The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-05
A HERO.


the old cathedral. AZ Was usually empty
at that hour, and liked roaming about
i'm the dusk. Suddenly heard sob.
There in front OF little side altar knelt
a man. 1t was Vanni.
Poor boyr' / thought. "He is praying
for his friend"
And was moving quietly away when
he looked up and saw mo.
"Ah, signorel" he cried at Is your"
"Yes. answered. "Wnat is wrongY"
He crossed himself, rose hastily and led
me to "a bench near by.
1.-The signore is kind, he said, still with
that pathetic catch in his voice, land he
knew about-it-before. He will help
me?"
,"He will try" returned. "Tell me-"
"You have seen Luca, signorey'
"Yes"
"And-his gold watchs"
"Ycs." Had not all the world-the
world, that is, Of San Giorgio-secn the
watch and heard of the story Of how poor
young Lieutenant Allegri had given IL,
just before his death, 10 the brave san
Giorgiano? Was it not I'm Tho Giornale?
Did not the village throb with proud ex-
element over the tale?'
YES" l answered again. "What
them"
"Ebbene, IL is mine. signore--mine! II
was i who carried II povero signore tenente
back from the front under the terrible rain
of fire. IL was 10 me he gave the watch. "
"But then" / said, utterly at sea,
"then, how has Luca got the watchY'
Because ! gave it TO him. Dio miol
Oh, Giglnal"
Don't be fool" I said impatiently,
"but tell me. J"
"If il buonissimos ignore will but help
me not TO be sneak" I"
He didn't look sneak, this poor little
miserable Giovanni.
"A sneak" repeated. "Tcll me and
I'll do my best. Why did you give the
watch to Luca?"
He Strengthened back his shoulders then
and told me.
at was because his poor eye was gone
and his poor leg He said To me: Now,
Vanni, you have no wound, you have the
watch, and you will also have Gigina. No
girl would every marry one armed man
with only one eye. 1t was in the hospital
at Massana, the day ! first saw him, the
poor boy. You have all, and /, your poor
friend, have nothing. Goodby, i will kill
myself. Hewas always my miglior AMIGO,
signore, and / was i'm despair. Yes, he
said, / will kill myself and then perhaps
she will be sorry So, If ] was 10 have
Gigina, what did care for the watch? l
gave IL to him."
He paused.
'E poiS" suggested
"Sissignore, and then-Gigina says to
me: Shame on you, Nannil TO come
home unhurt with no honors / viii
marry Lucar And now l am home and
hoy at1 th h., lpN
land Gigina laughs AT me- She seems TO
think it is my fault perhaps that Luca has
lost an arm and an eye. Oh, Diol" he
cried suddenly, rising, II am so afraid
will tell nearly told them all just now
in the piazza. / ran away and came in
here"
'Luca is canaglia, ] said.
"Oh, no, but his life is ruined, pove-
retto, and he was motto bcllo. Only, he
hesitated in his loyalty, II think--non inn
porta. But, per ramor di Dio, signorc,
tell me, what must do?'
There was something of the fatalist in
the way he looked at me. ] know that
whatever might advise he would do.
The fault would be mine, the response
bility no longer his.
Come 10 the station tomorrow at 4, /
said at length. II will take you to Flor
encc with me-"
On my WAY TO tho station ! called on
Luca. He was sitting outside in tho sun
in big pillow filed chair, surrounded NY
n crowd OF admirers Beside him sat Gil
gina, beaming with pride
"Buon giorno, signoro, she said. Isn't
IL a pity that he has lost an arm and AN
eye? But l don't care, and we are 10 be
married on Saturday
She played ostentatiousy with the
watch which she wore on cord around
her brown neck
IL hear Nauni Bernclli is going with
you Then be won bc here for the we'd
ding3'T
She smiled consciously / began to pity
Luca
Poor boz, perhaps it's just as well. ="
Some of the bystaNlcrS laughed, and
Luca twisted his poor thin fingers ncrv-
ouslv about the buttons on his coat
"Oh. yes. continued the village beauty,
she is "a good lad. Nanni. but--a girl
doesn't hayo the chance every day OF marry
ing a hero.
| looked significantly at Luca, who was
watching me lIum under his GGndagc.
And IL isn't every day that sho knows
enough tn accept him when she has the
chance" l sand. -EAchargo.