Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-12-30
Continued.

| wondered? | who had grown stern
with long brooding upon my vengeance
could | not ai6 in bringing joy to
others! If | could, my mind would be
somewhat lightened Of it's burdens
a burQen grown heavier since Guido's
death, for from his blood had sprung
forth new group of Furies, that
l&shed me on to my task with scorpion
whips of redOubled wrath and pas
sionate ferOcity. Yet if l could do one
good action noW-wOuld it not be as a
stag shining in the midst of my souls
storm and darkness? Just then Lila
laughed-hOw sweetly!-the laugh OF
a very young child. What amused
her now? l looked, and saw that she
had taken the ak from Vincenzo, and
lifting it in her little hands, was en-
seavOring bravely to initiate his
strong and telling stroke; he mean
while STOOD aside with an air of smil-
ing superiority, mingled with a good
deal of admiration for the slight &C
tive figure arrayed in the blue kirtle
and scarlet bOd1ce, on which the warm
amorOus tenderness. Poor little Lila
a penknife would have made as much
impression as her valorous blows pro-
duced on the inffexible, gnarled knotty
old stump she eSsayed to split in twain
Flushed and GREATNESS with her eff
forts, she looked prettier than ever,
and at last, baffied, she resigned her
70
lncaTacity for WOOd-cutt1ng, and
d2intily shaking her apron free from
the chips and dust, till a call from her
mother caused her to run swiftly into
the house, leaving Vincenzo working
away as arduously as ever. I went
UP to him; he saw me approaching,
and paused in his labors with an air
of slight embarrassment.
You like that sort of work, amico?''
| said, gently.
An old habit, Notwithstanding
more. 1t reminds me of the days of
my youth, when l worked for my
mother. All! a pleasant place it was
the old home just above Fiesole. >,
His eyes grew pensive and sad. at
is all gone now-fnished. That was
before | became a soldier But one
thinks of it sometimes"
| understand. And no doubt YOU
would be glad to return to the life of
your boyhood?"
He looked a, little startled.
Not to leave you, eccellenza!''
| smiled rather sadly. mot to leave
me? Not if you welded Lila Monti o.
His olive cheek flushed, but he shook
bis head
Impossible! She would not listen
to me! She Is a child"
She will soon be a woman. believe
me! A little more Of your companv
VIII make her so. But there is plenty
of time She is beautiful, as you said:
and something better than that she is
lnnocent-think of that. Vincenzol Dc
you know how rare a thing innocence
1s-in woman? Respect it GO you
respect God; let her young life be
sacred to you
He glanced upward reverantlv.
"Eccellenza I would as soon tear the
Madonna from her affairs as vex or
H1ghten LIlla!"
[ smiled and said no more, but
turned into the house. From that mo,
ment | resolved to let this 1'tf1o love
fdyl have a fair chance of success.
Therefore I remained at Avellino muct
longer than I had at first intended
not for my own sake. but for Vim
cenzo's. He served me faithfully, h
should have his reward I took q
pleasure in noticing that my efforts tC
promote his cause were not alto
gether wasted. I spoke with Lila
often on Indifferent matters that inter
ested her, and watched her constantly
when she was all unaware of my OBJ
servant gaze. With me she was as
frank and fearless as a tame robin:
put after some days l found that she
grew shy Of mentioning the name of
VincenZo. that she blushed when he
approached her, that she was timid of
asking him to do anything for her:
and from all these little signs I knew
her mind, as one knows by the rosy
streaks in the sky that the sunrise is
near.
One afternoon l called the Signora
Month to my room. She came, sur
prised, and a little anxious. Was any
thing wrong with the service? I re-
assured her housewifely scruples. and
came to the point at once.
Y would speak to you Of your child
the little Lila" I said, kindly. "Have
you ever thought that she may
marry?"
Her dark bold eyes filled with tears
and her lips quivered.
Truly I have" she replied. with a
wistful sadness; "but I have praved
perhaps foolishly, that she would not
leave me yet. love her so we'll; she
Is always a babe to me, so small and
sweet! [ put the thought of her mar
rage from me as a sorrowful thing. -
| understand your feeling" I said,
Still, suppose your daughter welded a
man who would be to you as a son
and who would not part her from Won
Tor instance, let us say Vincenzo?"
S1gnora Monti smiled through he1
tears.
"Vincenz0! He is a good lad. a yer,
good lad, and I love him: but he does
not think of Lilla-he is devoted to the
eccellenza."
am aware of his DEVOTION I an.
sWered. Still l believe you will fine
out soon that he loves your Lila. Al
present iba couc