Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12

thusiasm 81 doubt il sunlight ever
fell on a more enchanting woman. II
you were a young man, conte, should
be silent regarding her charms-bul
your white hairs inspire one with
confidence | assure you solemniy
though Fabio was my friend, and an
excellent fellow in lis way, he was
never worthy of the woman he mar
Iried,"
Indeed" 1 said, ooldly, as thi:
dagger-thrust struck home to mJ
heart. 81 only knew him when he was
quite boy. He seemed to me then
of warm and lovirg temperament.
generous to fault, perhaps over
credulous; yet he promised well. His
father thought so; l confess | thought
sc TOO. Reports have reached me from
time to time of the care with which
he managed the immense fortune left
to him. He gave large sums away in
charity, did he not? and was he not a
lover of books and simple pleasures?"
"Oh, I grant you all that returned
Ferrari, with some impotence. He
was >--e most moral man in immora!
! Naples If you care for that sort Of
thing. -philosophic- par
fa1t gentilhomme-proud as the devil,
virtuous, unsuspecting, and-withal-
q fool!''
My temper rose dangerously-b I
controlled it, and remembering my
part in the drama l had constructed,
broke into violent, harsh laughter.
'Bravo!" l exclaimed. "Ore can
e. silly see what a frstrate young fell
low you are! You have no liking for
neral men-ha, ha! excellent! l agree
with you. A virtuous man and a fool
ere synonyms nowadays. Yes-I have
lived long enough to know that! And
Ter is our coffee-behold also the
glorias | drink your health with plea
sure, Signor Ferrari-you and / must
be friends!"
For one moment he seemed started
by my sudden oltburst of mirth-the
next, he laughed heartily himself, and
as the waiter appeared with the coffee
and cognac, inspired by the occasion,
he made an equivOcal. slightly indeli-
cate joke concerning the personal
charms of certain Antonetta whom
the garcon was supposed to favor with
an eve to matrimony The fellow
grinned, in nowise offended-and
pocketing fresh gratuities from both
Ferrari and myself, departed on new
erran1~ '~~ ether customers. appar-
emily in high good humor with himself
AntOinetta. and the world in general.
Resuming the interrupted converse
ton, said:
"And this poor weak-minded Ro-
mani-was his death sudden?"
Remarkably So" answered Ferrari,
leaning back in his chair, and turning
lis handsome flushed face up to the
sky where the stars were beginning to
twinkle out one by one. ct appears
from all accounts that he rose early
and went out for a walk on one of
those insufferably hot August morn
ings, and at the furthest limit of the
villa grounds he came upon a fruit |
seller dying of cholera. Of course, |
with his quiXotic ideas, he must needs |
stay and talk to the boy, and then run |
like madn an through the heat into |
Naples, to find a doctor for him. In !
stead of physician he met a priest, |
and he was taking this priest to the |
assistance of the fruit-seller (who by |
the by died in the meantime and was |
past all caring for) when he himself |
was struck down by the plague. ! He |
was carried then and there to a COM
iyp OH fv-n loal
died-all the time shrieking curses on
any one who should dare to take him |
alive or dead inside his own house. !
He showed good sense in that at least |
he was anxious not to !
bring the contagion to his wife and
child"
els the child boy or a girl?" I
asked, carelessly.
"a girl A mere baby-an uninterest-
Jig, oldfashionec little thing, very |
like her father"
My poor little Stella,
Every pulse of my being thrilled |
with Indignation at the ir6ifferently |
chill way in which 1e, the man who |
had fondled her and pretended to love |
her, now spoke of the child. She was,
as far as he knew, fatheriess; he, no |
doubt, had good reason to suspect that |
her mother cared little for her, and |
saw plainly that she was, or soon
would be. sighted and friendless |
thing in the household. But | made
nc remark slipped my cognac with
an distracted air for a few seconds
then I asked:
How was the count buried? Your
narrative interests me greatly"
"Oh, the priest who was with him
saw to his burial, and, l believe, was
able to administer the last sacraments.
At any rate, he had him laid with all
proper respect in his family vault
myself was present at the funeral"
1 started involunta~ily, but quickly
depressed myself.
"YCu were neutrality-suspicious."
and my voice almost failed me.
Ferrari raised his eyebrows with a
look of surprised inquiry.
"Of course! You are astonished at
that? But perhaps you do not under
stand. l was the counts very closest
friend, closer than a brother, l may
say. 1t was natural even necessary,
that I should attend his body to its
last resting-place."
By this time [ had recovered myself.
Il see-I see!" l muttered, hastily.
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