Evening journal., 1899-05-17
THEY WERE RIVALS.

vincenzo Donate BACKED boots for
living; Francisco Selagato had little apple !
md peanut stand at the corner Of the Bowery
and Bayard street.
Vincenzo and Francisco were sworn
friends. They shared the sane garnet in !
Mott street. and on Sundays lhey shared |
their holidays, as on week days they helped !
each other through the dirt and roar and
rattle Of the Bowery.
One workday was much like the next. IL
was only on holidays and Sundays that they
really lived. Then they put on their best
clothes, and each with a straw in his mouth
and his pipe in his coat pocket, they left the
city behind and got out into the country.
/ Down on Statan Island a coontryman
kept little hotel where one might get good
spaghetti and chianto and a veal outlet,
Dreaded, with tomato sauce, for little or
nothing. The hotel was called the White
house. Here enc might sit and smoke his
pipe and drink his wine and watch the ships
go out to sea- The birds sang in the tree
tops, and the cool breezes came in from the
ocean, the sunbeams danced on the waves
and Maria, that was the landlords daugh
ter, played softly on the guitar and sang the
old songs Of Italy
/ LNNiA DuNAul III Ait nNAAAlIi NliAN ' III
cenzo and Francisco joined the little colony
Of Italians down at the White house, but
one day Vincenzo declared that he could not
go with his friend.
Francisco asked no questions. He went to
Staten Island alone, and came back at night
very much dispeased with the world in gen
eral. Vincenzo did not come until late, and
his friend had no chance to speak with him
until the next afternoon.
Then it all came out. Vincenzo was young,
you see, and-well, so was Tia. Tia was a
girl, if you please. She had large, black
eyes, the complexion of a deep red rose. Her
fgure-Nincenzo threw up his hands and
a closed his eyes and drew in the corners OF
2 his mouth. Words could not tell her charms.
e you shall see for yourself" he said to
5 Francisco, and that night he took his com
= rade to call on her. The shoes were not well
shined the next day, and as for Francisco,
he ceased to pay much attention to the coats
! of his apples and the cooking of his peanuts.
Together the young men called on Tia al
most every night, and, though Nincenzo had
i had the start Of Francisco, the latter's
heart was in a very few days as tumutuous
as his comrades.
There could be but one ending to all Of
this. Nincenzo nwoketo the fact that Fran
- cisco loved Tia, and Francisco was shocked
when he remembered that Nincen3o had
loved her first.
I'VE will go into the country again on
T. Sunday" said Francisco, "and think out
s some plan"
= 1t was agreed, and on Sunday, silently and
sorrowfully they put on their best clothes
again, and in an hour or so sat In front Of
their chianti and smoked their pipes.
{ WELL" said Francisco at last, what is
to be done!"
d vincenzo took his pipe out of his mouth
d and bowed his head.
j. There is but one thing to do" he said
r owe both love Tia. She can marry but ono
N of us
is "You must ask her first. You loved her
e first, my Nincenzo."
-. mol" cried Nincenzo, owe will leave it to
fate"
After awhile Francisco agreed 10 this plan
9. So the young men found broken threads il
+ the tablecloth on the table in front of them
~ and pulled at them until the threads CANT
Re out in their hands Then they measured
le them. Vincenzo's thread was the longest
j. Fate had given him the first chance.
IN Saturday night came only too soon, anc
re NincenKo dressed himself and prepared him
n self for the ordeal. In silence the younl
!. men embraced each other. Then NincenzC
p, went to call upon Tia, and Francisco in feai
and trembling remained behind to await th'
a' return Of his friend and rival.
r Vincenso found Tia at home, and soon h
I'd was pleading as if for his life, and as
u matter of fact his love he thought theI
d. meant life or death to him.
he Tia was a good-natured girl. She listened
n to all that the voting man had to say, thei
Il she calmly told him that she could not mar
10 ny him.
ne Il knew i'll" cried vinccnzo; q was foo
- for my pains"
"You knew whatg'
n "Ah, never mind But he is good man.
on love him as / would my own brother. Fare
&c Welt" and he dashed out into the street.
m. He went at once to his garret, and Their
as he found Francisco, his head bowed in hi
ne hands. lie touched him on the shoulder.
m CHEERFUL he cried "she viii MARI
m. you"
- me! But your"
- "She does not love me. knew il long ag,
M But go, riy friend. She waits for you"
ne Francisco rushed from the room. Win
cenzo stood irresoute for a moment.
zee No" he cried, after awhile, Il canuC
En- trust myself ! must not be here when
an comes back. l VIII go now.
he SO he went out, and at the door Of II
70 house he left word with the Paderone Al
nm cello that he would meet Francisco in Il
81 country the next day.
Tho next day he felt better. He felt quit
>, brave as he stepped from the train at II
~. station and struck out down the road thi
led to the hotel
me He reached the little elump Of trees thu
sheltered the hotel, and suddenly his hea
in stood still, for there at the table, where the
an had in the old times sat so often and laughs
ed. and ioeed the hours away, was Francisc
nd His back was to him. Nincenzo felt the h,
,v blood in his brain, and for a moment he VI
~ giddy.
Ne He went up to him and put his hand fon-
0O- ly on his shoulder. Francisco jumped l
and stood facing Nncenzo. Francis
all looked no happier than Vinconzo. For fe
sad seconds they looked deep into each other
eyes. Then Francisco began to smile, al
ire the corners Of Vincenzo's lips parted too.
his "Eh," cried Francisco, "my friend, he
hat are yor?'