The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-05-19
The RIVALS.

lsE kaaaflaS.
Nincenzo Donate h!acl,etl boots for
living; Francisco Selasatn had IL lit.
tile apple and pean;.t stand at the cor
uer Mt the Bowcly and Bayard street.
NinccnZo and Francisco We're sworn
friends. They shared the same garnet
in Mott street and on Sundays they
shared their holidays and pleasures.
as on week days they helped each
other through the dirt and roar and
rsttle OF the Bowery.
One workday was much like the
next. 1t was only on Sundays and hol-
days that they really lived. Then they
put on their best clothes and, each
with a straw in his mouth and his
pipe in his coat pocket, they left the
city behind and got out into the coun-
Try.
Down on Staten island country
man kept little hotel where one
might get good spaghetti and chianti
and a veal outlet Dreaded with toma.
to sauce, for 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 sung
in the tree tops and the cool breezes
came in from the ocean, the sunbeams
danced on the waves and Maria. that
was the landlords daughter played
softly on the guitar and sung the old
songs of Italy.
Every Sunday in the summer time
Vincenzo and Francisco Joined the
little colony of Italians down at the
White House, but one day Vincenzo
declared that he 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 home until late, and his
friend had no chance to speak to him
until the next afternoon.
Then it all came out. VincenZo WIS
young you see, and-well, so was Tia
Tia was girl, if you please She HAD
large black eyes, the complexion OF 1t
deep red rose. Her figure-yincenao
threw up his hands and closed his
eyes and drew in the corners of his
mouth. Words could not tell IL,
charms
"Yon shall see for YOURSELF he said
to Francisco. and that night he took
his comrade to call on her. Francisco
had hut to look at her to love her The
shoes We're not we'll shined the next
day, and as for Francisco. he ceased
to pay much attention to the coats Of
his apples and the cooking of his pea
nuts.
Together the young men called on
Tia almost every night, and though
Vincenzo had had the start of Fran
cisco, the latter's heart was in very
few days as tumultuous as his COM
rade's
There could be but one ending to all
of this. Vincenzo awoke to the fact
that Francisco loved Tia, and Fran
cisco was shocked when he remem-
hered that yincenzo had loved her
first
Angry words We're out Of the ques-
ton with Francisco and Vincenzo. but
they looked at each other very sorrow
fully that night that the truth dawned
upon them, and sat for a long time In
silence.
sWe will go into the country again
on Sunday" said Francisco, land
think out some plan"
1t was agreed, and on Sunday 81
lently 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.
''rhere is but one thing to DO" he
said 'We both love Tia. she can
marry but one of lis.
"You must ask her first. You loved
her first, my Nincenzo."
NO" cried Vincenzo, tive will leave
it to Fate"
After awhile Francisco agreed to
this plan. So the young men found
broken threads in the table cloth ON
the table in front of them and pulled
at them until the threads came out
in their hands. Then they measured
them. Vincenzo's thread was the long
est. Fate had given him first chance.
That week was the saddest six DAYS
in 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 decided to wait un.
til Saturday night. Sunday 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 VincenZo dressed himself and pre-.
pared himself for the ordeal In ST.
lence the young men embraced each
other. Then Vincenzo went to call
upon Tia and Francisco in fear and
trembling remained behind to await
fha <,f1 h f,.fn nd 1T.