Mattia's Love Affairs. bs
He had been away from his hills
about three months; and, do what
one would, for twenty days or a
month he could not be made to smile.
He had bawled like an ass on his
threshing floor, which, encircled by
tomatoes and pumpkins, was as big as
a city square; and he bad stamped
about the farmhouse, yelling "No."
He had spent hours In his beloved
chestnut grove, all coiled together
like a hedge hog; while, on the night
before his departure, he had been
. found in the stable, hugging the cow
Closely and blubbering in her ear.
At stght of such a lubber, brown as
a tench, loose Jointed as an ape and
rank enough to be scented a mile
away, his employers uttered a shriek.
Mattia opened wide his mouth, his
eyes and his nostrils, bit his hat
brim and stood nodding yeB and no.
After a week of forced ablutions they
regarded htm with less disfavor. He
no longer smelt bad, and his hair was
less unruly, while the two tears that
kept ever welling up In his eyes made
their azure most beautifully trans
parent They put him Into a plaid suit,
with brass buttons and a slouch hat,
whose brim flapped out like the wings
of an Immense harvest fly, and, hang
ing a basket on his arm and sending
him on trifling errands, they finally
succeeded in fetching a sorry sort of
mile to his phiz. Mattia scratched
his pate, wherein all those little mat
ters buzzed like a swarm of horse
files, opened the door and dashed like
a streak down the streets of Florence.
For a time he felt such a dizziness
that he believed he was going mad.
Then he began to look about him; be
tretched his arms and legs and
raised his head; he gave a Jauntier
bend to his broad hat and even dared,
now and then, to pinch the maid ser
vants in the market betwixt benches
loaded with garden stuff and tables
covered with plucked fowls.
His employers beheld him trans
formed. It was Mattia here and Mat
tia there; the whole house was full of
Mattia, while, down In the kitchen,
Nanna and he seemed to see who
could raise the most racket.
Nanna was a tall blonde, with whit
ish eyes and Bklnny face; she had
dwelt there for a half dozen years,
making stews and pastry, and dream
ing probably of somebody on her own
account.
The first day that Nanna and Mat
tia met In the kitchen they stood star
ing at each other like a couple of
goats making ready to butt. Yet, when
Mattia had had six or seven wash
ings, Nanna slackened rope, while he
drew it inl The spry, pallid, lanky
maid put him In mind of his beloved
tassels of corn on the slopes of La
Borra, where In August the quails
whistled, while ho lay stretched on
the ground, dead tired, beneath the
burning kiss of the sun.
When the Ice was really broken be
tween Mattia and Nanna, the house
holders were abroad, and Into the'
kitchen stole the smell of the garden,
while green boughs touched the win
dow panes, whence the sunlight was
diffused over dripping pans and
caucepans. Mattia had dropped Into
a seat, with Lis bands rolled In his
apron, his white cap stuck on one ear
and his eyes glistening. He was
thinking of the threshing floor, the
farmhouse and the cow.
"What alls you?" asked Nanna.
He raised his head and saw the tall
blonde standing right In front of
him, with those big, staring, whitish
eyes and those dangling arms of hers.
"Nothing," replied he, and he put
out his hands. But there re-echoed
the thwack of a solemnly adminis
tered cuff.
During the fortnight that their
masters were away Mattia and Nanna
did nothing but chase each other
round the garden walks, and folks
outside, hearing the shrieks and the
daughter, poked their noses through
Ae bars of the railing. The merry
time lasted for a while and then sud
denly ceased. Mattia tarried In re
turning with his purchases, and,
Jthen he did come back his hat was
crooked and he displayed a red face.
One morning he forgot the potatoes,
another the fish and a third saw him
appear with the basket empty. Nan
na flew Into a fiery fit.
"Why don't you behave yourself!
Tou ugly plowboy, you; you can't do
anything right!"
"Hush, Nanna!" cried Mattia,
scratching his pate.
"No, no! you ugly plowboy!" she
persisted. "Bad luck to them that
took you away from the cowt You're
only fit for the cowl You ought to
have married the cowl"
Mattia tugged at his hair, and con
tinued to scratch his pate.
"I wouldn't have married the eow;
no, not I!" he retorted. "But 1 liked
, fcer much better than you."
Nanna's whitish eyes glared at him,
and a chair came flying his way.
But let us not tarry in saying that
a poem was stirring in Mattia's
breast.
One morning when Ciuffo threw a
chunk of meat into his basket, Mattia
drew back and the meat dropped on
the ground. Leprlna's eyes bad
turned his head, and from that day
e dreamed only of Leprina, thought
only of Leprina, and ate with Le-
' prlna's face in every spoonful of broth
and every forkful of meat
For two or three mornings the
two exchanged a laugh, and there
was an end. But afterwards they got
, p talking together, talking fast and
.Xreely, with the wanted pauses, and
making of sheep's eyes.
"I Mke you," sold Mattia one day,
looking into hie basket
Bhe gave him a pinch, and laughed
long and merrily.
"Why, what are you spooning
over?" Nanna blurted out one even
ing, planting herself squarely in front
of Mattia, who had assumed a mys
terious air, and was gazing at the
moon through the casement. He
gave a start. He was tninking or
Leprina, but beheld only Nanna.
"I know!" she went on, while he
held his peace, "I know, you ugly
plowboy!"
"Nanna, be still."
"No, no, no! You are Just baked
In love, like any tile! "
"I?"
"You!"
"I! "
Mattia rose to bis feet and ap
peared to wish to make some sort of
protest, but merely sat down (.gain.
"You humbug!" ; ,-,
Here the Bcene ended; but there
was poison In Nanna's heart. Mattia
had the honey, and was keeping a
close mouth.
He had set Leprina upon the altar
of his hopes, and fancied how she
would look up among bis hills, all
affection for him, with flowers about
her and the full sunlight on her
pretty little face. He fancied her
there, on the tomato-festooned
threshing floor, and in the farm house
during the long winter evenings, with
the fire flashes reflected In her black
eyes, and he there, too, close by, en
vied, but so contented, overwhelming
her with his caresses. -
Upon such dreams Ciuffo, the
butcher, threw, so to speak, a Jug of
Ice cold water.
"Leprina," quoth he, "seems an
angel dropped from the skies; but she
Isn't. Let Mattia beware. A man
forewarned Is a man forearmed!"
The result of this warning was a
fist fight, and Mattia changed his
butcher, without changing his mind
in the least. Leprina smiled on him
more sweetly than ever, and made
him believe that he beheld a paradise,
with seraphim and cherubim more
gloriously depleted than by Dante
Allghlerl him Belt.
The first chat ce that Mattia had of
hugging Leprina was one evening,
Just behind the wall of the Vlale.
The laurel boughs shielded them; si
lence surrounded them, while the
moon cast its white radiance upon the
little villas over the way. Amid the
shadows could be discerned the girl's
pretty head, studiedly Inclined, and
Mattia's visage uplifted, with Its
glistening eyes and its open mouth.
And above this little tableau,
perched amid the leafage like an
owl, was Nanna, apparently upon the
point of pouncing down upon them.
Instead, however, when Leprina and
MattU put their heads together tor
a resonant kiss, Nanna vanished, with
a BtirrinK of the branches that caused
the couple to turn round and look up,
and then stare at each other.
"Good-by, Nanna! " said Mattia one
day not long after. "My masters
have discharged me."
Nanna did not reply. She had
turned to her oven, and was looking
at a saucepan that contained nothing.
Mattia touched her on the arm.
Then she wheeled about, with two big
tears dropping from her eyes.
Mattia was serene. He was dis
missed, and he would go. The folks
were not satisfied with him; so let
them suit themselves elsewhere!
"Where do you Intend to go?" in
quired Nanna.
"Home"
That is not true!"
Nor was it true. He would have
gone home, had Leprina not been in
the way. But there ehe was.
"Mattia, you want to ruin your
self!" exclaimed Nanna, in a strange
tone of voice. "Stay here, and I I
will go away myself."
She turned again to the saucepan,
while a sort of a tickle smote Mattia
in the stomach, which was beyond his
comprehension.
"You shall remain alona, and be
contented! Leprina " She In
terrupted herself, and, suddenly turn
ing round with an altered counte
nance, ejaculated square in his face:
"You plowboy!" and walked away
with her face in her apron.
Mattia stood somewhat amazed,
but presently sat down once more,
content not to understand anything
further. A breeze stole In at the
window and caressed his cheeks; and,
little by little, Leprina, Nanna, frying
pans and dried sausages began to
dance In a circle before him, till he
ended by playing the bass fiddle for
the ball himself! Something like two
hands clasping his head and two lips
pressing close against his forehead
caused him to give a start, and burst
into laughter. What things dreamt
are now and then Why he could
have sworn that It was Nanna!
Nanna reappeared.
"Don't go away," she urged.
Why not?"
Because I tell you not to go."
Nanna laughed, Msttla did like
wise, and caught her hands in his.
She let him have his way, while on
his breast sank the head that put
Mattia in mind of the tassels of corn.
"No, Nanna. 1 must go. It I have
behaved badly to you, forgive me! "
She snatched her hands away, an
swering dryly: "No!" and walked
across the kitchen.
He was breathless with Impatience
to be off. Leprina was waiting for
him. She had promised to go with
bim when he was free, even to the
ends of the earth!
He was satisfied with less.
"Leprina, dear Leprina," said he,
"I will lead you up to my home and
we'll live like princes of the church.
You shall attend to the cow, and t
will work as of old. You shall see
how Olanna, Venanzla, Galletta dl
Memo and Secca di MeBtolo will be
eaten up with bile. Leprina, won't
you answer me?"
Leprina bent her head still further.
She was ready to burst with laughter;
she attend to the cow? She the wife
of that block of flesh? Mother Eve
deliver her!
They were In the Via Montebello.
In the distance the tall acacias of the
Casclne made one open one's mouth,
to breathe with all one's lungs, while
from the Fosso Maclnante rose the ex
halations from the stagnant water
and sun-fermented mud.
Leprina looked at the beautiful
earrings that Mattia had bought for
her with a little pile of money hoard
ed for a different and nobler purpose
when he was stllV thinking about
his old mother.
Mattia carried his bundle of clothes
to a mean room In the Via Nova,
where Leprina bad promised to meet
him again.
He now awaited her there, striding
up and down, and, In fancy, fondling
the slender little figure, whose like
had never been seen at Maona among
the hills.
When he bad been obliged to part
from her at the street corner, he had
sighed with sufficient force to have
extinguished a. street lamp, had one
been lighted; and he had scratched
his noddle, and given most languish
ing looks. The gravity of the step
he was about to take now Impressed
him fully. Not Nanna's wild-eyed
face, warnings and threats, nor hla
employer's orders to return at once
to Maona, nor his own secret misgiv
ings, could avail to restrain him, for
Leprina had promised to go to the
ends of the earth with him.
Until later!" he had exclaimed.
while Leprina had answered "Good
by," and walked off, with her eyes
fastened on the gold pendants.
Mattia, when a certain hour had
come, fixed bis eyes on his old silver
watch, and, as the outer atmosphere
gradually darkened, his countenance
became whltewlth emotion. Then,
Just the reverse occurred, for, as the
sky lightened towards morning again,
his face grew more gloomy, until the
broad daylight found him as dusky
as a cuckoo. He had a crick In his
neck from constant watching out of
the window, an empty stomach,
parched lips, and hair all tousled
from the manifold scratchlngs that be
had given his head. Hitherto he had
never learned how to swear, but dur
ing this night he discovered a collec
tion of original oaths. ReBt he could
not think of, and uttering a curse,
he sallied from the house.
Away, away, he sped through the
streets, like a madman. High and
low did he search, wherever there
was a chance of meeting Leprina and
flinging in her face the fury that de
voured him.
"Can It be possible?" cried he.
"After so many promises! "
When evening was again come, ut
terly exhausted, with his tongue pro
truding from his mouth, be reascend
ed to the room that had been an In
ferno Instead of a paradlee. No news
of Leprina. Not a soul had seen her!
Then Mattia thought of his old
mother, and of the little board of
quattrinl which would have been a
fortune for her.
"Thief!" he cried, hoarse with
rage, "thief!" and there, where he
had hoped to kiss an angel, he aban
doned himself to weeping over the
Infamy of a demon.
A hand clasped his. He Jumped up,
with the tears streaming down to his
lips, and a face to have evoked the
liveliest pity.
Before him stood Nanna. Nanna,
whom he had despised; Nanna, who
had been able to give him advice;
Nanna, who had kUsed him on the
forehead, who had followed him, and
who now was gazing at him with
those big white eyes full of tender
ness.
With heaving breast Mattia threw
himself on her neck In a way to have
sent her sprawling on the floor.
- Swaying to and fro, she let him
have It out. The tears from his eyes
fell on her dress, and the black locks
of that great dolt mingled with her
blonde ones; while sobs shook his
chest and his feet stamped on the
floor as if they would go through it.
She still suffered him to relieve his
feelings for a while. Then, giving
him a kick and flinging him on the
bed, she giggled in his face: "You
plowboy! "
He ceased to weep, and, pulling
Nanna toward him, planted a huge
smack on her nose.
There was a knock at the door.
Ere Mattia could stir, Nanna had
opened it and rushed out like a wild
beast '-
Mattia heard her gnash her teeth,
and then began such a battle of cuffs
and scratches as would have scared
the dead out of their graves.
But It did not last long.
Nanna presently returned, with her
face besmeared with blood, grasping
Mattia's gift, which she had torn from
the ears of Leprina.
"Look!" aald she.
Bewildered and amazed, he took
the earrings, gazed at them, turned
them over, while one more tear, the
last, of rage and remorse, dropped
down. Then, so very softly and
gently, he put the earrings In Nanna's
ears, and said:
"They are thine."- Orozlo Grandl,
translated from the Italian by Will
iam Struthers, in the American Culti
vator. Three new stamps have Just been
Issued in Holland. Those who stick
them on their letters pay double
postage, half the salue going to the
State and half to antl-tuberculosla
work-
New York City. Striped inatci lula
are so much in vogue and bo gener
ally becoming that such a waist as
this one, which Is especially well
Adapted to their use, Is much In de
mand. In the illustration a pretty
(ray and white marquisette is
trimmed with gray silk banding and
Bomblned with chemisette of lace, but
all materials that are soft and thin
enough to be tucked successfully are
appropriate, the many silks and silk
and wool fabrics and also the pretty
ilk and cotton mixtures that are so
raried and so well liked. The plain
Bilk banding Is effective and fashion
able, but it Is not obligatory, for any
applique could be substituted that
may be preferred. Again, the de
sign is not confined to striped mate
rials, as it can be made from plain or
figured ones quite as well. Crepe de
chine and chiffon taffeta suit it ad
mirably well and would be charming
with trimming of heavy lace, either
in self color or In a lighter tone as
liked. . ,
. The waist is mado with combined
tucked and plain portions and 13 cut
out at the neck so that it can be worn
with or without the chemisette. The
chemisette Is entirely separate and is
arranged under the waist and closed
at the back, but the closing of the
waist proper is made beneath the
edge of the left front There are com
fortably full sleeves that can be either
tucked or gathered at their lower
edges and that are trimmed with
shaped bands.
The quantity of material required
for the medium size Is four yards
twenty-one, three and one-half yards
twenty-seven or two yards forty-four
Inches wide, five-eighth yard of all
over lace and six and three-fourth
yards of banding.
taw Shore Popular.
Low shoes In brown leather with
white duck tops and white ribbon ties
promise to be popular.
Ixitv, Hat Itccls.
One of the most sensational
changes of the present season has
been the substitution of low, flat heels
instead of high ones usually approved
by the chic Parlslenne. For some
time prist many of the nrlstocrats
have worn sandal shoes In the house,
especially with Early Victoria toilets,
and out of doors no one who la smart
thinks of wearing now the long knife
shaped boot, choosing Instead one
with a flat heel and a square toe.
Illouxe Sleeves.
Sleeves are constantly In need of
remodeling, for no detail of dress
changes Its Btyle more often, and con
sequently Buch satisfactory models aa
these are always In demand. They
provide a number of different sorts,
and will be found adapted to every
style of shirt waist or Mouse. In the
Illustration No. 1 Is made of a dotted
batiste with cuff of embroidery, while
No. 2 Is made of linen and Nob. 3 and
4 of handkerchief lawn, No. 4 being
trimmed with pleating, while No. t
Is finished with banding, but trim
ming and finish can be varied again
and again, the sleeves being adapted
not alone to the washable materials,
but also to the Bilk and wool waist
lngs that already are being made up.
The cuff of No. 1 affords a special op
portunity for the use of the band
work that la so distinctive and Bmart,
while No. 3 shows a straight band
cuff that can be treated in various
ways, and Nob. 2 and 4 provide the
best possible styles for the tailored
waist
Each sleeve Is cut In one piece. No.
1 Is gathered and Joined to a band to
which the cuff Is attached, No. 2 la
finished in regulation shirt waist
style, No. 8 Is gathered and attached
to the straight band cuff and No. 4 Is
tucked and Joined to a band, to which
the roll-over cuff la seamed.
The quantity of material required
for the medium size Is for either long
sleeves one and three-fourth yards
twenty-one, one and five-eighth yards
twenty-seven or seven-eighth yard
forty-four Inches wide; for either el-
bow sleeves one and one-eighth yards
twenty-one, one yard twenty-seven or
five-eighth yard forty-four Inches
wide, with one vard of ruffllne for
No. 3, one and one-half yards of band
ing ror No. 4. . - .
Accent anting Simplicity.
Still further accentuating the sim
plicity note are the ribbon trimmed
hats. Whole bolts of soft, glazed
ribbon are utilized In concocting the
bows and loops which adorn some of
the newest cbapeaux.
Stylish Cutaway Coat.
A coat of new and stylish cut Is
a short cutaway, almost blaser fash
Ion In front, and sloping to a point la
the back.
DUN'S WEEKLY SUMMARY
Fall Retail Trade Reported Excellent
Liberal Distribution of Wearing
Apparel In Leading Cities.
Interest centers In fall retail trade
and results are all that could be
desired. There Is no sectional dif
ference on this point all leading
cities reporting a liberal distribution
of seasonable wearing apparel. Sup
plementary orders are coming to
wholesale and Jobbing houses, and
satisfactory results with autumn
goods encourage manufacturers to
extend preparations tor the next sea
son. Mercantile collections have also im
proved, October payments being fair
ly well met thus far, although rates
for commercial paper are abnormally
high. Among the manufacturers the
most notable Increase in orders is
reported by New England shoe shops,
while there is no Idleness at cotton
mills, and the reduction of steel out
put is not significant In some lines
there 1b a sentiment of conservatism
that eliminates much of the custom
ary speculative business, and this is
regarded with satisfaction by those
who appreciate the importance of
moderation until the financial pres
sure is reduced.
No- change has occurred In the con
dition of the Iron and steel indus
try. Few sales of pig are reported,
and some sections of the market are
slightly xyenker, but as a rule, steadi
ness prevails, and Bessemer Is $3.50
per ton higher than a year ago. Ex
port trade has broadened In several
sections of the market, large tonnago
of wire going to Canada.
A better feeling exists in primary
markets for cotton goods, while mills
are producing as rapidly as possible
without overtaking rjrderfl to any ap
preciable extent. Jobbers In tho
west continue to transact a large
business, although tho money market
Is still a restraining feature. Fewer
goods are sacrificed by second hands,
removing the most depressing influ
ence. Narrow print cloths are sold well
pp to next spring, while wide goods
are taken less freely.
MARKETS.
PITTSBt'tG.
Wheat No. t red W o
Ilye No. 3 " 7
Corn No 2 yellow, ear 73 7S
No. 8 yellow, (belled .7) r
Mixed ear "I tu
Oats-No. I white 51 64
No. 3 white , 81 Its
Flour Winter patent 4 11 4 71
Fancy straight winters 4 Hi 4 m
Hay No. 1 Timothy 1 01 10 y
Clover No. 1 17 50 1H B
Feed No. 1 white mid. ton 4 00 is ft.
Hrown middling! 9 in V
Bran, bulk -' 51 28 no
Straw Wheal 10 W
Oat WW II 5
Dairy Products.
Butter Elgin creamery I 8
Ohio creamery " 'it
Fancy country roll IS
Cheese ilhlo, new II 15-
Mew York, new 14 is
Poultry, Etc.
Hens per lb I 1' IS
Chickens dressed Jo
Eggs Pa. and Ohio, fresh W 81
Fruits and Vegetables.
Potatoes Fanfy white per bu.... W t
Cabbage per ton ,?(" 0
Onions per barrel W it
BALTIMORE.
Flour Winter Patent f 4 n in
Wheat No. 8 red t OS
Corn Mixed 74 71
Kgga Sf
Butter Ohio creamery Hi V
PHILADELPHIA.
Flour Winter Patent t 4W 7,
Wheat No. 3 red - 103
Corn No. 2 mixed 4T 40
Oats No. white J)
Butter Creamery
M Pennsylvania firsts h
NEW YC.1K.
Flour Patents 4 4 80 I T
Wheat-No. S red 1 g
Corn No. S. J JI
Oat-No. white J Ji
Butter -Creamery ' '
Kggs State and Pennsylvania....
LIVE STOCK.
Union 8tock Yards, Pittsburg.
Cattle.
litre, 1,450 to 1,0) lbs S 8 S 40
Prime, 1.H0O to 1,40) lbi 00 8 S
Good, l.ioo to 1.8 K) lbs 5 6) 0 0J
Tidy, 4,050 to 1,150 lbs 6 13 '
Common, 700 to 809 lbs 4 00 4 S
Oxen 8 8 4 00
Bui's (0) 4 .
Cows 1 80 8 71
Heifers, 7uO to 1. 100. It) 4 11
Fresh Cows and Springers It 0) 50 )
Hogs.
Prime heavy I t 00 6 t
Prime medium weight CO 8 f
Best heavy Yorkers 8 80 III
Wood light Yorkers 10 8 "
Pigs (80 5
Houghs 6 l B-iO
Stags 8 31 I 00
Sheep.
Prime wethers, clipped. f 1 61 75
Good mixed. 5 it t 60j
Fair mixed ewes and wethers 4 50 J 0
Colls and common toi it)
Lambs 4 3) 1 TO
Calves.
Veal calves 8 0) 8 81
Heavy and thin ealves 8 0) (00
Slmplon Tunnel Full of Radium.
A newspaper at Geneva claims
Prof. Joly has completed a geological
examination of specimens of tho
strata collected from borings for tho
Slmplon tunnel. He found richer
traces of radium than any hitherto
discovered in Europe. He believes
the presence of these deposits caused
the abnormal beat experienced la
building the tunnel.
Why Currants Are Nutritious.
The reason why currants are so re
markably nutritious Is that they con
sist, to a very large degree, of sac
charine in its most easily digestible
form that of grape sugar. The
piquant flavor of the currant, which
adds so much to Its pleasantness as
a food, is derived from the valuable
percentage of tartaric acid which the
berry contains. Potash is also present
In the form of cream of tartar and la
undoubtedly of dietetic value. La
dles' Pictorial