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


There is card attached, if the
eccellenza will be pleased to look"
| did look 1t was my wifes visit
ing-card, and on it was written in her
own delicate penmanship-
''To remind the conte of his prom
ised visit tomorrow"
A sudden anger possessed me- ]
crumpled up the dainty glossy bit of
pasteboard and flung it aside The
mingled odors of the fruit and flowers
offended my senses.
L care nothing for these triffies, .
| said, addressing Vincenzo, almost
impatiently. Take them to the little
d5 lighter of the hOtel-keeper; she is
a child she will appreciate them. Take
them away at once"
Obediently Vincenzo lifted the bas-
ket and bore it out of the room.
was relieved when it's fragrance and
color had vanished. |, to receive as
gift the product of my own garden!
Half vexed half sore at heart, threw
myself into an easy-chair-anon [
laughed aloud! So! Madame COM
mences the game early, | thought. AL
ready paying these marked attentions
to man she knows nothing of beyond
that he is reported to be fabulously
wealthy. Gold, gold foreverl What
will it not do! 1t will bring the proud
to their knees, it will force the OBJ
stlnate to servile compliance, it will
conquer aversion and prejudice The
world is a slave to it's yellow glitter,
and the love of woman, that perish
able article of commerce, is ever at it's
command Would you obtain a kiss
from a pair of ripe-red lips that seen
the very abode of honeyed sweetness?
Pay for it then with a luStrous dia-
mord; the larger the gem the longer
Re kiss! The more diamonds you
give, the more caresses you will get.
| smiled bitterly as [ thought of the
languid, witching look my wife had
given me when she said you do not
seem to be old,' | knew the meaning
of her eyes; | had not studied their
liquid lights and shadows so long for
nothing. My road to revenge was a
straight and perfectly smooth one,
most too smooth. | could have wished
for some difficulty, some obstruction
but there was nOne-abSOlutely none.
The traitors walked deliberately into
the trap set for them. Over and oyer
again | asked myself quietly and in
cold blood-waS there any reason why
+ .h nit
they shown one redeeming point in
their characters? Was there any noble
ness, any honesty, any real sterling
good quality, in either of them to
justify my consideration? And always
the answer came No! Hollow to the
hearts core, hypocrites both, liars,-
even the guilty passion they cherished
for one another had no real earnest
ness in it save the pursuit of present
pleasure for she, Nina, in that fatal
interview in the avenue where | had
been a tortured listener, had limited at
the possibility of firing of her lover,
and he had frankly declared to me
that very day that it was absurd to
suppose a man could be true to one
woman all his life In brief, they de-
served their approaching fate. Such
men as Guido and such women as MY
wife are | know common enough in
all classes of society, but they are not
the less pernicious animals, 1aeritlng
determination as much, if not more,
tn tn less harmful beasts Ct i~ty.
The poor beasts at any rate tell no
lies, and after death their skins are
Of some value; but who shall measure
the mischief done by false tongue
and Of what use is the corpse of a liar
save to infect the air with pestilence?
| used to wonder at the superiority of
men over the rest of the animal crea-
tlcn. but | see now that it is chiefly
gained by excess of selfish cunning.
The bulky, go0d-natured, ignorant lion
who has only one honest way Of de-
Tending himself, namely, with tooth
and claw. is no match for the jumping
tWo-legged little rascal who hides him
self behind a bush and fires a gun
aimed direct at the bigger brute's
heart Yet the lions mode of battle
is the Drawer of the two, and the can
mons. torpedoes. and other implements
of modern warfare are proofs of man S
cowardice and cruelty as much as they
are of his diabolical ingenuity. Calm
~ comparing the ordinary lives of men
and beasts-judging them by their alb
stract virtues merely am inclined to
think the beasts the more respectable
of the two!
Welcome to Villa Romani!"
The words fell strang ely on my
ears Was I dreaming, or was I act
TALLY standing on the smooth greer
lawn of my own garden, mechanical!
saluting my own wife, who, smiling
sweetly, uttered this cordial greeting
For moment or two my brain became
confused; the familiar veranda will
it's clustering roses and jasmine sway
ed unsteadily before my eyes; thu
stately house the home of my child
hood, the scene of my past happiness
rocked in the air as though it wer
about to fall. A choking sensation af
fected my throat. Even the sternes
men shed tears sometimes. Such tear
too! wrung like drops of blood from
the heart. And II could have wep
thus. oh, the dear old home, AM
how fair and yet how sad it seemed
to my anguished gaze! 1t should hav
been in ruins surely-broken and cas-
in hn Inst ar