he did
what Luigi told him to do. He thought;
he thought hard. Greed grew as he
thought of the increase of capital and
the foresight of promised comforts made
him sigh sensuously. His consent was
predestined.
The marriage took place-"before
God" 1t was quite a swell affair and
the memory of it outlasted the Bend.
After the wedding Marco asked for the
payment promised. Luigi laughed at
the old mans impatience and bade him
wait week. The next day he went to
work in the stall and proved his apti-
tude. His tuneful praise of the fish at
tracted the women, and his wit beat
them at bargaining. The business was
better than it had ever been.
On the sixth day Luigi disappeared.
There was an uproar in the Fuzori
family.
After ALL" said Marco when he was
weary cursing, this is no worse than we
expected. 1t has turned out just as l
said it would
Maria alone was silent. Her face took
on a hard expression and her hand
clutched something under her apron.
But Luigi came back at noon with his
brightest smile. He was received with
manifest joy Maria's was the gladdest
welcome till Luigi drew Marco aside
and counted into his glad hand 500.
Then the old mans delight turned to
genuine affection and his happiness was
as great as his daughters.
When, in 1895, Mulberry Bend was
torn down, Luigi and Maria had been
ten years married and they still lived
contentedly together in perfect peace
with Mr.. and Mrs. Fuzori. Luigi was
the head of the business and of the
household. He had developed a close
tradesman's dispoition towards the
| many women and was gay only with
his own.
But there were two mysteries in the
family which Luigi never could be in
duced to clear up. One was sore trou-
bic to Marco, who ached 20 know how
| the good for nothing brigand he had
picked out of the gutter and made a
man Of came by that 800. The other
was Maria's. With each successive Del
gatti baby she fell to wondering what
had become of her old doll-the dainty,
dirty Tanagra dame.-J. Lincoln Stef-
| fens, in New York Evening Post.