Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-30
Copyright 1903 by Thomas H. Mckee.

-A,ANK Gott he's Schneider" old Otto
66' would mutter in deep relief. And
so he was-a Schneider huge beyond
- all bounds. AS he sat at the CASH
iers desk in the snug little butcher shop of his SIRE
the prodgious body of Salvatore hour by hour over
flowed like wagonIoad of hay, until only the bend
ing. creaking legs of the chair remained in view.
Customers glanced at him in surprise, startled
babies took one look and ducked their heads in
speechless fright. But babies learned to trust
and gaze in solemn wonder For through the whole
vast labyrinth of his veins the Schneider blood flow
ed quietly as it had flowed for long generations;
while from morning to night the eyes were serious,
steadily fixed, as Salvatore made out the bills.
But blood is mysterious thing. Already It had
produced this exuberance out of Otto and Margarita
his wife, who both rotund little people. What
other surprise lurked deep in this fortress OF flesh?
Otto had never ceased watching. He was taking no
cnances.
Nineteen years before in that mighty welding OF
peoples which is to bring forth some day strange
new race OF in the hybrid city of Greater New
York, Otto had become daring pioneer. Reckless
Otto had become a daring pioneer. Reckless for
foraonce in his life romantic and blind with emo
tioAae had married the lovely young daughter of
Italian greengrocer close by But when he had rous-
ed to what he had and Its possible bearing upon
his career, then Otto had opened his steady blue
eyes and had quite closed them since. On
the christening day, Wnen MarSarlIa, IN all ap"
pealing weakness and charm of brand new mother
hood, begged that the bambino be named Salvatore.
Otto gave in But this was the last of Italys tri-
umphs. Day by day and year by year, every trace
of that fiery land of the South was toned away.
Margarita grew plump and submissive and beaming
Otto grew stout and CHEEKY and brisk. And work
ing in happy domestic accord, they had bred in the
plable soul of their all the virtues of order.
frugaty, thrift, and hard, patient application to
work.
SO here the budding monster sat, Towering slowly
but surely into sober business And the dam
ger sprung from the reckless past seemed buried
forever behind.
Salvatore suddenly heaved monstrous quivering
sigh.
Restessness, the insidious longings of nights and
days. tugging at the heart stringsall burst softly
forth in Salvatores sigh. Then he began making
out bill: "a .4a.
Two pounds SirIoin Steak. ......@ 30 40
Three pounds Wiener schnitzel.. @ rs rs
One pound-- Il
All at once with crash of drum and cymbal,
hurdygurdy wheeled into action close by the open
door. The noise deafening. With a frown of
indignation Salvatore looked around-and stared.
Through the open window at his elbow a girl
was gazing at him In amazement and delight. When
Salvatore scowed with all the annoyance of POM
pous eighteen her eyes only sparled the brighter,
her neaQ nOQued CWlc9 vigorous dppruVdlp ana III
Italian she whispered:
"Madre de Do, come Splendid quel nomo come
magnihco!"
Salvatore understood, his rosy cheeks turned sud
denly darker hue, and at this she threw back her
airy young head and laughed so 1oyously that even
he reented. ON his face there appeared quiet, in
dulgent smile; a huge Newfoundland dog might
stare at kitten Salvatore looked down upon
the girl And seeing this, she gave odd, graceful
.rkA
tinkle. and stood there wholly obivious under mis-
eyes. Over her head was kerchef of gray with
little golden spangles from under the edges the
soft black hair strayed in negligent, lazy fashion,
and under the black arched brows were two assert
i've gray eyes that looked up again. challenging,
mockng, elusive, curious, prying with eager scrut
my right into Savatores soul.
With nervous laugh he tossed her nickel She
caught the coin in her tambourine. looked at it.
flushed like child, and then flashed upon him
smile intimate and that Salvtore grunted
and, fell back aghast And at this the girl sprang
nimbly away. With her old father she seized the
piano and trundled 1t swiftly down the street
And Salvatore. left alone, gazed dumfounded into
the deepening twilight, his two great black eyes in
scandaous disaccord with the rest of him; twink
ling eager, restless, dazed almost ready to fash
So she came day after day in the balmy weeks
that followed, derisve longer, sneering and pry
ing longer respectfully curious humble, strange
ly intent waiting until he should toss her the coin.
The coin his sign of dismissal, and the girl al
ways obeyed. And with the first sharp thrill
of uneasness gone, he felt safe, this colossal
OF eighteen. The whole silent drama was hidden
from Otto and Margarita by the high counter be-
hind. And Salvatore, who until now had barely
looked on the face of woman, would look at the
stranger with all the assurance of a sagac-
ious old man of the world, and her big eyes would
open wide and look frankly back into his
my is Gemma," she said abruptly in the
midst of one of these mutual stares. Salvatore
good-humoredly nodded and bent again over his
work. feeling curious brand-new tfngIing up and
down his spine
II knew you could" she said softly, still in ItaI-
ian.
could what?" growled Salvatore
''You are doing it now-speaking like me! You
are Italian! / knew It'll You are Italian--like