The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-04-15
A ROMANCE.
Chapter I.

olu TdulO Oerdti SAT D6DeaLn Cne tree
in his front yard during the long sum-
mer day and listened to Angela Argen-
ii read to him. she lived on another
street, but she was firm friend of old
Paulo, and there was not a day that
| passed that she d Il not come and read
to him.
She was bright and pretty, with long
eyelashes and dtt3 black eyes that
looked up into the old mans face, mir
roring the love she had for him in her
| heart. There were times, too, when
she would tell him that it was not
necessary to reai so much, and then
she would sing some of the good, old
fashioned tunes t}s.t he had sung when
he was boy on tie farm.
Her laughter, toe, used to tighten up
the gloomy house, and old Paulo used
to say:
"Ah, my lass, Tou must get good
husband"
This always caused her to toss her
| head, showing two rows of pearly
white teeth.
| would retort, and his wife would Of
ten join them In this good-natured
| joking.
There is not E. girl in all Italy any
| prettier than yol, - old Parlo used to
tell her, "and l don't believe there is
Jne your equal IN Milan. l like you
so well, my lass, that l am anxious to
| have you marry some good man. The
| good father was telling me just the
other day that 1 must look after
you
But my own father and mother can
do that she would answer. "You
| don't seem to r:1lize that they are
| living and that am very happy with
| them"
4 know" SAID, Paulo, "but 1 don't
think that they can think more of you
than l do. WhT, I've known you
since you were {, little baby lying in
your mothers ar as and cooling when
ever 1 came neal Jou."
I'VE are good friends" she would
say.
That we are, he would answer,
"and times when you don't come when
expect you, 'ealize how dear you
are to us. Neither wife nor | think
that the morning or the afternoon is
perfect if you dol't come in to see us.
Your father ,Nld me the other
day that 1 wo4ld spoil you; that
you had begun t, have ideas of mar
riage, as l spoke about few minutes
ago."
There is no me 1 know Of" she
answered.
There are !Aany young fellows
around here who would like to marry
you, that I know" he answered.
Il don't love t1em," she would say,
with shake of her head. The man
l marry must hive my love-"
That's right, angela" he said, you
must marry foT love and not for
wealth, but still ?ou must be sure that
your husband cah support you.'
ooh, l WILL" ste replied.
Then she took up the book she was
reading aloud td him and went on,
while he lighted Ills pipe and sat look
ing at her. Som 'times when she read
| for few minutes she would stop and
the two would si' perfectly still, look
ing up through The trees at the sky
always the blues: in Italy.
They We're occupied with their own
thoughts, and on ;e she suddenly asked
him:
How is Marti hop
"He is WELL" answered Paulo. HE
is in ST. Louis iN far-away merica >"
The two sat TO-: several seconds, and
then he said:
He is good ION. Yes, he's a good
son" he repeate:.
The girl lookes at him and nodded
assent.
Yes he is e9od-and Handsome"
she added, for slr had seen his photo
graph, although she had never sen
him.
Then she sung few lines of an cd
love song and, az if suddenly recolle,t-
ing herself stCpped abruptly. She
was blushing, ami an odd light was in
her eyes when sic picked up the book
and resumed her reading.
The old man looked at her a mo-
ment. She was conscious of his scru-
tiny, and held hook up in front OF
her face. He nJticed that her little
hands trembled.
Then he noddei his head and laugh.
ed and chuckl.d to himself. He
thought that hr had learned some
thing that perhaps even she did not
l. know. -