The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-03-20

Those two rival families repeated on
q small scale the discords of the Mon
tagues and Capulets; only, with due
regard to the civilization of the times,
instead of spilling blood, they spilled
money. Instead Of dead relatives,
there had been many lawsuits, long
and entangled; they went to law Tor
spite. for resentment, for anger; they
kept at law with, that obstinate delight
In litigation which is one OF the joys
of provincial life. AS usual, 1t was
a question of trifles-a stream OF water
that had taken a wrong direction; an
unruly goat that had leaped from the
6eld of one into the field of the other;
some obscure and stupid potatoes
which, spreading themselves under
ground, had disregarded the bounda-
ries. Upon this showered legal docu-
ments; the lawyers toiled to write In
that style of theirs, the last relic OF
barbarous invasions; judgments were
multiplied; lawsuits grew complica-
ted. The two advocates rubbed their
hands for Joy, and. from the aspect OF
things, were sure of transmitting as
a valuable inheritance those Quarrels
to their sons. How the enmity be-
tween the Pasquali and the Dericca
families had been caused could not be
clearly learned; affirmations varied on
one and the other side. But 1t was a
deep and declared enmity. Being
ueighbors in town and in the country,
they frequently met, looking askance
nt each other; the women heard mass
In two different churches: If the Deric-
IA girls wore blue gowns, the Pas
quail girls at once put on pink ones;
In the municipal council the Pasquali
were always conservative and the
pericca, naturally, radical; that which
one did the other would not have done
for a thousand scudi; where one went
the other did not appear. And then
gossip, evil-speaking, complaints, eag-
erness for scandal, malignity, in short
oil that outfit of pleasing things which
take place in provincial towns between
two rival families. On top of all
this Carlo, the eldest son of the Pas
quail, and Maria, the second daughter
Of the Dericca, thought 1t best to fall
In love with each other.
Love in a small town has not much
variety; usually it begins in childhood,
continues amid games of blindman's
bluff, is apt to manifest itself in social
dancing parties and round games, and
Is always ratified by the parish priest
and the mayor. These loves are rec
ognized, superintended, established,
registered in the household comings
and goings; protected by grumbling
grandfathers and by priestly uncles;
loves without nerves, without tears,
without tenderness and fancies; some
thing extremely calm and slow. the
capitalization of love. But Carlo
Pasquali had had the Incompatible
fortune to pass fortnight at Naples,
which made him look with scorn upon
provincial customs; and Maria Derlcca,
at night, by feeble lamp, had wept over
the hapless heroines Of Mastriani and
had envied them in their fantastic pas
sions: therefore for these two was re-
Quired an exceptional love. First it
was a furtive glance; softly muir
INJURED word, yet heard with singular
perception by her who should hear
it; a carnation-pink fallen from bal
oony by reason of the wind, of course;
q sudden pallor Of his, sudden blush
Of hers; then, by the armed interven-
ton of a rogue of a fifteen-year-old-
girl who came with fiatiron TO
smooth Maria's linen and the course
Of true love at the same time-a note,
and brief reply; little letter. long
letter, and finally those voluminous
epistles Of eight or ten sheets of note
paper which mark the highest point
Of the folly Of love.
Alasl The Joy of the young people
was brief, and sorrow rapidly arrived
to destroy 1t. They were seen, spied,
the news reached their respective
rapas, and all the thunderbolts Of pa
ternal wrath, embittered by eleven
lawsuits, fell upon the heads of the
poor lovers. The balcony windows
were closed, the bolts were fastened
on the terrace door, the carnation
pinks on the bush were counted, walks
we're forbidden or at least made with
out previous notice, the hour OF go
ing to mass varied each Sunday-but
those two continued to love each other.
Rebuffs. exhortatiors, prohibitions,
dificulties, avaiied only to infiame
their love; at night. in the winter.
Maria arose. dressed herself. wrapped