The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-10-07

"Strar u,drS' HtSa ton0 time 10 lcalt.
were alone. she and |. The sheep sup
ported me. and she sold her roses ana
dried lavender. 1t was all 50 beau
tiful-tiI he came All had he loved
her, But playthiug pastime. The
signor never had daughter What
is she now? A namelcss thing in the
streets" Giovanni raised bis arms
tragicaily. The boots clattered to the
floor Seven years! 1t is a long time
FOR one Of my blood to wait"
Enough" cried Elilard. but there
was a hardness in his throat at tn,
sight of the old mans tears Where
was the proud and stately man. the
black bearded shepherd in faded blue
linen, in picturesque carriers. with his
reedlike pipe, that he IIi!lard. had
known In his boyhood days. Il can
give you only my sympathy for your
loss" said Hiilard. but abhor the
spirit Of revenge which cannot find
satisfaction in anything save murder
Giovanni bowed gravely and made
of with his boots. Hillard remained
staring thoughtfully at the many col
ored squares in the rug under his feet.
1t would be lonesome with Giovanni
gone. The old man had evidently
made up his mind But the woman
with the voice. would she see the no
tice in the paperi And if she did
would she reply to it? What a foun
dation for romance! Bah. He pre-
pared for bed.
To those who reckon earthly treas
ures as the only thing worth having
John Hillard was a fortunate young
man. That he was without kith or kin
was considered 10y many as an add
tional piece of good fortune. Born in
Sorrento, in one Of the charming villas
which sweep down to the very brow
of the cliffs. educated in Rome up to
his fifteenth year. taken at that age
from the dreamy drifting land and
thrust into the noisy. busting life
which was his Inheritance fatherless
and motheress at twenty, a college
youth who was forever mixing his
Italian with his English and being
laughed at, hating tumult and loving
quiet, warm hearted and impulsive
yet meeting only habitual reserve from,
his compatriots whichever way he
turned. it is not to be wondered at
that he preferred the land of his birth
to that of his blood.
The old house in which he lived was
not in the fashionable quarter of the
town. but that did not matter Nor
did II vary externally from any of its
unpretentiouS neighbors. A cook. a
butler and a valet were his rptinue
Giovanni sought his own room at the
end OF the hall, squatted on a low
stool and solemnly began the business
of backing bis masters boots He
was still as lean and tall as a LON
hardy poplar this handsome old Ro-
man His hair was white: there was
now no black beard on his face. which
was as brown and creased as Spanish
levant. and some OF the fullneSS was
gone from his chest and arms. but for
MI that he carried his fifty odd years
lightly He worked swiftly tonight
but his mind was far away from his
task
There was a pitiful story, common
place enough-a daughter a loose liv-
ing officer, a knife flung from n dark
alley the sudden Digit to the south
Hillard had found him wand"rin"
through the streets Of Naples. hiding
from the carabinieri ms best he could
Hillard contrlvcd 10 smugglc him or
the private yacht Of friend IT."
found a peasant who was reconsider
Ing the advisaJilitv Of dig"ing sewer
and laying railroad lies In the Edo.
RADIO ~ ~" west A few pieces 0f sl
yer ard The passport CHI nscd hands
Will p'hs Giovanni h1andG Ned his