Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-30
THE CALL OF THE RACE


Far and wide did Salvatore roam over Manna1-
tan that day, dark and lowering nKe oui1 WV
has broken bis pasture bounds.
But at night haggard and pale. the prougai came
home He said not word but went up TO pea
and fell into heavy sleep.
The next day he was up bright and early. With
out one break or even a grunt he worked at his
desk through the long, sultry hours And tna1
evening ana for three nights thereafter, Salvatore
sat on the doorstep quietly smoking the pipe OF
peace Of honest repose from day well spens-
But on the fourth evening. moment by moment
the mountainous bulk Of him seemed to tighten
Suddenly with a breath that was like an explosion.
he rose jammed his broad black hat nrmly down
over his eyes, and with look of heroic decisions
strobe on toward the old place of meeting.
Swinging sharply around the corner he met GEM
ma face to face. At first she did not see him. She
stood by the old hurdygurdy alone, and staring
across the street 10 way that made Salvatore stop
short. When she him, Comma gave quick
gasp and both hands leaped to her throat ana then
her face cleared and relaxed, and looking up Into
his scowling visage the girl laughed triumphanty.
long and low.
But Salvatore was in no joking mood With
solemn businessIike frown, he advanced. took her
hand squeezed it until she WINGED with the PAIN
and growled:
Now know what want to dol we win go
to priest, will be married. and then we VIII go
to my father and mother! Let him tryl What can
he say? My mother herself was Italian!"
AS Gemma looked up, her face slowly changed.
grew utterly dazed For moment she seemed to
grasp nothing. But all at once her eyes fairly
cracked with wrath.
4 "Me?" she gasped Like your motherET
r "Yes," said Salvatore, suddenly beaming "Don'r
be afraid. You can be just the same"
me? . Ne the same7" She started to
IL. E.a-.-
lips and spoke in a tone of withering scorn:
'Savatorel I have your mother IN the
shopI And rather than be Signora Schneider
like her, would wrap throat tight, tight In my
hair, and pull and pull until deadl Ugh!"
She threw up both expressive young hands.
Salvatore dumb with amazement. Thrice he
tried and could not utter word. But as he glared
down as Comma, slowly his cheeks putfed out and
out in swelling Indignation.
"Good-byi" he burst out at last. He nounced
around heavily and started away.
No! Salvatore no-no-no!" Her strong sup
pie fingers clung tight to Of his arms; the girl
painting between her teeth. An instant she
seemed hesitating. "No" she whispered II will
not tell"
Tell what?" he asked roughly. She shook her
head, and her face broke into a flashing smile.
Salvatore Come" Her voice was coaxing and
tremulous now. Come. One evening more-only
1t is not much. When dance can think;
when sing 1 seel And then will tell you
what dol We will find good wya, a beau
tiful way Come! salvatorei Comet
And Salvatore gave I'M
That night they hardly knew where they wan
dered; they barely saw the swarthy faces pressing
close around. The eyes of Gemma kept hungrilyl
turning to the face of her lover striving to grip
again the vagabond spirit that she had awakened
to life Salvatore himself could feel this part OF
him rise to respond But his old SELF the Schneid-
self of sobriety, and thrift this
too to the struggle And while the witch
danced till the tenement street was mass of de-
lighted faces while she sang with fiery heat the old
mountain songs that had made him thrill with
strange new dreams and longngs, Salvatore stood
at his post firm as the ancient Colossus of Rhodes.
His face was fixed in gloomy scowl, through
which the soul of him broke only in faint occa-
sional CLEANS. And the believing laugh was silent
now, buried deep in the fortress. Stoutly did the
house of Schneider stand the storm that night
At last when the struggle had gone on for hours,
after desperate tngling effort which brought the
tremendous applause, when Gemma turned and met
before only that stony expression OF gloom her
dusky face grew suddenly white. She to him
swiftly stamped her feet, threw her 1.-THE young
body into posture of terrible scorn. and with one
hand outstretched and shaking, the girl poured
forth her pent-up wrath.
Now go Go back to you schneiders, your sau-
sages, cows-and pigsl Go backl Go to sleepEi
Grow fatter than all the pigs in the world-and eatn
You good for nothing -nothing-nothing! Co.
Salvatore looked down at his feet, gave a short
angry laugh. and turned and went quickly away.
And Gemma, facing the crowds with cheeks that
flaming, went into peal upon peal of wild
hysterical laughter.
who" she shouted at last, ''who will play while
dance?"
Three gallant countryment sprang to the grinder
And laughing and shreking in gay little bursts the
airy witch whired round and round, till the whole
street echoed with long and resounding "Bravosl"
of applause.
Since then, in the snug little butcher shop, nine
long happy years have glided smoothly by
And each morning, his books held firmly un-
der his arm a neat and decorus youngster trots
dutifuliy to school, His face is plump his sti little
faxen curs peep demurely from under his cap; as
he goes, his serious, steady blue eyes, attending
strictly to business, fixed determinedIy straight
ahead. And to give not the slightest chance for
doubt, his name is Otto Gottfried Schneider.