The herald., 1897-10-24

heart stood still, but she tried to call
to Tietro that she was coming. Yes,
a clear white light shone from the win
dow. Then she ran-ran with the
swiftness that love and terror lend
crying aloud, "Tietro.'' She rushed
breathlessly into the room, to find, to
her utter bewilderment, Tietro sitting
quietly in his chair as she had LEFT
him, except that there was a strange
light in his eyes, and smile of deep con-
tent upon his little white face. Diadamie
almost doubted her reason for a min
ute then she said, "Tietro, tell Nanan
what it is?" But she never could coax
any explanation from Tietro. Only once
he said, "Nanan, dear Nanan, am not
afraid now"
Autumn comes soonest in the noun
tains. While the village still dreams
of summer, the mountain trees have
changed their tints from red to gold
and from gold to brown The wind
has scattered the leaves over the green
moss stones and blown them over Da-
adamie's beaten pathway, entirely OBJ
scuring it. The rain has packed them
down, and everywhere they lie sodden
and dead.
T1etro has grown thinner He does
not seem to care so much for Dada
mics stories now. He sits for hours
quietly looking at the snowy scene; vet
he seems contented. He has a habit
OF smiling to himself-a little slow
smile that plays around his baby lips,
then steals into his clear blue eyes, to
fade away with serious wonderment.
The cold air affects Tietro badly; he
breathes in short, painful gasps, and
eats but little.
All day Saturday the snow has been
falling. Sunday morning Dadamie
arose early, and built fire in the fire.
place which blazed and cracked cheer
fully. Then she carried in more logs,
swept the snow from them, and built
them up close to the place.
enough to last all day, so that she
might not have to bring in snowy wood
to chill the air for the suffering child.
The day dragged by. Diadamie felt a
weight upon her heart from which
there was no relief, for it was plain
that Tietro was not SO WELL The still
ness of that snow-entombedm mountain
was awful. She could not interest
Tietro in any way. Before it was quite
dark he wished to go to bed; Diadamie
laid him down tenderly, tucked him in
and kissed him many times, but he only
smiled in answer to her good night and
soon fell asleep. Diadamie piled the
logs on the fire, and the blaze filled the
room with a bright glow. Tietro slept
on and breathed more easily now; and
after one more look at his wasted face,
she threw herself down on rude couch
at the foot of his bed and fell asleep.
When she awakened the fire was low,
and she seemed to have been dreaming
She surely heard Tietro laugh. She
opened her eyes slowly, and when con-
sciousness had fully returned she was
too terrified to move; for the room was
filled with light-a moving, billowy
cloudy light, Opaque like a mist, yet
brilliant. This only for a minute-then
darkness. Diadamie sprang to Tietro S
bedside. Tietro lay quite still. There
was a smile upon his little white face
that was not born of mystery, but of
fruition. Tietro was dead.
| One day a traveller, tramping over
the mountains, came upon deserted
log hut; and near by, under the wide
spread branches of a beech tree, was a
little grave. At the head was rude
wooden slab, with this inscription, evil
IDENTIFY burnt in with hot iron:
"Tietro, aged six years."
ANGELA WOODS.
Copyright, 1897, by Bachelor Syndicate.