The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1857-07-16
Castia Diva.

"High ho ~ sighs Mr. Patron, what forlorn
life it is to live aone? and he drew his chair close
10 the fire and ensconsed himself therein, wrap.
ping his tri-colored dressing gown about him.
wish were married! know lady boards in the
same house too--and believe she'd have me il
| were to ask her. I mean the pretty music
teacher She is young, delicate and amiable /;
only there seems to be something melancholy
about her: she is a widow, like her though,
and believe she likes me I'll think this over.
| have plenty of motley, and nobody TO spend it
upon. Yes, think will DISK pretty Madame
Victory to marry ne.
Rap, rap, rap!
Come in-who's there?"
"Pleas,e sir, il'a your clean Clothes"
" Clean clothes and pray who are you, you
little cherub, and where do YOU come from p
"T am Lauretta, sir. and live with Bridget,
who WASHES your clothes; and she sent me with
the basket to-nghn'
"Yrs. should think she did, you little duck
ling, and the basket is la ger than yourself =
Come aud 81. down in this chair by the fire and
warm your toes-!here, now; want to talk with
you. Are You Bridget's child?'
"Oh, no, sir and look Of care passed over
the little face.
"No. | thought not. Washerwomen's child
rem don't have such eyes, nor such broad fore
head, nor such soft hair Well, birdie, how
came you with Bridget? Have you no pa
run's?'
IL don't know. only dream have. Brid-
get lrtS me stay with her because | can sing
"Sing and what has that to Go with it?'
"Oh, sir, sing my songs in the great houses
and they give me sixpences and take them to
Bridget"
AHA, you pay your board, then? Well, lit.
tie Laurctra, will you sing for me now p
" Yes, indeed and the little one stands up
in the middle Of the rug, and opening her rose.
bud mouth she sings Casta Diva!
" Bless my stars what voice | know some
thing about music myself; at least enough to
know that such voice should be fortune to
the one that possesses it. Little one, where did
you learn that p
"Nurse taught me-"
Nurse Who is nurse p
Nurse is dead" The dark eyes fill with
tears, and the ruby lips quivering.
Mr.. Patron walks up and down the room.--
His curiosity is excited as well as his pity.
Please, sir, shall have the Basket Bridget
will scold me if stay so long"
"No, little one, will carry the basket, am
going home with you.
"Ir-up five flight of stairs, sir, and there is
no light in the passage
All the more reasons should go with you.
Now | am ready. Come, my little singer, you
aud | will be better acquainted before long
Don't fall down these steps keep hold of my
hand here we are in Broadway. Now where
do we turn down Prince street, hey and
now down Crosby. What do you live in this
alley Oh, never fear little COsta Dava, shall
tread safely enough while this hand leads ne
Ugh how many more flights are there? only
two! Well, can climb them if you can. So,
is this the door ~
" Och, and is it you, sir, that would be after
comming to sec poor woman at this hour p
Will you be seated sir" said Bridget wiping a
wooden chair with her apron. 'Your shirts
were-not itoned Is be suitimg ye may be :"
" Shirts all right, Bridget. | came to bring
home your little girl anI to ask you something
about her. She has been singing to ne. Will
you tell me where she came from 2
"Ye take great deelo' ttot'ble for lone bit
of child indeed sir; but her story is not so
long. She lived with furren woman, in the
room below, named Theresa. The woman she
was waiting maid in Lauretta's family, in Italy,
somewhere, and while she was out with the child,
then only two years old, for the sake Of the air
there came big row in the city, and the chids
father was in the riddle Of it, and got kilt and
when she reached the house, all in fright, sure
it vas on fire and the mother gone, and niver
was she able to find it. So she kept the child
and comes TO America with il fer she heard
how the streets were paved with gold, and when
she came and found nary gold nor food but for
the working, she had to go to work, as all we
poor creatures do; an she took, in washing in
the one room down stairs; but mivera bit would
she let the child do for itself but waited on il
Ik5 slave, and only taught il to sing as its
mother did before it, she said aud last year
Theresa died This poor creature took on so bad
that | took her myself, only I'll be bringin her
up differently, irititeiy III teach her to earn
her bread at any rate, and 50 / send her out
every day, 10 sing to the great folks, an makes
her help me to carry around the clothes, and
that is all sir
at was very good in you Budget, to take the
little orphan; you have saved her from sad
fate; YOU will be rewarded, YOU my depend
Bridget raised her eyebrows, and dronped Il
courtesy while little Cos,a Diva. as MI. Patron
then, and ever since has called her. hid her face
in the bed aud sobbed to hear her own story re-
lated, The kind gntlemar looked az her ten