The Yale expositor., 1907-12-20

her with JOY that made life some
new existence.
That night as she lay awake,
through the deep shadows in her little
room rose bright visions, such as the
woman with the baby at her breast
had intimated.
There was the big house with the
massive steps leading into it, and in
side. where she had stolen glimpses
OF wonderful sights through the gauzy
|. curtains at the great windows, she
fancied herself standing in the midst
decked in shimmering silks and spark
ling jewels. With heart beating loud
er and blood surging through her
veins, she fancied him beside her, his
laughing blue eyes bent upon her, his
soft caressing voice repeating the
word that had put all these dreams in
her head.
All next day she was thrilled with
delicious ecstasy. All, but the perver-
sity OF things-her father was too i'll
TO go on his rounds that evening, and
the little piano sat in its dark cor
ner alone, and Rita pouted on the
doorstep. The next night he could
not go, and the next; then she grew
desperate. She would go alone.
1t was after dark when she left
the Italian quarter and began to wan.
der through the streets she was ac
customed to follow with her father,
until at last she came to where there
was a spaciousness that made her
breathe freer. A few more squares.
and the big, white houses began to
loom up in front of her. She was
in front of the one now, and with a
trembling in her limbs she stopped in
front of the tall, massive steps looking
into the great, brightly lighted win.
dows.
There was no one on the steps, as
it was past the time when they would
watch for the street-piano, so creeping
closer in the dark grass, she stood be-
meath the windows where the fragrant
vines fiuttered in the evening breeze.
Suddenly there fioated out upon her
ear low strains of waltz; somebody
was playing close to the window be-
meath which she was standing. All.
they could have music whether her
father came or not, she thought with
a pang of jealousy. The rough stones
projected temptingly through the
thick masses of foliage, and stepping
upon one she caught hold of the bal
ustrade above and pulled herself in
reach Of the window.
A beautiful picture met her eyes,
such as she had seen only in the the
alter, with the same soft lights. and
furniture all white and gold. There
was lady playing the piano she had
heard, dressed in shimmering silk and
sparkling jewels, with him beside her.
Just as the woman with the baby IN
| her arms had pictured, only Rita had
been in the place Of the lady, and at
the thought of that her heart beat
faster, and when the music stopped a
little ear was pressed closer among
the vines to hear what he was say
ing. But the language was strange,
and she did not understand until
oh. God! from his lips floated out
upon the quiet evening air one word
that made the listeners heart turn
to stone, as with whitened face and
hands clutching the cold balustrade
she heard the word that had brought
her life's happiness and its doom.
Sweetheart"
With low cry the little Italians
hands loosened their grasp upon the
stone and she fell with a thump upon
the pavement below.
When they picked her up they saw
that she was quite dead 1t was a
slight fall, but she had struck her
head against the edge of the stone
i step, and death had been instantane-
Gus. No one seemed to recognize her
until the young man came out Of
the house and remembered she was
the girl who came every evening with
an old man and a street-piano, and as
he bent over the stark little figure
stretched on the cold stone, strange.
vague idea caused a shade of regret
| to pass over his handsome face. and
it was some time after they had car.
ried her beyond, in the dark and
silent street, that the old smile came