The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-09-14
!, IL~BACIO.,;
THE Kiss.J
i, A Tragic Story Of italian
Love. (

Love. d
&.->.->.<->..->..>>.~->>>~<><~<-@
The tired mules dragged their heavy
burden YEARLY along the dusty road.
Perio. the driver, went whistling in
front. He only walked in front because
the dust the mules kicked up was apt to
get into his eyes and nose and annoy
him generally if he walked behind. He
was whistling cheerily, despite the great
midday heat, for was he not going along
the road where old Nito's olive garden
was? Very likely Nella would be working
there this morning, and they could rest
little and eat their frugal dinner to-
gether il she were. Nella was the beau
ty Of the village and was going to marry
his cousin Lott, but that did not matter
to Perio. Lott was away in Naples,
working hard there to make the money
to furnish their little home with.
But today Perio was not quite SO sat
isfied as usual. He had not the slightest
objection to Nella's flirting with him
when Lott was away, but when it came
to her bestowing soft glances on another
man. then he began to burn in righteous
anger and resentment against her treat
ment Of his cousin. Ht
Just at this moment his train of thought
was disturbed by voice ringing in one
of the olive gardens a little farther up
the hill-a voice that ms the mans
eyes CLEAN and his who'll, -ame thrill
with animation-Nella's voi>,! He stop
ped his mules a moment and. putting his
hand to his mouth so that the sound
might travel farther. cried:
"Nella, Nella, it's almost noon. Come
down. and you shall ride on one Of the
mules to the trees, and we can eat to-
gether.''
The door of one of the nearer gardens
opened, and Nella came out. -r
+ No, Perio," she said; I've eaten al
ready. It's past noon. Besides. I'm in a
hurry. I'm going to sit for the gentle
man who's painting me this afternoon.
I'm going up to the convent now"
Perio's face darkened, and his eyes
took the sharp, stealthy look Of anger SO
little brings at once to an Italian face.
"Does Lott know you sit for this Eng
fish artist?"
He knew I was going to sit" returned
the girl. "hut what does II matter to
your" And she cast on Perio a look Of
i'll concealed contempt.
That look seemed to madden the man,
who suddenly famed into a great rage
"See, my Nella," he said, taking her
roughly by the arm. "You would never
look at me or even dance with me, though
Lott is my cousin, while he is away, and
yet you spend hours sitting with this
Englishman. sitting to him half naked,
too" he added, with a sneer. ''Ah, yes,
1 know" as Nella started Indignantly.
"The old man who takes wood to the
Il AzlI
queen, with only. skirt and jewels and
gold snake in your hair. How will Lott
like that when tell him tonight?" And
he bent forward with coarse laugh.
Tonight" she started. You tell
Lott tonight"
"Ah! didn't mean to tell you, but Lott
is coming tonight. know he is. I
heard it in the town." and he pointed to
the hill. "He will be here tonight and
shall see him. Yes, and will tell him
how you sit to this painter. Nella, unless
unless He held out his arms and the
revenge died out of his face. 'Nella, I
love-
"You spy! You curv' she broke ont.
'How despise you! You question the
poor old man Mt the convent. Then you
anu OLCE yVuh iVNSs AVuk
love! What woman would accept the
love Of q reptile?' She turned and
walked majestically down the road.
"Nellaw he screamed. beside himself
with rage. "NeIla. you call me a reptile?
You shall pay fer this! l will tell Lott
as soon as he enters the town. will
II will tell him myself first" said the
girl, turning round scornfully. She
walked slowly down the road. and Perio
stood watching her, rooted to the spot
and mad with rage and jealousy. Was
it true? Was she afraid of what he
could tell Lott, or had the old man told
him lies? All, what would he give to see
her face! Suddenly, as IL in defiance Of
him. she broke forth into her song again.
the song she had been singing in the olive
garden: "Sulla. sulla labre, sc potessi,
dolce un bacio un bacio!"
Perio turned white with anger. 81 I'M
derstand"" he shouted hoarsely. you
sing of kisses. You go to the kisses Of
your lover" But she took no notice. only
walked on steadily, a queen Of women,
along that dusty road. The man clinched
his hands and almost pushed the mules
forward. He would take them home at
once and hurry back to the town. He
would see Lott first, after all.
Nella walked on in the great summer
heat. 1t did not seem to hurt her. She
was a real child of the sun. No heat was
too great for her, not even the heat with
in. which was burning fiercely just then.
"Perio spoke of love Kisses" she was
thinking. "How little he knows the
truth! Gerald. Gerald" she isped a
little over the hard foreign name. How
I love him! If he would only kiss me
once! How easy it would be to die il be
had once held me in his arms. If he had
once called me love-to die And a
tremor ran through her. eyes. that is
the end. ] must diei / can never belong
to Lott now. cannot see him again.
But he is coming tonight" as the thought
struck her. "Loti coming tonight! What
shall 7 do? Whatever shall do?" She
walked slowly down the orange grove
leading to the convent door and tapped at
it gently .Hs ".. ln
"You are late today. Nella." said the
sister who opened it. 'Signor Cavasour
has been waiting for you. Are you Ill,
child?" she added. How white you
lookw
ut Is nothing. sister"
at is we'll this is the last time You
come, the sister SAID kindly. Inc walk
here in the heat is too much for you.
But make haste and dress now. Don't
keep him waiting longer"
Nella smiled slightly as she began to
take her things off. The heat was too
much for her-for her. who had worked
in the fields right through the hottest
summer day without feeling it!
Slowly she dressed herself in the cos
tune Mr.. Vavasour had chosen for her
as Cleopatra--a, costume which showed
her magnificent southern beauty to its
very greatest advantage.
"He must love me--he must love me to-
day." she whispered to the brilliant black
eyes that looked back at her from the
tiny glass. And SO she passed into the
cloister.
Gerald Vavasour had elected to paint
her, and to paint her as Cleopatra. with
q great tiger skin at her feet, leaning
against the massive stone carving of the
gray old cloister pillars. And she GER
tainIy made a vision of rare beauty as
she sat as he had placed her, looking
straight at him. her chin buried in one
shapely hand. the other loosely holding n