The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-07
Rivals.

! Vincenzo Donate BACKED boots for q
living; Francisco Selag cato had a little ap-
pie and peanut stand at the corner OF tne
Bowery and Bayard street.
VincenZo and Francisco were sworn
friends. They shared the same garnet II
Mott street. and on Sundays they shared
their holidays ,as on week days they help-
ed each other through the dirt and roar
and rattle OF the Bowery,
One workday was MUNICH like the next
II was only on holidays and Sundays that
they really lived. Then they put on theiT
best clothes, and each with straw IN
his mouth and his pipe in his coat pocket
they left the city behind and got out into
the country.
Down on Staten Island a countryman
kept little hotel where one might get
good spaghetti and chianto and a yea
outlet, Dreaded. with tomato sauce, fol
little or nothing. The hotel was called
the White House. Here one 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 COO
/ breezes came in from the ocean, the sun
beams danced on the waves and Maria,
that was the landlords daughter, played
softly on the guitar and sang the old
songs of Italy
Every Sunday in the summer time Vim
cenzo and Francisco Joined the little col
/ Ony Of Italians down at the White House,
but one day Vincenzo declared that ne
could not go with his friend.
Francisco asked no questions. He went
to Staten Island alone, and came back
| at night very much displeased with the
| world in general VincenZo did not come
| until late and his friend had no chance
to speak with him until the next after
| noon.
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 deep
red rose. Her figure-Vincenzo threw up
his hands and closed his eyes and drew
in the corners of his mouth. Words could
not tell her charms.
! you shall see for yourself" he said to
Francisco, and that night he took his
! comrade TO call on her. The shoes were
not well shined the next day, and as for
! Francisco, he ceased to pay much atten-
/ ton TO the coats of his apples and the
/ cooking Of his peanuts
Together the young men called on Tia
/ almost every night, and, though Vim
I cenzo had had the start OF Francisco, the
/ latter's heart was in a very few days
as tumultuous as his comrades.
/ of this Vincenzo awoke to the fact that
/ Francisco loved Tia, and Francisco was
! shocked when he remembered that Vim
| cenzo had loved her first.
Angry words were out of the question
with Francisco and Vincenzo, but they
looked at each other very sorrowfully
that night that the truth dawned upon
them, and sat for long time in silence.
I'VE will go into the country again on
Sunday" said Francisco, land think out
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?'
Vincenzo took his pipe out Of his mouth
and bowed his head.
There is but one thing to DO" he said.
I'VE both love Tia. She can marry but
one of us.p
you m6stsask her first. You loved her
first. my Vindenzo''
"Nol" cried Vincenzo, Eve will leave
it 10 fate
After awhile Francisco agreed to this
plan. So the young men found broken
threads in the tablecloth on the table
in front of them, and pulled at them un-
til the threads came out in their hands.
Then they measured them. Vincenzo's
thread was the longest. Fate had given
him the first chance.
That week was the saddest six days of
the lives of the. two young men. Appetite
and sleep were out of the question for
them. Together the young men called
on Tia night after night. yet neither one
spoke of love to the girl. They had de-
cided to wait until Saturday night. Sun
day they would spend in the country. and
then-well, it would be time enough to
decide then what to do.
Saturday, night came only too soon. and
Tincenzo dressed himself and prepared
himself for the ordeal. In silence the
young men embraced each other. Then
Vfncenzo went TO call upon Tia, and Fran
cisco in fear and trembling remained be-
hind 20 await the return of his friend and
rival.
Vincenzo found Tia at home. and soon
he was pleading as if for his life, and as
a matter of fact his love he thought then
meant life or death TO him.
Tia was a good-natured girl. She listen
ed to all that the voting man had to say.
then she calmly told him that she could
not marry him.
II knew it,' cried Vlncenzo, IT was a
fool for my pains"
you knew what?"
'Ah. never mind. But he is a good man.
love him as I would my own brother.
Farewell" and he dashed out into the
street
He went at once TO his garnet. and there
he found Francisco. his head bowed in his
hands. He touched him on the shoulder
Cheerful" he cried. "She viii marry
you"
Mel But you?"
she does not love me. knew It long
ago. But go, my friend. She waits for
YOU"
Francisco rushed from the room. Vim
cenzo stood irresolute for a moment.
No" he cried, after 4 while, Il cannot
trust myself. 7 must not be here when
he comes back. I viii go now"
So he went out. and at the door Of the
house he left word with the Padrone An
gelo that ne would meet Francisco in the
country the next day.
Then I VIII be calm and viii be able
70 bear it all" ne sighed. and he went 10
a lodging-house near by for the night
The next day he felt better. He felt
quite brave as he stepped from the train
at the station and struck out down the
road that LED 10 the hotel As he walk
ed along he thought Of all the happy DAYS
that he and Francisco had passed toesth-
er IN the country, and he sighed when
he thought that now he would know them
no more.
He reached the little elump OF trees that
sheltered the hotel. and suddenly his
heart stood STILL for there at the table.
where they had in the old times sat so
often and laughed and j0ked the hours
away, was Francisco. HIS hack was %
him Vlncenzo felt the hot blood In his
brain and for a moment he was giddy.