Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-04-24

the lagoon.
Venice was taking its siesta.
Even the gondolas did not disturb the
waters of the lagoon and the canal;
only a few tugs were putting along
automatically.
Among the men and women who ven
tured out was a tall, muscular young
man. Alvise Garofani. He kept close
TO the houses, seeking shade here and
there. As he passed the little church
of San Francesca di Paola a frown
darkened his face. The curato had re-
Gently dared to stop him on the street
and to upbraid him for his wild ca
reer.
LET the old baldhead look after his
own kind" he grumbled; there are
plenty of priests in Venice whose lives
are full of scandals. He'd better not
bother me, for there is a way of stop
ping his mouth"
Alvise's hand grasped a dagger in
his trousers pocket.
Under the shadow of the church
stood the inn of Father Zulian, a hoary.
gray stone structure. Over the door
three large pink flowers were painted
above the legend, "The Three Pinks."
Advise kicked a sleeping cat from the
doorstep as he pushed aside the cur
tain to enter the barroom. Behind the
bar stood Meta, the pretty daughter
of Father Zulian. She was busily en-
gagged washing glasses and bottles.
Good morning, Meta" said A,vise.
The barmaid did not look up from
her work. She pretended not to hear.
81 greeted you, Meta"
81 heard it," she replied.
why do you not answer?"he asked.
Meta slapped her wet hand on the
bar and with a look of contempt said:
Your greeting to me?-no!"
'Have a care, Metal" he cried.
A hooking smile came over her face.
YOU'D better take care that you
don't wake up father. Nothing makes
him angrier than to be disturbed in
his siesta. Then he won't trust you
any more, and a loafer like you can't
pay"
Alvise wanted to make a violent re-
Fly, but feared to awaken Zulian. He
drew his face over the bar and whls-
pered: why do you speak thus to
me. Meta? Do you know that ] think
Of you day and night, that ! love you
with my whole heart, that | dream
only Of the happiness some day to be
able to call you mine"?
Dream of whom you please cried
Meta. impatientiy, "but leave me
alone"
"Nietta. dear one" he stammered
grasping her hand.
She tore herself away and shook her
hand as if to rid it of some unclean ami
NAL. "Do not touch me. Oh, how
despise you'll"
Aivise's brown face became ashy pale.
his teeth buried themselves in his lips,
He clenched his fists. Then he laughed
sneeringly.
II ought to have known better" he
said. for / have seen how you are
for Shoemaker Carlo, the beau of the
Via Garibaldi."
Amomentary bashfulness came over
Meta. Then she raised her head
proudly and said: what is it youl
business. if l do?"
Alvise's passion devoured him a she
beheld the tall figure, the fine counte'
nance, framed in jet black hair, the
snowy white teeth between the rosy
lips of Meta.
Take heed" he grumbled. "or yor
may rue that you have thwarted me-"
Meta shrugged her shoulders dis,
painfully. At this ju%ncture Father
Julian yawned, rubbed his eyes ant
looked around. Hello, is that you
Alvise? Have you come to pay your
debt? It's high time"
Il hope you will add another bottle
to my bill, Father Zulian," replied Al
wise. smiling.
'Not another pint" declared thu
host. "In my inn only pure wine j!
served, and | want to see good none,
for it, but If you have none you would
better seek another place in which t.
euench your eternal thirst"
"You haven't slept out well, Father
Zulian," returned Advise, ''otherwis,
you would not treat one of your bes
customers SO shabbily, just because h,
happens to be out of money. Well,
will soon call again, and then you ant
Meta will treat me better"
"You are always welcome when yol
have plenty Of COIN" was Zu.ian's re
ply.
Meta made a and whispered
"Santa Marie. keep him from me-"
On the Rio del RELIC stood the littl,
house of Mother Agnese, the washer
twenty-five years ago sh,
had moved there with her Toni,
laughing, happy young bride. Love
JOY and thrift dwelled in their humbl,
home. And when, one day, the voice
of little Carlo filled the house for thu
first time. Toni and Agnese would no
have exchanged it for the loftiest pal
ace on the Canaie Grande. Later, how
ever. came the evil day, when Ton
: wentfshing on the lagoon and did no
return at night. For eight long day.
and nights Agnese wept and prayed be
fore the Madonna in her room. The
the body of her beloved was brough
to her. The storm in which he ha'
persisted had subsidized. The sky wa
like blue velvet and land and water gilt
tered in the sum-. But to Agnese i
seemed as if eternal night had sprea'
over the earth.
There is no better defense agains
sorrow and heartpain than work. Ag
n.se learned to live for her child, an,