Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1913-09-04

As they came ~ 20
from the funeral, ~
the people stole z
glances after the II
bent white-haired IN
form of old 81
Borsini, and whis- %'A
pered He will die of grief. 1t is
a great pity that he Is too old fol
vengeance"
When they passed the shop ant
found the shutters closed day after
day. with Nicola Davio's puppies
playing on the steps and the dust
blowing into the corners, they said:
Poor old Dionigio, his heart is
broken"
And all the while Botta staggered
and grew fat with glory.
But one day the shutters were
opened. the puppies sent away and
the door left a1ar, so that one could
see the mirrors and the kegs of rum
and more than all. Gentle Dionigio
himself. with his towel on his arm
and his fresh white apron. And the
word went from one to another, until
one by one all the topers came-all
but ono. and he was BottA.
And so It was for 4 week, when
Botta himself came smiling and insol-
emit and showing no fear. It was then
that the old rum sellers lips grew
white. aud as he glared he snarled:
Smile now. Botta, SO that you may
look pleasant when your time comes.
Botta laughed, but his eyes grew
white underneath and his hand shook
as he drank.
Again Botta came, laughing and
TESTING with his cronies, and winking
when Gentle Dionigio was not looking
But he grew silent when his uncle
turned to him and said, softly:
Take care. my nephew, God has
told me to kill you within two
weeks"
And, on the night after two weeks
Botta was there again. And now
when his uncle came toward him, he
drew back with alright, and put a
chair before him as shield.
Have no fear" said the old man
II would have killed you last night
but God came to me in dream and
said, One week longer, Dionigio.'"
All the evening Botta sat with his
glass undrained, thinking sick
thoughts, with signs and furtive
glances at Gentle Dionigio For he
was afraid. AS he went home he said
to himself, 1T is not right that he
should bring God into this business
Why does he not try to kill me, as
any one else would do? l could de-
fend myself then"
He did not appear at the wine shop
for long time. but stayed in his room
whiting the carvings that he sold on
the streets in the daytime One day
he stopped. for he found that always
his figures took the look of old Dor.
SIM and leered and laughed at him
under the lamplight, and chilled his
limbs.
In time the shadows in the room
drove him to the wine shop. He
drew courage from thinking. "Old
Dionigio has forgotten. He lies when
he says that God is against me-"
And when he came he grew bold
laughing and TESTING as in the other
times. In defiance, he waited until
the others had gone, and then swag
gered to the door When old Dionigio
tapped him on the shoulder he turned
in an instant, his knife in his hand
He thought, 1T is now!"
But Dionigio was looking upon him
with eyes as soft as a nuns.
Listen, Botta," he said, God is
merciful to you. On the night before
your doom, he came to me in my
sleep and said, 'Dionigio the murderer
of your son must live until the day
Of the Holy st. Peter. Until then he
must live"
But why do you not try now?'
stammered Botta, the knife trembling
in his hand, "Now!" and he clutchet
his uncle's arm.
mo" said gentle Dionigio. fiinginl
Botta from him. God has taken your
strength from you and I could slaI
you now. as you Stayed my poor Pie
tro. But Gods will shall be done
and you must live until the day o
st. Peter"
For long time the topers did no
see Botta-
HE stays locked in his room." salt
one. "And l saw him peering on
one day with the look of mad dog.
One day the barber. Fuseli, cam
into the shop and said. Have yo'
heard the news, Papa Borsini? The.
have sent Botta to the insane asylum
you have lost your vengeance"
Bah! What a blockhead you are!
answered gentle Dionigio.
At the end of the week he sen
500 francs to the orphanage of tn
Holy Father
in che name of God, tae avenger,
he said to himself.
! Copyright, by Daily Story Pub. Coz