The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-05-25
country station, he babe us farewell in,

trembling accents.
"When you first spoke to me thought
it was only right to warn you OF my
past; but shall tell my wife, after you
knew 1 was a convict, you still spoke
kindly to me-" His voice quivered
cit is not many pleasant things l have
to tell her of these twenty six years"
a group of country people were
standing on the platform waiting the
arrival of the train, and no sooner had
it drawn up than carriage doors were
thrown open, and the weary travellers
stepped to the ground to stretch their
limbs after the long night journey. In
a moment all was hustle and confusion,
and Niccolo Cennini moved forward
with uncertain footsteps, looking
anxiously to right and left.
A priest in a shabby black gown
marched to and fro; group of work
men talked and gesticulated in the fore
ground; and beside pillar stood a
peasant women, her arms hanging
SldCk d. lcI Siu0, NillCO ilOoU iiooiiS
closely over her head. Her back was
bent, and her face had the dried,
weather-beaten appearance Of one who
has worked beneath a burning sun, but
the lips were set in lines of patient
sweetness, and the eyes had an expires.
sion which Margaret and 1 were quick
to recognize.
This peasant women cast glance OF
kindly unconcern upon Niccolo as he
passed, and he looked at her, but only
for moment, for group of tourists,
who had been blocking the way, moved
suddenly to one side, and he found
himself standing face to face with a
young woman, whose tall. finely
formed figure stood out conspicuously
among the crowd. She was conta-
dina, but dressed in gala costume with
bodice, green skirt, and large silver
pins fastening the plaits of her yellow
hair. She carried baby of few
months old in one arm, her head was
thrown back on her full, handsome
throat, and she scanned the windows
of the train with curious eyes.
She was too much engrossed in her
scrutiny to note the presence of the
tall figure in the homespun suit, but in
our promenade along the platform we
were in full view of Niccolo's face, and
could see that it was atlame with JOY
full recognition. He clasped the girl by
the shoulder, calling her name in tremb-
ling accents:
"Ninna! Nina. Do you not know
me? 1t is II have come backv' The
girl fell back apace, and her cheeks
flushed. She stared blankly at the gray
head, the worn features, then the dark
eyes met hers, and told the truth to her
heart.
"Padrew she cried loudly, "Padrew
and her voice was full of joyful GER
tainty. In another moment they would
have been clasped in each others arms,
but even as they swayed towards him,
the girl checked herself with sudden
recollection, and, grasping his hand in
hers, drew him forward to the spot
where the peasant woman stood in her
working dress, turning her patient eyes
on each new conner.
"Mother" she cried, she has come! 1
have brought him to you. Father is
herew
1t was critical moment, and we held
our breath to see what would happen.
Nothing in the world could have made
the past so real to those two poor souls
as the sight of the change in that other
self with whom memory had dealt so
tenderly. During the years desperation
one Illusion had survived in either
breast, the image of the girl wife, the
boy husband, who stood waiting at the
end of the weary road. Nina still saw
in imagination Niccolo's crown of ebon
curls; while the convict, grown gray
within the prison walls, cherished the
of girl in the heyday of
her charm.
What would be the result of the
awakening? For the woman, one was
safe to predict increased tenderness and
pity; but-the man? The light died
out of Niccolo's eyes as he beheld his
wife; his cheek whitened as if some
pale ghost had risen between him and
a newly found happiness. His wife!
Nina! He stared in dismay at the
bent back, the roughened hands, the
scanty locks beneath the hood; but
Nina looked at him and smiled-a
wonderful smile, sweet and steadfast
with the stamp of a lifelong loyalty.
and at the sight an agony of tenderness
contracted the mans features. He
threw out his arms and staggered
towards her as child to its mother.