Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-05-09

mother miserable. A bad son never
made>a good husband"
you are doing me an injustice"
stammered Carlo.
by all the saints, mol" cried Nj
eta. you are worse than your COM
panion. He was bad from his child
hood up, but one who has been good
and Industrious like you to become
so bad, so -unworthy-is terrible!"
"Stop, Meta" cried Carlo. 1T was
all for you"
For me? This is an insult. Do
you think you can gain an honest girl
by becoming loafer and drunk
ard?"'
Meta, it will be otherwise. I'll
turn over new leaf from to-day. ]
see, I have been ill-advised."
eyes," said Meta, ''you have been
ill-advised. You despise the counsel
of mother and pastor and all good
friends, and hearken to low compan
ions. I will have none of you
"I'll die of thirst,'' cried Advise
from the other end of the ROOM
"Never mind" replied Carlo. owe
will empty barrels tonight. "Wine
wine, Meta, let's have wine"
For hours the two drank an6
laughed together. Then they arose
and lurched, half-intoxicated, to the
inn of Mother Osteria. There they
met the same merry, drunken CROWD
of the nights before.
Congratulate my FRIEND" ex-
claimed Advise, triumphantly, to his
comrades. ''He will remain bachelor
like ourselves. The prettiest girl in
Venice has just Tilted him.
"Bravo! bravoi" came from the
merrymakers.
A sudden anger overcame Carlo.
''You are a villaini" he exclaimed
to Alvise, rushing npon him. Advise,
quick as lightning, grasped his dag
ger, and before anyone could inter-
fere, he had thrust it into the breast
of the shoemaker. Carlo fell uncon-
scious on a chair.
ished. Half an hour later a mourn
full procession made it's way slowly
to the cottage of Agnese, in the Rio
del RELIC. The apparently dead body
of Carlo was carried on a stretcher
by four men, followed by few SYM
pathetic friends.
A neighbor had heard of the ARRAY
and ran to prepare poor Agnese.
MAY the Madonna help you. Great
bereavement is in store for you," she
said.
ooh, holy Virgin! it is my son!"
cried Agnese, rushing to the door. At
sight of the stretcher, she fell in
heap on the street.
An hour later the surgeon arrived.
After examining Agnese, he said, pitt
fully: "She is beyond aid-heart dis
ease. But may be able to do some
thing for the boy"
Six long months Carlo fingered in
his bed in the hospital. When he was
dismissed, his first steps were direct
ed the old curator.
The good pastor heartily grasped
the hand of his visitor, who was but
a shadow of his former self.
"You must have suffered much, my
son." he said.
'.I did, father" replied Carlo, with
a look of despair; ''but more in soul
than in body. I will try to make
amends"
eff you had only followed my ad-
vice." gently reproved the pastor,
"your mother would be alive this
day.
81 will enter a cloister to atone
for my sins"
''This may be jumping from the fry
ing pan into the fire. How do you
know you have call for such a life?~
Dear father, 1 must atone for my
sins.'
''This is not always done in a clois-
ter" said the practical pastor. Some
are called by Providence to atone for
evil by living life of reform in the
sight of men. For some it is better to
hide themselves in the cells of the
monasteries. Well see. Well see
Come tomorrow and We'll talk it
ever.''
"Good-by, dear father. Twill go now
to the grave of my mother and ask
forgiveness"
cemetery. At the grave he was sur
prised to find Meta there, laying a
bouquet of flowers on the little mound
that marked his mothers grave. Nj
eta looked at him and said:
''Is it you, Carlo? How pale and
changed you are. You must have sui
fered much
THANK you, Meta, for your interest
and for your care of the grave" Then,
with tears in his eyes. he exclaimed:
''My good, good old mother, forgive
mel"
Carlo stood weeping for long time.
He could not tear himself away from
the spot until Meta took him gently
bv the arm and said: 'Let US co.
Silently they walked between the