The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-05-13

TT is Spring time, the sun shines brightly, and every
one Is gay. Even the window panes of the old
" stone houses seem to wear a cheerful smile.
Along the street Of the little town streams a crowd
in bright holiday attire. The whole population Of
the town is there: workers, soldiers. tradespeople,
priests. officials, fishermen; all are intoxicated with
the spirit of Spring time, talking, laughing, singing
in joyous confusion, as If they were a single body
overlooking with the zest Of life.
The impression seems TO prevail that people have
outlived their misfortunes, that yesterday was the
last day OF the hard shameful life that wearied them
to death. To-day they have all awakened in high
spirits, like schoolboys, with n strong, clear faith in
themselves, in the invincibility of their will to over
come all obstacles, and now, all together, they march
boldly into the future.
1t was strarge-Strange and sad and suddenly de-
rressing-to notice a sorrowful face in this lively
crowd; II was that OF a tall, strongly built man, not
got over thirty, but already gray, who passed arm
in arm with a young woman. He carried his hat in
his hand, the hair on mis- shapely head glistened like
silver, his thin but healthy face was calm and des-
tined 20 remain forever sad. The eyes, large and
dark, and shaded by long lashes. were those of a
man who cannot forget--who will never fOrget-the
acute suffering through which he has passed.
Notice that couple" said my companion to me,
especially the man; he has lived through one Of
those dramas which are enacted more and more fire.
quently amongst the workers of Northern Italy"
And my companion went on:
That man is a socialist, the editor of a local labor
paper, a workman himself, a painter. lie Is one of
those characters for whom science becomes a reli-
gion, and a religion that still more incites the thirst
Tor knowledge. A keen and clever antl-clerlcal he
was-just note what fierce looks the black priests
send after him.
About five years ago he, a propagandist, met in one
OF his circles a girl who at once attracted his atten-
ton. Here women have learnt to believe silently and
steadfastly; the priests have cultivated this ability in
them for many centuries, and have achieved what
they wished. Somebody rightly said that the Cath.
Ollie Church has been built upon the breast of woman
kind. The Madonna Is simpler than Christ, she is
nearer 10 ones heart, there are no contradictions in
her, She does not threaten with Gehenna-she only
loves, pities, forgives-it is easy for her to make a
captive of a woman's heart for life.
But there he sees a girl who can speak, can inquire:
and in all her questions he perceives, side by side
with her naive wOnderment at his ideas, an undis-
guised lack of belief in him, and sometimes even fear
and repulsion. The Italian propagandisth had to speak
n great deal about religion, TO say incisive things
about the Pope and the clergy; every time he spoke
on that subject he saw contempt and hate for him in
the eyes of the girl if she asked about anything her
words sounded unfriendly and her soft voice
breathed poison. II was evident that she was ac-
quainted with Catholic literature directed against
Socialism, and that in this circle her word had as
much weight as his own.
The mans self-love was wounded, the clever propa-
randist's fame suffered in the collisions with the girl;
he got angry lost his temper occasionally he rldl-
culed her successfully, but she paid him back in his
own coin. evoking his involuntary admiration, fore