The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-03-03

q W
to see us a united family would DC
heartbroken to find our anaIrs III such
{. middle. After dozen ',,w suits, the
six of us-four sons and two daug
have finally divided the property IN
/ to six little strips. Each or US has
swarm of children; each of us has &c
shift for himself. There is not one OF
US who has anything to spare"
$50 it cannot be?"
mo; if you should bring him back
we would have to make up little in
come for him among us all. Only the
times are so hard, doctor, you know!
The silkworms don't hatch well, nor
spin when they do; the vines are dis
eased, the grain is thin, the olives are
wormy, there is no rain, the taxes are
heavy"
Enough; we will let Master Pietro
sleep on. But have not come here to
string beads and to have the crowd
cape at me. Tell me whom to raise"
"Ghita-bring back Ghita, my
Ghita!" cried poor old woman, weep
ing like Mary Magdalen.
mo, no, doctor, do not wake her,
interrupted a girl. "Oh, no, pretty
creature, it's well she died. Before she
left us she told me all. We dressed he1
in white and put wreath on her hail
till she looked Ike bride. Leave hel
in holy ground. The man she loveo
deserted her for some one else"
Poor Ghita! But you must admit
you are making it hard for me. Tt
put an end to it all, will bring bacl
Gringaletto, who choked to death eat
ing Goldfish, not month ago."
You must not, you must not!" criee
Lima Paparero, wringing her hands
HE sold me that vineyard of his OF
the installment plan. For ten Ions
years I've been paying in hard coin fan
more than it's value, and now woulo
you have me begin all over again? IT.:
not fair, signor dottore!"
What state of things! But we will
let that go. I will now propose ont
who lett TO mourn him neither brother
nor sister, wife nor parent; one who
left only a blessed memory, an example
of ali the virtues, and his little saving.
to the hospital-I mean your gooe
priest, who loved you so well, whom
you regretted so deeply, who made
you remember, such dreadful jour
ney to the other world, seeking, pool
pilgrim, his Cucuguanese in every cor
ner, even in yawning hell itself, no.
missing a single one. Shall restore
him to your"
mo, mol" cried various devout mem
bers Of the flock. "No, mol" added
Lena Russolina, the mother of the con
gregation. HE was old, poor man
and deaf as post, so much so that a
confession he always absolved us o:
sins we had never committed. Leave
him in glory, especially since we nov
have young and hearty curate. He
is as good as saint, he sings like ar
organ, he breaches like a seraph, ane
he swims with the current"
whats to be done? I'll try some
one else. l see over there a little white
wooden cross; the harebells seem try
ing to hide it; the tall grass is almos
on level with it. You can read tina
that narrow grave holds1a ten-months
old baby. True, it seems half pity
to bring the tender soul back to this
world to bear-what you have all beer
bearing. Still, if you wish him raised
say but the word, and I,wiYl display my
power"
"Signor dottore," whispered q
wrinkled crone, "that little one is ours
alas! I am the grandmother. My
daughter had not yet 'weane<l him; he
was just getting his teeth, when sud
denly he died. But God took b i'm from
us. Gods will be done! Now there is
another babe at the breast. Goo
knows what He is doing. What He
takes with one hand He gives bach
with the other. My daughter coMldn'1
suckle both, and we are too poor tc
put him out to nurse"
At this the doctor burst out
Enough for to-day, if not too much
indeed! Since you won't have the
miracle now, will perform it on an,
other occasion. Only I beg of you te
agree beforehand on the person to be
brought to life" And he strobe away
From that memorable Sunday ou1
doctor has done wonders in Cucu.
guano. 1t is true he does not raise the
dead, but he saves the lives of the sick
The Cucuguanese, now fully trusting
him, say: eff he did not fulfill his
promise, to tell the truth, it was not
his fault-it was ours, for we wished
to leave our dead underground
Translated for the Argonaut from the
Italian of D. Ciampali.