The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-05-25
TWENTY-SIX
YEARS
AFTER.

sOciate the idea of crime with the face
of the man seated opposite, but there
was no discrediting his own words. We
waited breathlesSly to hear the nature
of the offense for which he had been
cOmmitted-to receive assurances that
ne had been wrongfully accused, and
was the most ill-used of men.
None came Neither at that time nor
throughout the hours of the journey
did he utter word of excuse or eX-
oneration.
1t was some time before we could re-
cover from the shock, but while the sad
brown eyes searched our faces it seemed
brutal to show any sign of discontinue,
and Margaret managed to cOnjure up
the ghost of smile as she asked where
he had been during all these years.
"In the convict prison at Porte Fer
raio, on Elba, signora. l came out
yesterday morning, after having been
there for twenty-six years and two
months. 1t is long time"
"a long timer echoed Margaret, in
dismay. "Twenty-six years. Why, it's
longer than I have lived-five years
longer. am only twenty one"
The convict gave Pickering smile.
Now that his history was known, and
that he had seen that we did not shrink
from him in consequence, he seemed to
find relief in putting his thoughts into
words.
81 was twenty.one when l went in,"
he said, "and now 1 am forty seven.
All, yesw in answer to the establishment
on our faces. II saw myself in a look
ing glass for the first time yesterday,
and was surprised, too. For mo-
ment l thought it was my father, and
that he had come to meet me, but he is
dead, and it is 1 who am old. It seems
like dream, signora, that [ was ever
young, but it hurt to see myself so
changed, for all these years have been
looking forward, and saying, 1T will
come. it will Gomez and when l saw
my face knew that it was too late,
and that the old life had gone forever
my wife will not know me. We have
not seen each other since l was taken
away. She is pretty girl, poor Nina!
fair like the signora, with the same
blue eyes. But 1 am changed. No one
in the village will know Niccolo Gen.
mini now.
"But you are still young. A man of
forty seven has plenty of time before
him. Yon must not lose heart just
when the good time is at hand. You
and your wife may have many happy
years together"
"Ah! who can say?" he sighed" God
only knows; but one always hopes. The
bambino, my little girl, she is married
herself. She was too young, when 1
left, to remember her father. All, sig
nora" and the intolerable pain of the
dark eyes once more pierced our hearts.
"They have lived their lives-it may be
that L am not welcome! Sometimes l
thought it would be better if 1 never
returned; but one dies hard, one dies
hard, signOra 1t is not with wishing
that the end will come, and to stay
away when one is free-it is not in
nature"
mo, indeed, and it would break their
hearts if you did. A woman can never
forget her husband, and your wife will
have taught the child to know you.
They will have talked about you to-
gether, every day of their lives, and
now, depend upon it, they are full Of
happiness and excitement, longing for
the hours to pass, so that tomorrow
may be heren'
"Ah. who can tell?" he repeated
again. zone always hopes. She was a
good wife, and we loved each other
but-twenty-s years! 1t is long
timew
When nightfall came, our ex.convict
handed down shawls and rugs, and at
tented to our comfort with anxious
care; but whenever I woke from my
restless slumbers, his own eyes were
wide open, and once or twice 1 saw his
lips move, and imagined that heard
the word "Ninna." In the morning
light he looked gray and drawn with
the fatigue of the long journey, and
with agitation at the thought of the
meeting so near at hand. We fed him
with tea and sandwiches, and talked
cheerfully to put courage into his sink
ing heart, but he was slow to respond.
"Twenty-six years, signorap' he kept
on repeating. "They have lived their
lives. Perhaps they will not care.
AS we drew near his destination,
Niccolo looked into our faces with an