The Democratic advocate., 1908-08-07

come fitting through the trees to lis
ten to the tales Of adventure when he
had cleaned from an old Italian ro
nance after the work of the day was
done. Though Pietro played the cylin
der through twice, she did not heed
the call, and at last Luigi went on his
way, great new idea surging through
his active brain.
The day was Saturday. On the
morrow he would dress himself in his
best and make call upon the object
Of his affections. It was daring plan
but she was worth the venture, SO
noon found Luigi in the waiting room
of the railroad station, shaven and
perfumed and in his frock coat and
glossy hat looking very unlike the
Luigi of the brigand dress.
So it happened that the Lady In
White passed him without recognition
though she looked straight into his
| face with the incurious, impersonal
| glance Of her caste. Luigi half started
up in his seat to speak, then thought
better of it and sank back until she
had passed. Then he rose and fol-
lowed her and her escort to the con-
course.
They were standing by one Of the
pillars which supported the huge roof
and Luigi managed to conceal himself
behind the other side of the pillar
without appearing to do so.
From their talk it was evident that
the man was the brother Of one Of her
friends and that they had all been on
an automobile trip the day before.
Now he was escorting her to her
bone.
"It was delightful trip" the girl
declared "quite pleasant enough to re-
pay me for missing my Italian"
'Your 1talian?" repeated the man in
puzzled tones.
"Didn't Grace tell you?" was the
careless response. "He is an organ
grinder but very different from the
rest Of those sort Of people. He
dresses like brigand. He comes al
most every day and it is such fun to
hear him talk. I fancy he must have
lived a thousand years to have per-
formed all the deeds of valor he re-
counts. 1t Is perfectly fascinating to
listen to him.
''It is like a book talking to you, but
no book was ever as picturesque as he
is in what suppose you might call his
stage clothes, since they are part of
the show. I suppose at home he is as
dirty as the rest and has wife and q
host of children, but he has been such
a blessing this summer. mean to
put him in my new book. I really
feel ashamed when I realize that l
cannot offer him money. He won't
accept it, so I have to pay him in
smiles" tss
"Worth thousand times as much
as any coin in the country" declared
the escort gallantly. 81 can see that !
shall have to purchase street piano
and develop my imagination"
"And be like him!"
The scorn in the girls tones cut like
a knife For moment Luigi fingered
his never absent stiletto. Then he
shrugged his shoulders and made his
way to the street.
That afternoon he took Paulina for a
walk, and they stopped at one of the
cafes for an ice. Luigi caught up the
little brown hand that lay on the table.
'I shall have to measure this for a
wedding ring" he declared. '"This
week I made the last Of what your
father demands We must be mar
ried soon."
"And thought that perhaps you had
fallen in love with some American
girl" cried Paulina. "You have been
so cold lately"
american girls!' echoed Luigi
"Bah! They are as cold as ice, as
hard as marble. love an American
girl-never!"
Luigi laughed loudly at the thought
The sting of disillusionment had done
its work well. Once more Luigi loved
Paulina as he had before he became a
dreamer Of dreams.