Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-12-30
Continued,

vrhar f4iTer fate cOulu 4 man ueslIe :
ia, life more certain to keep health
30, ,ba boay and peace in the mind?
rarli not help him to his happiness,
...rje. el? / who had grown stern
,t-b long brooding upon my vengeance
.ryd { not ala in bringing JOY to
..,sa-sr If could, my mind would be
.,..mrg-b3t Hghteued of its burdens
bnr3en grown heavier since Guido's
4s,-b for from his blood had sprung
f,rtb a new group of Furies, that
f..hsf me on to my task with scorpion
,,bfrg of redoubled wrath ana pas
.;,nata fprocity. Yet if ! could do one
,,gsI action now-would it not be as a
ger shining in the midst Of my souls
,,orn and darkness? Just then Lila
raurhel-how sweetly laugh OF
, very young child. what amused
her now? | looked, ana saw that she
had taken the AK from Vincenzo, and
lifting il in her little hands, was en-
1esy0ring bravely to initiate his
strong and telling stroke; he mean
while stoC4 aside with an air of smil-
iag superiority mingled with a good
8asf of admiration for the slight ac-
ffy, figure arrayed in the blue kirtle
ald scarlet 6od'ce, Oh which the warm
PAWS of the late sun fell with so much
marcus tenderness. Poor little Lila
4 nagkuife would have made as much
Impression as her valorous blows pro-
agcel on the intieXible, gnarled knotty
old stump she essayed to split in twain.
Flushed and breathless with her eff
forts she looked prettier than ever
and a, last, batiled, she resigned her
ax to Eincenzo. laughing gayly at her
Incorrectly for wood-cutting, and
dautfy shaking her apron free from
the chips ana dust, till a call from her
mother caused her to run swiftly into
tha house. leaving Vincenzo working
away as arduously as ever. 7 went
up to him; he saw me approaching
and paused in his labors with an air
OF slight embarrassment
You Ike that sort of work, amico?n
said gently,
AN ola habit. eccellenza-nothing
more It reminds me of the days
my youth, vneu worked for my
mother. Ahi a pleasant place it was
.ha ON home Just above Fiesole. a"
his eyes grew pansive and sad. at
sail gone now finished. That was
before became q soldier. But one
thinks of TT sometimes"
81 Understand. And no doubt you
would De glad to return to the life of
your b7yhood?"
Tie looked a little startled.
NJ. TO leave you, eccellenzan'
I smiled rather sadly mot to leave
mes Not if you welded Lila Monti p
His olive cheek flushed, but he shool
his 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
NI. make her so. But there Is plenty
OF time She is beautiful, as You said ;
ana something better than that, she /.
hHoNent-think of that, Vincenzo, D.
f'N know how rare a thing innocenc,
Sin woman? Respect it 90 yor
respect Cod; let her young life bt
scored 70 yuu.".
tie glanced upward reverentlv.
Eceellenza, I would as soon tear the
Madonna from her affairs as vex OF
fftghtHn Lilla!"
smiled and said no more, blu
'Hrne3 into the house. From that mo
haht I resolved TO let this 1it'1o love
Ivy have a fair chance of success
therefore, remained at Avellino mucl
nEer than I had at first intended
70. fer my own sake, but for Win
eeuzo.s. He served me faithfully. h
51'na have his reward. ! took ;
pleasure in noticing that my efforts t.
"4#'." his cause We're not alto
Sr1er wasted I spoke with Lila
".eH mn Indifferent matters that inter
-''.f her. and watched her constantly
VIE. She YVES all unaware of my OBJ
servant gaze With me she was as
."Hh and fearless as a tame robin:
" A'''r some days | found that she
hv o' mentioning the name Of
...@lz1. th7t she blushed when he
"nTaa.hed her tSat she was t'mid Of
Er him 10 90 anything fr her:
. rom all these little signs | knew
"" nd. as one knows by the rosy
tn the sky that the sunrise is
~ 7sternoon I called the Signora
.' to my room. She came. sur
and p little anxious Was any
wrong with the service? re-
.l her housewifely scruples. and
.." 70 the point at once.
would speak 10 You Of your child
'''a Lila" said, kindly. "Have
eyer thought that she may
---ro~
IS. Dark bold eyes filed with tears
Inns qnivered.
T ] have" she replied. with a
sadness; "but have prayed
foolish'y. that she would not
me wei ! love her So wall che