Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-07-28


DO not speak OF this to anyone
else, he said. in low voice; above
all, not 10 Sardoni or Domenica.
Let il be only between US two, at any
rate, till after the wedding"
She promised, although she was far
from understanding the motives which
prompted the request, and Carlo with
a heavy heart passed on and walked
slowly down Broad street. He remem-
bered, as he walked, the sense Of hor-
rible loneliness which had seized him
when he walked back from the Strada
Nuova to Palazzo Forti, after the Pill
grim had sailed from Naples; but
that suffering had been light indeed,
compared to what he was called to
bear today II seemed TO him now
that he was alive and yet dead, that
the outer shell OF everyday existence
would 20 on in a mechanical way,
Just as if nothing had happened, but
that the heart had been destroyed,
and that nothing could ever bring it
back TO vitality.
In sort of dream of pain he
watched ehet passers-by, and wondered
whethe. in their careless talk they.
too hight be robbing some one of his
reputation, and doing the devils work
in the world. A feeling of strong re-
sentiment rose up in his mind; ne
walked more quickly, the color came
back to his face. and his hot, south
ern blood began to burn and TIME in
his veins; If he could have been sud
denly confronted by the unknown be-
ing who had set on foot this SANDER
he could have killed him, at least so
in his hot indignation he fanoieS
Once more Nita's bite. words rang
in his ears, "A legal bar between you
and the one you love-"
After ALI" urged the tempter, ARE
you not aiming at the impossible?
Why should you think of her as his
wife when the thought tortures you?
What! you mean to allow no thought
that you could not lay bare to her
sight, or the sight of her husband?
Fooll Give up Is such love as
yours to be cramped and fettered and
starved; love that has lasted all these
years."
You'll forgive me making bold to
stop you, sir, said familiar voice.
Fl looked round and saw Adamson,
the scene-shifter 81 wanted to
catch you alone, sir, and at the the
alter there be always others within
hearing; and guessed you'd be glad
to hear, sir, that it's all come right"
The sudden reaction from the ter
rib.e temptation to the story Of the
honest looking old man, who had been
one of his first friends in the troupe,
taxed his powers to the utmost His
brain seemed to reel, but With an eff
fort he dragged himself back to the
recollection OF Adamsons trouble.
His daughter, pretty American girl,
sang soprano in the chorus, and for
some time her father had been very
uneasy about her, and Carlo had
watched with a good deal of interest
the progress of a small drama in
which his dresser, Seaastiano, played
the part of lover.
It's all come right. sir" repeated
Adamson; "and it's all owing to you.
don't know what you've done to Sc
bastiano. sir, but he's kind of altered.
They're a-going TO get married right
away"
The need of giving the old man his
hearty sympathy restored Carlo to
hims IT, He went into restaurant
and az his dinner soberly, but in his
dark sky there were two CLEANS of
light; the first was the recollection
that Nita's heart had been at length
reached; the second, mat his hopes
for Sebastiano had been fulfilled.
There came to him, too, the percep-
ton that there was still one way in
which ne might safely serve Fran
cesea. He could pray that her mar
riage might be a happy one. There
was al least that still to be hoped for.
To be continued.