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

eyes, ana SAID, angr1ly: 80 you
imagine that L could take a fellow
like you for a husband-one who neg
lects his work, loafs in barrooms and
does nothing all day but drink and
play the mandolin? You talk of MAX
ing me happy, when you make your
mother miserable. A bad son
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, Nietta," cried Carlo. 1T was
all for you"
"For me? This is an insult. Do
you think you can gain an honest girl
by becoming a loafer and a drunk
ard?"
"Nietta, it will be otherwise. I'll
turn over a new leaf from to-day. I
see, / have been ill-advised."
"Yes," said Meta, you have been
ill-advised. You despise the counsel
of mother and pastor and all good
friends, and hearkcn to low compan-
ions. I will have o of you"
"Tll die of thirst" cried Advise,
from the other end of the ROOM"
"Never mind" replied Carlo. "We
will empty barrels tonight. wine,
wine, Meta, let's have wine.'
For hours the two drank and
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 Alvise, triumphantly, to his
comrades. "He will remain a bachelor
like ourselves. The prettiest girl in
Venice has just Tilted him."
"Bravo! bravo!" came from the
merrymakers.
A sudden anger overcame Carlo.
"You are a villain!" 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.
Alvise a out of the inn and van
ieEnI HALF M hn,t, 1ofnr n ,,,n,Iyp
full procession made its way slowly
to the cottage of Agnese, in the Rio
del RELIC. The apparently dead body
of Carlo was carried on a stretchel
by four men, followed by a few sym
pathetic friends.
A neighbor had heard of the affra,
and ran to prepare poor Agnese.
MAY the Madonna help you. Grea
bereavement is in store for YOU" sht
said.
"Oh, holy Virgin! it is my son!'
cried Agnese, rushing to the door. A
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 il
his bed in the hospital. When he wa
dismissed, his first steps were direct
ed the old curator.
The good pastor heartily graspe'
the hand of his visitor, who was bu
a shadow of his former self.
"You must have suffered much, m,
son." he said.
81 did, father" replied Carlo, wit,
a look of despair: "but more in sou
than in body. / will try to max
amends"
"If you had only followed my ad
vice. gently reproved the pastor
"your mother would be alive thi
day"
81 will enter a cloister to atom
for my sins"
"This may be jumping from the fry
ing pan into the fire. How do 20
know YOU have a call for such a life ?
"Dear father, | must atone for m
sins"
"This is not always done in a clois
ter" said the practical pastor. Som
are called by Providence to atone TO
evil by living a life of reform in tn
sight of men. For some it is better t
hide themselves in the cells of tn
monasteries. Well see. Well SEE
Come tomorrow and We'll talk
over"
"Good-by, dear father. Twill go no.
to the grave Of my mother and as
forgiveness
Carlo made his way slowly to til
cemetery. At the grave he was SUI
prised to find Meta there, laying
bouquet of flowers on the little noun
that marked his mothers grave. n
eta hooked at him and said:
SIS it you, Carlo? How pale an
changed you are. You must have su.
fered much"
"Thank you, Meta, for your interes
and for your care of the grave" Thel
with tears in his eyes, he exclaimed
my good, good old mother, forgiy
mel"
Carlo stood weeping for a long tim'
He could not tear himself away frol
the spot until Meta took him gent
by the arm and said: LET us GO"
Silently they walked between th
graves. At last Meta said, softly
They say that Advise has fled to Amel
lea"
81 heard il. May he never return."
AS the co,,ple passed the little chap
at the entrance to the cemetery Carl
stopped aud knelt before the mag