The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-01-22
A String of Beads
and a Queen of the Adriatic.
A Charming Love Story of Old Venice, P-edse
and the Falling of a House of Cards.
to the business at the carpenter shop?

Nello thought himself lucky indeed
to find the little Rosa at home in her
grannie's tiny room.
Come out on the canal? OF course
she would.
Her laughter sounded softly as an
accompaniment to the swish OF the
| oar in the water. Nello from his
place as gondolier on the graceful
| craft, looked down on the little figure
enveloped in the thin, black-fringed
Venetian shawl. The night was warm
and she tossed 1t aside.
81 shall have done with this when
l am in Paris with the signora."
Nothing will ever become you so
WELL Rosa. as your shawl"
Her laughter rippled again.
'No. it is black and ugly; love
bright colors."
They had reached the Rio Santa
Maria della Salute. He guided the
gondola to the low steps, and came
down from the poppe.
"See, Rosa" he repeated. dangling
the corals before her eyes, "they are
the color of your lips; and you will
wear them as pledge"
She held out her hand.
Isl. will wear them"
Her eyes were sparkling. But had
Nello been less in love himself he
would have questioned the light that
shone there.
He gave the beads TO her, murmur-
ing again:
"As a pledge. And you will come to
me when l write that your home is
ready for you?"
Yes. yes"
She leaned over the boats side to
see the effect in the rejecting water.
1t was evidently satisfactory, for she
turned to him with adorable candor.
Il shall wear them often" she said;
''that is. If the sgnora will allow me.
And IL she will not. shall take them
out of my little trunk, and look at them
when am alone, BECAUSE
"Because?" said Nello, hungrily.
Because" she added. airlly. they
| are so pretty"
He was sitting by her side now on
the great.black leather-cushioned seat
"My uncle has promised to give me q
share in the carpenters shop when
am twenty-five" he said: land then /
shall write. And you will come to Inc
little one?'
| Yes. yes" she assented. eagerly.
She longed to be alone with her new
treasure. His insistence annoyed her
The short. sharp Venetian Winter
came and passed; the months sped on
rounded their circle and comme1ce(
another year. The year that was torr
was to be full Of happiness for NellC
Liscouraz. Was not his uncle dead
and he the owner of his shop. the EN-
ployer of three workmen? But mor'
than all. was he not even now awaiting
the crown of his JOY. Rosa Ricordo?
For once the hum of his busy lath'
was silent; the merry Pietro nudget
his fellow, and whispered that the mas
ter was moonstruck. his head turned
since the good fortune had come I,
him.
Nello needed them not; he was look
Ing out toward the Grand Canal, ant
listening with love-sharpened ears 70
sound above the lively chatter o
Mere Ricordo. for the cry OF the post
man who was TO bring him the answe
from the girl he loved.
} 1t was sound that came but seldom
In that narrow way. The simple folk
whose horizon was bounded by tSos
sunbaked walls, held little come ere
with the outside world. whose mes
sages Of love, or life. or death wer
flashed across wide seas or carried Il
the bosoms OF snorting trains.
: She had written him once-a gay
careless letter-to tell him how happ,
she was. what brave sights she saw
The signora was kind to her. she her
self was becoming signora-she wor
hat!
, Now her answer tarrIed. He hardl
dared to think how many suns ha
, risen. burned and died. and given wa
to the paler beauties OF the moon. sine
he had sent her the good news. had tol
Q her Of the home that awaited her. an
Z reminded her Of her promise.
! With a stihed sigh he turned bac
. Into the shop. and bent to his wor
3 again. sr~snel
!, "she Is still but child" he told hin
d self. "nnd am dull fellow. PerhsI
= she has forgotten" 1R@zs:lx 4.