Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-12-09


ried off 10 Casa Bella
CHAPTER VIII.
Piale Schemes.
witt thou 20 forth into the friend
less waste
That hast this Paradise of pleasure
here?"
The Light OF Asia.
There are some who consider that a
hero must be practically immaculate,
and who grumble sorely if called upon
to study the life of an ordinary NOR
tai who often stumbles when the road
is rough. who shrinks from the Valley
of Humiliation and takes foolish,
fceung delight in By-path Meadow.
But if the function of all art is to pic
ture Iife-not TO photograph, but TO
paint it-then, without doubt, the typ
ical hero of romance, with his fault
less features and his preternatural
nobility, must disappear forever from
the canvas; for where are these per
feet beings who, in spite of cruel cir
cumstances. never fall, who never
harbo selfish thoughts speak
hasty )rds?
Thank God one meets plenty OF
good men. but the best of them GER
tainly own thai there had been times
when they had felt ready TO tear
their tongues out in vain regret for
irrevocable words-that they would
give almost anything to live over
again some misguided bit of their
lives
Carlo Donad was not an immacu-
late hero OF romance, but a nine
tecnth century mana man of flesh
anc blood, with a quick ardent, san
guine temperament aad Strong pas
sions When those words which the
English tourist let fall iii the Nea-
politan cafe had arrested his atten
ton. he had been pricked at heart,
and for the time vaguely disquieted.
A yet deeper impression had been
made upon him by his promise to his
mother ON her death bed Still. all
had been vague and formless. Now
Sardonis bald. matterof fact state
mont had plunged the sword much
further had called up before him a
plain, undesirable way of helping
Anita. The typical hero would of
course have flung himself into the
breach without an instant's hesita
tion but Carlo did no such thlng; he
did not oven allow his thoughts to
dwell on the possibility, but juslI
turned his back on the whole matter,
tried TO make Anita's visit as pleas
ant as might be, and sought refuge
from his own sad memories in daily
meetings with Francesca.
He did, however, 10 some extent
follow Sardonis advice, and intrust
ing Piale with as much OF the truth
as he deemed necessary. wrCtt - ask
him whether he knew os any singer
who might be found 10 take Comerio 5 |
place He also wrote 10 Msrlino or |
tanning further leave of 5h- ence for
hts sister, on condition that she drove
IN to Naples each day next week for
rehearsal and finally returBed when
The performances began. The days
sped by rapidly enough and on the |
Thursday, true to his promise, Carloi
took his sister back. parting With her /
at he entrance Of the palazzo Forti, [
not without regret and apprehension. /
however. with these came a /
sense Of deep relief. for, from a sell
fish point OF view, he could not but /
yeyel In his regained freedom, his life
could never again be what if had been
before Anuas return but sort OF |
after glow OF the old times seemed to
rise in his sky when the cloud Of poor
Nuas immediate presence was re
moved lie felt hopeful. TOO. for ri.
ale had written TO ask him 10 cali al
twelve O'Clock. and he thought that
perhaps be had found r desirable bari
tone
The old maestro received him very
kindly bu, soon dashed his expecta
lions 10 the ground
/ know of no one he said en-
no one You speak as
IL your baritoues were as rife as uush
rooms, And, look YOU. Generic is a
clever ac.or and has fine voice
youN not easily dud any one 70 beat
him and IL YOU dbl IL is unlikely
enough that they would take lower
terms. Besides Merlino is extremely
unpopular as a manager; only just
now / had his conductor in. capital
young Observation-Disclosures he says
that trey all find il almost impossible
70 WEE with him, You must give up
that idea; L at any rate. cannot help
you In it
Cirlo sighed. and fell into deep
thought He did not hear footsteps
on the stairs, nor notice that some
one entered the inner room. which