Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-09-02

beside me. Not he-not he; by Heaven
he should never be MASTER But where
was my authority | came to the place
as stranger and an alien. The starry
ing beggar who knows not where to
lay his head has no emptier or more
| desolate heart than | had as I looked
Wistfully on the home which was
mine before I died! | noticed some
| slight changes here and there; for in
stance, my deep easy-chair that had
! always occupied one particular corner
Of the veranda was gone; little tame
| bird that l had loved, whose cage used
| to hang up among the white ones on
the wall, was also gone. My old but
Ter, the servant who admitted Fer
! rari and myself within the gates, had
an expression of WEAKNESS and injury
on his aged features which he had not
worn in my time, and which l was
sorry to see. And my dog, the noble
black Scotch colly, what had become
of him, | wondered? He had been
presented to me by a young Highlander
who had passed one winter with me
! in Rome, and who, on returning to his
native mountains, had sent me the
/ dog, a noble specimen of it's kind as
a souvenir of our friendly intercourse.
Poor Wyvisi [ thought. Had they
made away with him? Formerly he
had always been visible about the gar
den or house; his favorite place was
on the lowest veranda step, where he
loved to bask in the heat of the sun.
End now he was nowhere visible. I
was mutely indignant at his disappear
alice, but [ kept strict watch over my
feelings and remembered in time the
part / had to play.
Welcome to Villa Romani!" so said
my wife. Then, remarking my silence
as [ looked about me, she added, with
a pretty coaXing air:
Il am afraid after all you are sorry
you have come to see mei''
l smiled. 1t served my purpose now
to be as gallant and agreeable as I
could; therefore I answered:
Sorry, madame? If I were, then
should l be the most ungrateful of all
men! Was Dante sorry, think you,
when he was permitted to behold
Paradise?'
She blushed; her eyes dropped softly
under their long curling lashes. Fer
rari froWned mpatiently-but Was
silent She led the way into the house
into the lofty cool drawing-room,
whose wide windows opened out to
the garden. Here all was the same as
ever with the exception of one thing
a marble bust of myself as a hoy had
been removed. The grand piano was
open, the mandolin lay on a side
board, looking as though it had been
recently used; there were fresh flowers
and ferns in all the tall Venetian glass
vases. | seated myself and remarked
on the beauty of the house and it's
surroundings.
Il remember it very WELL" 1 added,
quietly.
You remember it,! exclaimed Fer
rari, quickly, as though surprised.
Certainly. I omitted to tell you,
my friend, that I used to visit this
spot often when a boy. The elder
Conte Romani and myself played about
these grounds together. The scene is
quite familiar to me-"
Nina listened with an appearance of
interest.
Did you ever see my late husband?"
she asked.
"Once," [ answered her, gravely.
He was a mere child at the time,
and, as far as I could discern, very
promising one. His father seemed
greatly attached to him. knew his
mother also"
Indeed she exclaimed, settling
herself on a low ottoman and fixing
her eyes upon me; what was she
like?"
l paused a moment before replying.
Could I speak of that unstained sacred
! life of wifehood and motherhood to
this polluted though lovely creature?
she was a beautiful woman uncon-
4 scious of her beauty" l answered at
/ last. There all is said. Her sole
am seemed to be to forget herself
4 IL AAClh1AS OCuS1 , udppS, anu W sui
round her home with an atmosphere
Of goodness and virtue. She died
very young"
Ferrari glanced at me with an evil
81 eer in his eyes.
That was fortunate" he said. ''She
had no time to tire of her husband,
else-who knows?"
My blood rose rapidly to an aston
ishing heat, but I controlled myself.
Il do not understand you," I said,
with marked frigidity. THE lady I
speak of lived and died under the old
regime of noblesse oblige. l am not
so well versed in modern social forms
of morality as yourself a
Nina hastily interposed. "Oh, my
dear conte," she said, 1aughingly, pay
no attention to Signor Ferrari! He is
rash sometimes, and says very foolish
things, but he really does not mean
them. 1t is only his way! My poor
dear husband used to be quite vexed
with him sometimes, and he was very
fond of him. But, conte, as you know
so much about the family, l am sure
you will like to see my little Stella.
; Shall | send for her, or are you bored
by children?"
'tOn the contrary. madame, l am
; very fond of them,'' I answered, with
forced composure, though my heart
tbrobbed with mingled delight and