The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1904-01-30

1T costa much-a money-to die"
Mrs. Lewis started, and almost
dropped the change which she was
taking from the hand Of the Italian
fruit vender. The remark was so pa.
thetlc, and had in it such an unex-
pressed appeal for sympathy. She
looked at the face Of the Italian. II
was haggard, not with disease, but
with care and anxiety
What do you mean?" she asked.
TINA, my-a wife," he said. at costa
much-a money-to die"
Then he told the story Of his life;
how, out of poverty and street life
that hardly had known the name or
meaning of home, he had come from
Naples to America; how for two years
he had worked at sewer digging with
a great gang of his countrymen; how
the slnallness of the pay and the dis
honesty Of the padrones had left him
little at the end, and how he had start
ed in business for himself with a hand
cart and load of bananas. Prosper
ity had come to him-wonderful pros
perity, so that he had been able to buy
a poor old skeleton of horse and a
tumble-down rattletrap Of a wagon,
and had gone into business on larger
scale.
But all this was means to an end,
and the end was the importation Of
Tina. Tina had come, and he had met
her at the dock in all the bravery Of
his American clothes that made Tina,
fresh from the steerage, feel almost
uncouth beside him; but this was not
for long, for great was the array of
her, and in which she loked a queen
at the wedding; and the wedding table
was loaded with all things counted
good in Italy, besides those two Amer
lean wonders, apple pie and Ice cream.
More merrily the old horse ratified the
rickety old wagon down the alley, and
more merrily the voice of Joe rang out
the lists Of his seasonable fruits.
But Tina did not thrive in the new
home. The winter was coming on, and
she took heavy cold. Joe went forth
daily to his work, but came back to
ind the smile on Tlna's face more wan
and the cough more alarming. The
doctor came often, but Tina grew
worse Fruit had been high and hard
to get, and some of it had frozen.
Inere were days when Joe did not go
out, but sat with Tina, and other DAYS
When he went, but with a heavy heart
Last night Tina died. Joe felt
as If he could never sell fruit
again, but the undertaken must have
money IN advance. SO Joe had har-
messed the old horse and was out max
ing his morning sales No; he did not
want any gifts. But none of his Gus
Vomers knew the burden on his heart
that day, and Mrs. Lewis had ALWAYS
been kind. He wanted some one to
know.
Mrs Lewis went to the soualid
nome the more pathetic in its pov
erty for the attempts that had been
made to brighten it. There lay the
Dody OF Tina, the crucifix on her'l
Oreast' the candles burning at the head
ana loot and the picture of the Ma
uonna and Child looking down at her.
Que went to the funeral, too, and stood
a. the grave while the priest consigned
oil mat was mortal Of Tina to earth.
1 mad not thought much about it
oelore' said she. II thought of Joe
ana men like him simply as the means
VI getting my daily supply of fruit. l |
nau not realized the human side of Joe
ana his fellows, or that their affec-
u, ,iohs' their faith and their sorrows, are
IKE other peoples, and that thew
e'4nu IN as much need of help from
you and of the sympathy of their fell
low men, I am sure that hereafter I
81 Snaii consider more how l can helm
o une least of these in the spirit of our
'0"lnon Lord."-Youth's Companion.