The true northerner., 1900-08-17
The HEART OF MARCIA.

Her name is Marcia. II is pretty, not
so? She was blind. She lived here In
the little window high up near the top?
1t was there. The rent is cheap. Late
at night her brother Luigi came home.
IL was a cook.
Terese came TO live in the house with
Marcia and Luigi. And they were hap
py-all three.
In the evening they sat on the stairs
and talked. or Beppo played his mad
dolin while Marcia sang while II was
all dark and st.l-maybe a little noise
from the street. And on one of these
nights. which were dire nights, the little
blind girl sat silent. as II unhappy.
and sighed.
And when 1t was all finished-when
Beppo had gone home-Marcia and
Terese sat silent and held each others
hands.
What Is IL, little bird?" asked Terese.
And Marcia sighed and held down her
head and cast down her eyes as though
they feared TO meet those Of Terese.
II am in love-" said the blind girl.
She hung her head. on Terese's shoulder.
"Oh," she cried, ''you are in love!
You are in love!' Then she grew VIII ter
and held the little blind girl off and
looked at her a long time, silently
and strangely.
Yes" said Marcia simply. "Tereee,
thinkest thou Beppo likes me?"
The serenata was like a fete. There
Were hundreds That sat beneath the trees
and listened, as did Terese and Marcia.
Beppo sat between them.
There is a song in the night" said
Beppo, land there is a song within my
heart, but 1t is unsung,"
Il will sing 1t for thee" said Marcia,
and she smiled.
Thou art good" said Beppo And
yes-thou shalt sing for me, and make
me happy" And though he spoke to
Marcia he looked ait Terese, and love
shone in his eyes. And Terese looked
at him and love shone in her eyes. But
her face was white nevertheless and her
eyes were downcast And when Beppo
clasped his hand she did not smile.
When he pillowed her head upon MS
breast she did not look up.
Thou lowest me?" said Beppo. He
looked at her drawn face and thin lips.
and read the love within her eyes,
so that for a moment he was awed.
Thou lowest me-" he said. And Terese
hung Limp within his arms and dropped
her head
YES" she said, Il love thee"
Then-just as poor blind Marcia's
song came to an end-they kissed. And
why the sound of it should have been
so loud l do not know-maybe it was
not loud after all-but 1t reached the
ears Of the little blind girl like the roar
OF a mountain torn asunder. The last
faint chord quivered unheard in her
throat and ended in a choke.
Marcia" said Beppo. at last, "Terese
and I'-and pressed her hand across
his mouth. But the little blind girl un
derstood, and rose to her feet with her
face all white, and she spun around her
hands were flung high above her
head SO that they fell in Beppo's face
as he caught her and laid her tender
ly on the ground.
Terese cried, as Beppo turned TO her
with face all puzzled
she loves thee" She sobbed and
kissed the poor white face Of the little
one. she loves thee. and ! muet sc
away"
But Beppo did understand this.
Lowest thou me?" he asked.
Yes. Yes" answered Terese, thou
knowest that"
Then" said Beppo-he smiled-"that
is ALL"
When Marcia opened her eyes her
face was wet with tears, and the whole |
of the tale was being sobbed into her |
ears. But she only smiled, and when
she rose she grasped the guiding fingers
Of the two and walked up the stairs to
the little room with the window that
overlooks the lake as though nothing |
had happened at ALL Though Terese
crie' all the way down again. despite |
the kisses and caresses Of Beppo