The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-05-26

cu;f.
During ;hr toltni 4ht that their mas
tcrs were away. Mattia and Mamma did
nothn. bat chase each other round
the garden walks. and folks outside,
hearing the SlricNS and the laughter.
pokrl their noses through the bars of
the railing. The merry time lasted
for a while. and then suddenly ceased.
Mattia tarried in returning with his
purchases. and. when he did come back
his hat was crooked, and he displayed
a red face. One morning he forgot the
potatoes. another the fish. and Il third
saw him reapprar with the basket
empty. Mamma flew into Il fiery fit.
why don't yoa behave yourself
You ugly plowhoy. yon: You can't dc
anything right.
.IIush. Mammal cried Mattia
scrathing his pate.
No. no. You ugly plowboy!" she
persisted Bad luck to them that
took You away from the COW! You re
fit only for the COW. lou ought tt
have married the cow"
Mattia tugged at his hai', and con
tinucd to scratch his pate.
Il wouldn't have married the COW
10, not L. he rctortcd. ''But | liked
her much better than You"
Mammals whtish eyes glarcd at him
and chair came dying his way.
But let us not tarry in saving that
poem was stirring in Matthias breast
One morning. when Ciutfo threw i
chunk of meat into his basket, Mattia
drew back and the meat dropped on
the ground. Lcprina 5 eyes had turned
his head, and from that day he dreamed
only of Leprina. thought only of lie.
prina, and ate with Leprinas 5 face in
every spoonful of broth and every fork
ful of meat
For three or four mornings the two
exchanged a laugh, and there was an
end. But afterward they got to walk
ing together, talking fast and freely
with the wontcd pauscs, and making
Of sleeps eyes.
Il like you," said Malta one day
looking into bis basket.
She gaze him pinch, and laughed
long and merrily.
They understood each other.
why. what are YOU spooning over"
Mamma blurted out one evening. plant
ing herself squarely in 'front.' Of Malta
who bad assumed mysterious air and
was gazing at the moon through the
easement. He gave start. He was
thinking of Leprina, but bcheld only
Mamma.
Il know" she went on, while he held
his peace. Il know, YOU ugly p!owboy.
"Nanna, be stll.'
No, ne, no. You are just baked in
love, like any tile!,
~"
YOU
IL"
Matta rose to his feet and appeared
to wish to make some sort of protest
but merely sat down again.
"l on hunbuy.
Here the scene ended; but there WAS
poison in Nanna's heart Mattia had
the honey. and WAS keeping close
mouth.
He had set Lcprina upon the altal
Of his hopes, and tancied how she woald
look up among his hills, all affection
for him, with flowers about her and the
full sunlight on her pretty little face
lie fancicd her there, on the tomato
fcstooned threshing- floor, and in the
farmhouse during the long winter eve
nngs, with the tire-tlashcs reflected in
her black eyes; and he there. too, Close
by, envicd, but 50 contcntci, over
whelming her with his carcsscs.
J-,,,, .,,,L ,lro,,,r l';,H,, .ho I,+lL
er, threw, so to speak, Il jug of icc-col,
| water.
"Leprina," quoth he, ''sccms an angc
dropped from the skies; but she isn't
Let Malta beware 4 man f1renarncc
IS a man f1rcnrmcd."'
The result OF this warming was fist
fight: and Mattia changed his butcher
without changing his mind in the least
Lcprina smiled on him more swcetly
than ever, and made him believe thai
j. behcll Il paradise, with seraphin
ana chcruhim more gIoriously depicted
than hy Dante Aighicri himself
The first chance that Mattia had o
hugging I"prina was one evening, ,jus'
behind the wall OF the Nialr. The
laurel b,ughs shielded them: silence
surrounded them; while the moon cas-
its white radiance upon the little villas
over the way. Amid the shadow,