The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-09-27
Dfa Mattia'S Love Affairs. Dl1


month he could not be made to smile
He had bawled like an ass on his
threshing floor. which. encircled by
tomatoes and pumpkins, was as big as
a city square; and he had stamped
about the farmhouse, yelling NO"
He had spent hours in his beloved
chestnut grove, all coiled together
like hedge hog; while. on the night
before his departure. he had been
found in the stable. hugging the COW
closely and blubbering in her ear.
AT sight of such a lubber, brown as
a tench, loose jointed as an ape and
rank enough 10 be scented a mile
away, his employers uttered a shrek.
Malta opened wide his mouth, his
eyes and his nostrils. bit his hat
brim and stood nodding yes and no.
After a week of forced ablutions they
regarded him with less disfavor. He
no longer smelt bad. and his hair was
less unruly, while the two tears that
kept ever welling-sp in his eyes made
their azure most beautifully trans
parent.
They put him into a plaid suit,
with brass buttons and a slouch hat,
whose brim tapped out like the wings
of an immense harvest fly, and, hang
ing a basket on his arm and sending
him on trifling errands, they finally
succeeded in fetching a sorry sort of
smile to his phiz. Malta scratched
his pate, wherein all those little mat
ters buzZed like swarm of horse
flies, opened the door and dashed like
a streak down the streets of Florence
For a time he felt such a dizziness
that he believed he was going mad.
Then he began 10 look about him; he
stretched his arms and legs and
raised his head he gave a jauntier
bend to his broad hat and even dared,
now and then, TO pinch the maid SER
wants in the market betwixt benches
loaded with garden stuff and tables
covered with plucked fowls.
His employers beheld him trans
formed. 1t was Malta here and Mat
tia there; the whole house was full of
Malta, while, down in the kitchen,
Mamma and he seemed to see who
could raise the most racket.
Mamma was a tall blonde, with whit
ish eyes and skinny face; she had
dwelt there for half dozen years,
making stews and pastry, and dream
ing probably OF somebody on her own
account.
The first day that Mamma and Mat
tia met in the kitchen they stood star
ing at each other like a couple of
goats making ready to butt. Yet, when
Malta had had six or seven wash
ings, Mamma slackened rope, while he
drew it in! The spry, pallid, lanky
maid put him in mind of his beloved
tassels of corn on the slopes of La
Bora, where in August the Quails
whistled, while he lay stretched on
the ground, dead tired, beneath the
burning kiss of the sun.
When the ice was really broken be-
tween Malta and Mamma, the house
holders were abroad, and into the
kitchen stole the smell of the garden,
while green boughs touched the win
dow panes, whence the sunlight was
diffused over dripping pans and
saucepans. Malta had dropped into
seat, with his hands rolled in his
apron, his white cap stuck on one ear
and his eyes glistening. He was
thinking of the threshing floor. the
farmhouse and the COW.
What ails you?" asked Mamma.
He raised his head and saw the tall
blonde standing right in front of
him, with those big. staring, whitish
eyes and those dangling arms of hers
Nothing" replied he, and he put
out his hands. But there re-echoed
the thwack of . solemnly admins
tered cuff.
During the fortnight that their
masters were away Malta and Mamma
did nothing but chase each other
round the garden walks, and folks
outside, hearing the shrieks and the
laughter, poked their noses through
the bars of the railing. The merry
time lasted for while and then sud-
denly ceased. Malta tarried in re-
turning with his purchases, and.
when he did come back his hat was
crooked and he displayed red face.
One morning he forgot the potatoes,
another the fish and third saw him
appear with the basket empty. Nam
ma few into fiery fit.
why don't you behave yourself!
You ugly plowboy. you; you can't do
anything right"
Hush, Mammal" cried Malta,
scratching his pate.
mo. no! you ugly plowboy!" she
persisted. bad luck TO them that
took you away from the COW! You're
only fit for the COW! You ought to
have married the GOVT"
Malta tugged at his hair. and con-
tinued to scratch his pate.
Il wouldn'. have married the COW: {:
no, not T." he retorted. But liked
her much better than you"
Nanna's whitish eyes glared at him.
and chair came flying his way.
But let US not tarry in saying that