Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-05-13
A ROMANCE.

Old Paulo Sera-i sat beneath the tire
in his front yard during the long sum
mer day and listened to Angela Argen
u read to him. She lived on anothe.
street, but she WIS a firm friend Of ole
Paulo, and there was not a day tha
passed that she did not come and reat
to him
She was bright and pretty, with lont
eyelashes and deep black eyes tina
looked up into the old mans face mir
roring the love she had for him in he
heart. There we're times, too, wheI
she would tell him that 1t was no
necessary to real SO much, and thet
she would sing some of the good, ole
fashioned tunes that he had sung wheI
he was boy on the farm.
Her laughter, too, used to tighten VI
the gloomy house, and old Paulo useC
to say:
"Ah, my lass, you must get a good
husband"
This always caused her to toss her
head, showing two rows Of pearly
white teeth.
"You are already married." she
would retort, and his wife would Of
ten join them in this good-natured
joking.
There is not q girl in all Italy any
prettier than you" old Paulo used to
tell her, "and don't believe there is
one your equal In Milan. l like you
so we'll, my lass, that l am anxious to
have you marry some good man. The
good father was telling me just the
other day that l must look after
you"
"But my own father and mother can
do that" she would answer. You
don't seem to Esalize that they are
living and that | am very happy with
them"
81 know" said Paulo 'but 1 don't
think that they can think more of you
than l do. Why, I've known you
since you were a little baby lying in
your mothers arms and cooling when.
ever came near YOU"
I'VE are good friends" she would
say.
"That we are,' he would answer
"and times when you don't come when
l expect you, l realize how dear you
are to us. Neither wife nor l think
that the morning or the afternoon is
perfect If you don't come In to see us
Your father told me the Other
day that l would spoil you; thai
you had begun to have ideas, Of mar.
riage, as l spoke about few minutes
ago."
There is no one I know Of" she
answered.
There are many young fellows
around here who would like to marry
you, that l know" he answered.
II don't love them," she would say
with shake of her head. "The man
1 marry must have my love"
That's right, Angela" he said, you
must marry for love and not fol
wealth, but still you must be sure that
your husband can support you"
ooh, WILL" she replied.
Then she took up the book she was
reading aloud to him and went on
while he lighted his pipe and sat look
ing at her. Sometimes when she read
for few minutes she would stop ant
the two would sit perfectly still, look
ing up through the trees at the sky
always the bluest In Italy.
They we're occupied with their owl
thoughts, and once she suddenly asked
him:
How is Martinez"
"He is WE'LL" answered Paulo. "Ht
is in St. Louis in far-away America.
The two sat for several seconds, ant
then he said:
"He is good son. Yes, he's a goot
son" he repeated.
The girl looked at him and nodded
assent.
Eyes he is good-and handsome,
she added, for she had seen his photo
graph, although she had never seeI
him.
Then she sung a few lines OF an olt
love song and, as If suddenly recollect
Ing herself, stopped abruptly Sh
was blushing, AMI an odd light was il
her eyes when she picked up the bool
and resumed her reading.
The old man looked at her a mo
ment. She was conscious of his scru
tiny, and held a hook up in froat o
her face. He noticed that her littl
hands trembled.
Then he nodded his head and laugh
ed and chuokled to himself. II
thought that h0 had learned some
thing that perhaps even she did no
| know