The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-04-13

& muddle. After dozen lawsuits, the
six of us-four sons and two daughters
have finally divided the property in
to six little strips. Each of us has a
swarm of children; each of us has tc
sLift 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, MOI
spin when they do; the vines are dis.
cased, the grain is thin, the olives are
wormy, there is no rain, the taxes are
heavy"
Enough; we will let Master pietrc
| sleep on. But have not come here tc
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
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 loved
deserted her for some one else"
poor Ghita! But you must admit
you are making it hard for me. To
put an end to it all, will bring bach
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 long
years I've been paying in hard coin fan
more than its value, and now woule
you have me begin all over again? It.
not fair, signor dottore!"
''Whata state of things! But we will
let that 60. will now propose ONT
who left to mourn him neither brother
nor sister, wife nor parent; one who
left only blessed memory, an example
of all 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, MOI
missing single one. Shall I restore
him to your"
NO, mol" cried various devout mem,
bers of the flock mo, moi" added
Lena Russolina, the mother of the con,
gregation. He was old, poor man
and deaf as post, SO much so that al
confession he always absolved us OF
sins we had never committed. Leave
him in glory, especially since we now
have a young and hearty curate. He
is as good as saint, he sings like ar
organ. he breaches like seraph, an6
he swims with the current
What's to be done? I'll try some
one else. Isee over there little white
wooden cross; the harebells seem try.
ing to hide it; the tall grass is almost
on level with it. You can read that
that narrow grave holds ten-months-
old baby. True, it seems half a pity
to bring the tender soul back to this
world to bear-what you have all been
bearing. Still, if you wish him raised
say but the word, and Twill display my
power"
"Signor dottore," whispered a
wrinkled crone, "that little one is ours,
alas! am the grandmother. My
daughter had not yet weaned him; he
was just getting his teeth, when sud-
denly he died. But God took him from
us. Gods will he done! Now there is
another babe at the breast. God
knows what He is doing. What He
takes with one hand He gives back
with the other. My daughter couldn't
suckle both, and we are too poor to
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 beg of you to
agree beforehand on the person to be
brought to life" And he strobe away.
From that memorable Sunday our
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.