The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-08-12

and makes her help me to carry around
the clothes and that is all, sir
1t was very good in you, Bridget. to
take the little orphan you saved her
from a sad fate; you will be rewarded,
you may depend
Bridget raised her eyebrows a drop
ped a courtesy, while little Casta Diva,
as Mr. Patron then, and ever since called
her, hid her face in the bed and sobbed
to near her own story related. The
kind gentleman looked at her tenderly,
and then continued
Il have a plan for this poor child, which
will relieve you of you of your charge,
and repay you for your goodness of heart
Good night, little one; I'll com: to-
morrow. Dry your tears for 1 will yet
make you happy. Here Bridget, is some
money for you and be sure you do not
send her out to sing again. l have some
thing better for her to do
Bridget dropped another courtesy,
and her mouth,opeued wide-for she was
ali mystifed and bowildered.
An hour later, and Mr.. Patron is
again seated in an easy chair before his
bright coal fire, with his dressing gown
once mere folded around him. The on
ly difference is that he smiles instead of
signing as be did before.
tAh, yes he says, Il sec nv way clear.
L can now without hesitation call upon
Madame Victor in her room, to interest
her about my little Casta Diva. I will
tell her the story, and engage her to
cultivate the voice of my little protegc.
| will see her to morrow morning, and
perhaps she will accompany me to Bird :
cts lodgings. Not a very romantic
walk to invite the lady of my heart to
share. but then the circumstance are
peculiar
Now 1 think of it, I must engage of
my landlady the little bed room next to
mine. 1 am determined to adopt that
singing cherub for my own. I will
change her name to Casta Diva Patron.
1t sounds musical, and she is musical
he: self. If sweet Madame Victor ouly
secs in her what l do, we shall be an
amazing happy family. [ declare l feel
like a husband and father already. l
shall find enough to do with my money
after ALL
And so be goes to bed and dreams of
his future joys till he fairly laughs aloud
in his s:ecp.
Now it is morning, and if you will put
your head out of your door, you can see
him walking along the hall. He stops
at No. 6, knocks gently, but the rich
toned piano, touched by a thrilling hand,
does not allow so love Ike a tap to be
heard. This time he knocks louder, the
music stops and tho door is opened by a
beautiful woman, who smiliugly invites
him to enter. Well, L don't wonder he
fell in love with her They close the
door. Let's you and I go peep at the
key hole, and hear what they have to
say. I'll never tell; will you? Hark!
Well, after all, 1 can't tell you what
they said now; because 1 promised 1
wouldn't Mr.. Patron has s,aid in there
a great whilA and he dom ask her to
sing or play ali the time.
Now the door opens again and they
come cut together; he in his overcoat
and hat, she in her cloak and velvet bon
net. He looks very much excited, and
she looks pale, and trembles SO she can
hardly speak. She takes his offered
arm, and goes down stairs ard out of the
door. l do believe they are 60
ing to Bridget's.
And so they are.
Good Mr.. Patton walks slowly with
the sweet lady, for she has every rea-
SON to tremble she believes she is Lau-
retta's mamma; for she has been tell
ing her friend how her husband was
in q dreadful mob one, day, be-
cause he was a great policeman, aud
when they had burned his house they
took and threw her into prison, where
she remained a whole year, and only
made her escape when, during the terri
BILE trouble in Italy, the prison doors
were unbarIed to all.
She sought frautically for her child
but in vain and believing that both
Lauretta aud her nurse were crushed in
the mob that killed her husband, she
came to America to try to earn a liveli-
hood among the hospitabIe strangers By
her fine musical education and uncom-
mon voice.
Madame Victor believes that Lauretta
is her child, because their %slorics are so
strongly alike. Five years have passed
since she left Italy {; but she knows that
her eyes will not deceive her. Her babes
features are iudellibly engraved upon
her heart.
Her kind friend supports her up five
flights of stairs, and she stops to take
breath and to nerve herself for either
intense happiness or disappointment.
They are about to enter the room,
when a little voice greets her ears, sing
ing with wonderful power and express
ion, an italian melody, which the lady