The Lakeland evening telegram., 1913-08-14

/
form OF old =N
Borsini. and whis. As>
psred: "He will die Of grief. It Is
. great pity that he ID too old for
vengeance"
] When they passed the shop and
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 tat with glory.
But one day the shutters were
opened. the puppies sent away and
the door left ajar, so that one could
SEQ 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 one. and he was Botta.
| And so It was for week, when
Botta himself came smiling and insol-
ent and showing no fear. It was then
that the old rum sellers lips grew
white. and 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
- 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 .
chair before him as. q shield.
Have no fear" said the old man.
r would have killed you last night,
but God came to me in a dream and
said. One week longer, Dionigio.'"
All the evening Botta sat with his
glass undrained. thinking sick
thoughts. with sighs and furtive
glances at Gentle Dionigio For he
- 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, 40
any one else would do? could do
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 Bor.
sini 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 jesting az 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 - soft % q nuns.
Listen. E,otta," hs said. God II
nsreifal b you. On the night before
yeuf doom. he came to me in my
DIP md Bald, 'Dipnialo, the murderer
q Ssaf 20 must We 'unta thS aay |
y tAS Holy g. Peter. Until then he
nsst iive.'" |
r sbnf WY DO yoa not ~ sewS" |
UesaluDsssa ,Botta. The kni1s trembling |
= ~ Aanl. -Nsvi~ An4.hs NstpAs1
Ak uacssT arm.
"lss.' saiA gentle Dionigie Aingiay !
Bett1Sfrom him. God Aas taken your
utssastA nom you ~ ! Nsld slv5
ysa pow. - you SaAysa my reoe n !
He : but Co.'s M All - rtses.
and you must live until he l6y Of |
- Petsrr~ li~e ~ e
yoe . long dine he tppses lid not
- DotAa' se~ - nr'7e eur-e 4
sHs stays locked in his room" said |
one. r-ADA I 'saw him -pssring est
one day with the look Of . mad dog"
One day the barber, Fuseli, came
into the soop and said. Have you
heard the news. Papa Borsini? they
have seat BottS 70 the insane asyiim:
you have lost your venseance"s
.Bahi What blockhead you afs!'
answered gentle Dionigio.
At the end Of the week he sent
100 francs to the orphansss Of The
Holy Father. 7T1
In the name Of God. the aysnsss.s