The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-08-21
Lusi's Lady
In White.
BY LULU JOHNSON


Afibt F"' FANh T'
sons Of Italy who laboriousiF drag a
street piano over the hot aRphalt u the
city's byways. Much less ala he be.
long 10 the lesser lights who, with a
wheezy melodeon, middle in corners
mud mechanically grind out IN the
Sweet ny and By or the "hIsereFe'
from al Trovatore." The first Luigi
scorned, the latter he desplsed, for was
he not the proprietor Of a horse out
ft7
Every morning except Sunday he
drove into the suburbs, his wagon gay
with red and gold. on which was
swung one OF the largest and best OF
the mechanical pianos, There was a
lad 10 turn the wheel, and nil Luigi had
10 do was to lead the white mule and
collect coins which showerod upon the
outfit. For I.uCis white teeth flashed
beneath a mustache as black md flow
Ing as any that ever graccd the lips OF
his brignnd ancestors, aud Lngi's smile
made him many friends, even among
the hO]uschoiders.
AZ for the servants, many Il rural
policeman elowered upon him and en-
We'd his eona0ests, for Luigi, In his
smart Neapolitan costume, was good
to look upon. His red sash with Its
giided stlletto, his rutfled shirt and
raklsh hat were NIL in keeping with
the swarthy complexion and flashing
eyes.
10 be sure. the stiletto was but n
toy, Il HIT and sc0bbnrd without a
blade, In Difference TO the absurd
prejudice of the police, who knew
nothing Of a more buslnessllke weapon
slieathed in the collar Of Lugis velvet
coat, and his clothing had been OBJ
tanned from a theatrical costumer, but
he cut n most romantic and pictur-
esque figure.
Sundays, when the law forbade his
plying his trade, Luigi sought the ltal'
ian quarter in emlnently correct Amer
lean dress. His top hat and yellow
gloves were the establishment OF the
half naked "~bambines" playing on the
dirty sidewalks,
Their mothers turned mute In bis
august presence as he picked his way
fastidlously toward the tenement
owned by Gaetauo Camera. Presently
he would emerge. proudly escortlng
Paulina Of the house of Camera, than
whom there was no prettier girl in all
Little Italy.
For more than a year Luigi had
wooed Paulina, but her father had In.
sisted that his sOn.In-law should be a
property owner, A year must elapse,
figured the thrifty Camera, ere Luigi
might hope to wed.
And on his part Luigi did Dot tell
them OF the good luck that had be-
fallen him In the winter before, when
a servant In one Of the great houses
offered him tips ou the stock market
that she had wheedlcd from the butler,
Great eoups had been planned over
the dinner served by this particular
butler. as the rich forget that their
servants are human beings, and much
valuable information had been drop
ped. Luigi proGted by the tips, but he
had not told the Cameras, 1t was
pleasant to spend the sunday after.
Moons with iaQIIna. but, then, too,
there was the Lady In White. and be.
cause Of her Luigi Was silent
He told no one 0t the dreams that
burned In his busy brain None guess
cd the high hopes that be unrsed, But
since early spring he had hurried the
piano cart along hIs route until he had
come to the great house on the hill.
Sometimes he found only the gardener
spraying the lawn or clipping the
plants; then Luigi led away the mule,
silent and morose, Oftcncr there were
golden days with q fash Of white
through the trees. and she cume-hIs
Lady In white.
Tall and fair she was. with eyes
more swectly blue than the SUMMED
skies Of his beloved Italy and hair
that shone like FURNISHED gold. She
leaned across the hedge and questioned
him as TO his life, and Luigi told her
all-and more. FOR TO hold her interest
he drew upon a vivid Imagination for
a vendetta and an earlier career as a
brigand.
He loved 10 see her eyes grow round
with wonder at his adventures, and.
like n modern Othello, he wooed her
with his tales. As the summer pro.
crossed he saw her more aud more
often. and sometimes there was a
whole hour during which little Pietro
could rest his weary arms and the
wheel Of the plano moved not.
or ourse 1t would not do to let
Paullna know of the Lady In White,
for Camera had declared that when
Luigi had made enough money they
would go into business together. Ital.
Ian fathers had their w ideas Of
honor too. Once married 10 paullna,
bis piano sold, Luigi would no longer
see the ohltcing serving maid. she Of
the tips.
But IL he could swell his fortune to
such respectable proportions that he
would be no mean match even for the
Lady In Whit what might not han.
pen? They would 90 to Italy. where
with a few hundred lire he could pur.
chase a patent of nobility and live
happy eve after.
30 he spent his Sundays discreetly
with Paulina and bewailed the hard
luck that made the dollars 80 scarce.
never did be tell her Of the Lady IN