Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-09-02

HNi AotutI Idu ltll ueT BECAUSE OF her
naughtiness. She had taken this
deeply TO heart; no doubt she had
brooded upon it in her own vague
childish fashion, and had puzzled her
brain as to what she could possibly
have done to d~isplease her father so
greatly that he had actually gone away
never to return. Whatever her
thoughts were, she did not on this
occasion give vent TO them by tears
or words. She only turned her eyes
on Ferrari with a look of intense
pride and scorn, strange L see in so
little a creature-a true Romani look,
such as | had often noticed in my
fathers eyes. and such as | knew must
be frequently visible in my own. Fer
ari saw it, and burst out laughing
loudly.
"There!' he exclaimed. Like that
she exactly resembles her father, i
is positively .Fabio, all over!
She only wants one thing to make the
pc trait perfect And approaching
hNAf AN piatAhVh oIN VI utl lpuH CLAlN
and e~ndeayored to twist It ever her
mouth in the form of a mustache.
The child struggled angrily, and hid
her face against my coat. The more
she tried to defend herself the greater
the malice with which Ferrari tor
mented her. Her mother did not In
terfere-she only laughed. | held the
little thing closely sheltered in my
embrace, and ~steadying down the
culver of indignation in my voice. l
said with quiet iirmness;
Fair play, signor! Fair play!
Strength becomes mere bullying when
it is employed against absolute weak
ness
Ferrari laughed again, but this time
uneasily, and ~ceasing his monkeyish
pranks, walked to the window.
Smoothing Stella's tumbled hair, l
added with a sarcastic smile:
This little donzella will have her
revenge when she grows up. Recollect-
ing how one man leased her in child
hood, she in return, will consider her
self justified in teasing all men. Do
you not agree with me, madame?" l
said, turning to my wife, who gave me
a sweetly ~coquettish look rs she an
swered'
We'll really, conte, | do not know!
For with the remembrance of one man
who teased ner, must come also the
thought of another who was kind to
her-yourself-she will find It difficult
to decide the juste milieu.
A subtle compliment was meant to
be conveyed in these words. | ac-
k~nowledged it by a silent gesture of
admiration, which she quickly under
stood and accepted. Was ever a man
in the position of being delicately fat
tered by his own wife before? | think
not. Generally married persons are
like candid f~riends-fond of telling
each other very unpleasant truths, an |
| altogether avoiding the least soupcon
of flattery. Though ! was lot so much
battered as lmused-co sidering the
position of affairs! Just then a SER
want threw open the door and an
nounced dinner. | set my child very
gently down from my knee and whis.
peringly told her hat | would come to
see her soon again. She smiled trust
fully, and then in obedience to her
mothers imperative gesture, slipped
quietly out of the room. AS Don as
she had gone praised her ieauty
warmly, for she was really 4 .Cvely
little thing-hut / could see my ad-
miration of her was not very accept
able TO either my wife or her lover.
We all went in to dinner, as guest,
having the privilege of escortiDg my
fair and spotless spousel On our
reaching the dining-room Nina said
"You are such an old friend of the
family, conte, that perhaps you will not
mind sitting at the head of the
tablet"
Certainly, signora!" | answered,
bowling CALAMITY, as | at once resumed
my rightful place at my own table,
Ferrari placing himself on my right
hand, Nina on my left. The butler,
my fathers servant and mine, stood
as of old behind my chair, and / no
ticed that each time he supplied me
with wine he eyed me with a certain
timid curiosity-but | knew ! had a
singular and conspicuous appearance,
which easily accounted for his in
q~uisitiveness. Opposite to where !
sat, hung my fathers portrait-the
characted ! personated permitted me
to look at It fxedly and give full vent
to the deep sigh which in very earnest
broke from my heart. The eyes OF the
picture seemed TO gaze into mine with
a sor:owful compassion-almost fan
cied the frm-set lips trembled and
moved TO echo my sigh.
rs that a good likeness?" Ferrari
asked, suddenly.
started, and recollecting myself,
answered:
Excellent, SO true a resemblance
that it a long train Of mem
cries in my mind-memories both Bit
Tor and guap Ait what a nroud fell