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y
294 the miracles of antichrist
For thirty years, it is said, Falco lived in the same
manner as other poor people on Etna. Monday he
went to his work in the fields with his brothers. He
had bread in his bag for the whole week, and he
boiled rice and beans for soup like all the rest. And
he was glad when on Saturday night he was allowed
to return home. He was glad to find the table set
with wine and maccaroni, and the bed made with soft
pillows.
It was just such a Saturday night. Falco and his
brothers were returning home, and Falco, as usual,
was a little behind the others, for he had a heavy
and slow gait. But when the brothers came home
no supper stood waiting on the table, the bed was
not made, and the dust lay thick on the threshold.
What, were all in the home dead ? Then they saw
their mother sitting on the floor in a dark corner of
the room. She had pulled her hair down over her
face and sat writing with her finger on the earthen
floor. "What is the matter?" said the brothers.
She did not look up, she spoke as though she were
speaking to the ground. " We are impoverished,
impoverished." " Do they want to take the house
away from us ? " cried the brothers.—" They want to
take honor and bread."
So she related to them : " Your eldest sister has
been in service at baker Gasparo’s, and it has been a
good service. Signor Gasparo gave Pepa all the
bread left over in the shop, and she gave it to me.
It has been so much that it has been sufficient for
us all. I have been glad ever since Pepa procured
that service. My old age will now be free from care,
I thought. But last Monday Pepa came home
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