New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-30
HOW NCCOLO CAME HOME.

and customs of the Italian pedSdntry agreed
at once and remarked that admired her spirit.
n 6isagIceable person might have associated
this resolution with recent purchase Of
nosaics and Roman pearls hut as no good ever
results from being smart al Il friends expense
j mad, point Of taking Margarets spasmodic
economies seriously. and in this instance re-
signed myself to the discomfort with what good
grace ! might.
W., booked third class therefore. and Mar
saret divded responsibilities by leaving me
70 Vrestle with the baggage, while she stroled
down Tie platform. pcering into one carriage
alter another. with the object of choosing the
most Interesting fellow passengers. Such. at
least. was my charitable conclusion; but ii
would appear that her own comfort was an
even more powerful motive for she passed by
parties 81 merry. laughing peasants and reached
the very end Of the train before she beckoned
t. me with an air of triumph.
Here we are. the very thing Two window
seats ANA only CnC companion. such a nice,
CCan man"
toilod up laden with possessions, and i'm
MOdiately upon my appearance the nice. clean
man stood up 10 take one bundle after another
from my hand. swing them upward with easy
strength and pack them in the rail- overhead.
was struck 10y his quiet defcrcntial manner. and
when We subsidized into our respective corners
locked at him with interest TO see what sort &c
companion fate mad given to Us for the long
night journey.
saw a respect able looking contadino dressed
IN blue homcspun. with Il wildly white shirt
above which his SUI burned face appeared even
lroTner than over. His har was gray. his
a. sixty years of age, even a little older. We
were agreeably impressed by the man : c.son-
atty. which was more than could he SAID Of
his attitude toward ourselves, for his assistance
had been given IL mechanical fashion. and the
moment that We were seated he resumed that
steady stare out of the window which had been
interrupted 10y our appearance. He seemed more
inclined to silence than the majority Of ms fe-
low country men but Margaret was bound 20
make some pretence of carrying out her pun
pose she cOughed gently to attract att"n-
ON remarked
il was a beautiful evening.
II was commonplace observation. but
were startled 10y the intensity o. the reply.
An il is indeed "a beautiful evening" cried
the stranger, and the emphasis with which he
spoke proved that the words had no common
significance il his mind though fine evenings
are Cf 10y no means rare occurrence III Italy IN
the month az May As he spoke he turned re-
uctautiy from the window. and We looked into
his face with shock Of surprise. The features
were stamped with the impress of great sor-
but ii was the eyes which he'd us spell
bound-brOWn eyes, liquid and beautiful as only
Italian eyes can be, nut with an expression of
such infinite pathOs as words cannot describe.
His glance wandered from Margaret to myself.
and dwelt upon us with the wstful appeal Of
an animal in pain, longing for sympathy,
trembling lest its confidence may be misplaced,
while We sat silent conscious 10 the bottom Of
our souls of the gulf which yawned between
this man and OuIselves-we, with our petty
trials and annOyanCes, worrying over imaginary
woes and vastly troubled because forsooth.
tic trick did not always fall to our share. h..
set apart in some desert of experience, branded
by "A suffering of which could not even
understand the meaning We felt our hearts go
out in a wave Of sympathy, and made up our
minds there and then to do all that was in our
power to cheer the poor follow during the hours
which were to spend together
I'VE are starting on a long journey, Margaret
explained as preliminary; all the way to
Sicily We shall be two nights in the train |
suppose you not going 50 far
Not quite: ! ar for ROsno, village in the
north of Calabria. shall arrive about 10
O'Clock tomorrow morning II iS my native
place The signora has been in Calabria, per
haps if she is fond of travel?'
No ] have never been so far south We have
beer staying at Naples. and am enchanted
with the bay Coud anything be- more beautiful
thar Naples on a moonlight night?
1t i more beautiful IN Calairia, he SAID
sirl,lv Ther. ms eye rested ON tn" bunch of
flowers which she had pinned into her belt.
There are flowers like those growing near my
ole hoIne only Target used to gather them
whc. ' boy.
'.The, ! think we ought to share these now,
SAID Margaret prettily. separating a few bios
SONS as she spoke and holding them toward
li,- Wit "A smile. "WI you wear these in
you buttonhole for Il" rest Of the journey 10
remind YOU Of your home unit! you see II
9Pa'n'
Tbc c,ntadi.,o took the flowers eagerly enough,
instead of putting them IN his coat as directed
ne craGlcd them into the hollow OF his hdnd
g. though IN fear Of damaging their fragile
beauty vhllo ever and anon he raised them |"
lis ..to a. drink in the delicate perfume or
t. obtain a closer view 81 leaf and stem.
Dining The first hour of cur journey his at
te!.tiun was divided pretty equally between the
flowers thu scenery through which We were
r,aeejnq and my bonnie Margaret herself. hut
ft,r, was nothing IN ms Saz, 40 when the most
ricprouS chaIcr.H could have taken "H'cpu"h'
Sb. vas worth lacking at az a picture Of happy,
contrast T. himself. such an essentially j. m
iulae n:tlc creature that / ana not Wohder