Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-07-29

separated him from Annina. She had
entered an institution of learning, he
had departed for college. Finishing
his legal course in the university of
Pavia and returning home with his
laurels he had found his Cousin An
nina. become tall, beautiful and shy,
like him mindful of the past and
DESTROYS of returning to the manner
of their earlier life but restrained by
the social conventions which forced
them both to treat each other with
ceremony. Hardly had the letter of
his uncle announcing his departure
to Rome been received than Sandrino
felt an irresistible desire to botanic
by the walled gardens of the white
house, and he started on his way
up the wooded hill. Plucking flowers
on the way he soon arrived at the
solitary place, and abandoning his
search for plants he began to look
about him and to gaze into space.
a
anist, but rather like an astronomer
looking for his star. Seeing that
the star did not appear upon the
horizon (of Window he decided to
ring the door-bell Shortly after the
mother of Annina opened the door
for him and greeted him cordially.
news?"
bad news. l have come to say
Goodbye" replied the lad in a
mournful voice. Signora Matilde felt
sudden Tightening at the heart
which prevented her from asking
more questions, but she led him in
to the little room on the ground
floor where Annina sat at work She
had him sit down, took her own
place, and at last announced the
news to her daughter. The girl
turned pale. After a brief pause
Signore Matilde continued her ques-
tons:
$50 you want to leave US? Where
will you go?"
Il am going to Rome with my
uncle"
with the minister"
with the minister. We expect
! him at the village in a few days
At these words Signora Matilde grew
pale and then blushed crimson A
| long silence ensued during which
and had no word to say to the
! Others Sandrino watched Annina
with a long and dreamy gaze which
seemed to say, eve are too unhappy.
Nature would unite US, society sep
arates u.s. She, not able to re
strain a tear, strove to hide it with
her hand and tried in vain to
smother a sigh. Signora Matilde was
! lost in bitter memories Of vanished
hopes In her youth she had loved
! Sandrino's uncle, snatched away
from her by the Revolution of 1913.
After that epoch she had hardly seen
him. Knowing him enlisted she
had married the notary of the coun-
! try, Who shortly after Animals birth
had died leaving her a widow. The
clear-sighted mother had OWNED the
affection of these young people and
she was glad, but now the widow sud
denly saw renewed in her daughter
the sad story of her own youth, a
first love lost. AT last she broke
the silence saying to Sandrino,
AT Rome under the protection Of
your uncle you will advance rapidly
and drawn on by the intoXication Of
public life, as he was, you will quick
/ ly forget your poor little native vii
lage." Annina sighed deeply and the
youth replied,
cat Rome far from my native vii
lage 1 shall be lonely and unhappy.
You know very we'll that | have
never aspired to greatness. An only
son with property sufficient for liv-
! ing at my ease I desired nothing
more than to dwell here in the en-
/ joyment of the paternal inheritance.
But my father thought differently
and repeated to me every day, "Why
do you want to stay in this miser-
able village? You have had a fine
education, think about turning it to
some USE Do not sacrifice your
! life as l did amidst the petty af-
fairs of domestic life. l can look
out for these common affairs. You
should seek better satisfaction by
following III the footsteps Of your
uncle. Just see how he arrived at
the summit of power, gaining honor
and wealth in few years, while l
/ have passed my life like a blockhead
playing the farmer in the country
/ without any profits to compensate