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

married i know a LADY DoarOs In the
same house, too; and I believe she'd
have me if I 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's a widow; 1 like her, though, and
believe she likes me; I'll think this
ovor. / have plenty of money, and no
body te spend it upon. Yes, l think I
will ask pretty Madame Victor to- marry
re-
Rap, rap. rap.
Come in-whose there? ?
please, sir, it's your clean clothes
sglesn clothes !! snd pray who are you,
you little cherub, and where did you
some from 2,
u am Lauretta, air, and live with
Bridget, who washes your clothes, and
she has sent me with the basket tonight
Yes, I should think she did, you little
duckiing and the basket is larger han
YOURSELF Como and sit down in this
chair by the fire and warm your toes !;
there row, 1 want to talk with you. Are
you Bridget's child?
sOh no sir and a look of care passed
over the little face.
No, I thought not. Washerwomen's
children don't have such eyes, nor such
broad fereheads, nor soft hair. Well.
birdie, how came you with Bridget p
Have you no parents? p
Il don't know 1 only dreamed I have.
Bridget let's me stay with her because l
can sing
Sing and what has that to do with
itp
sOh, sir, I sing my songs in the great
houses, and they give me sixpences, and
I take them TO Bridget
AHA, you pay your board, then P
Well little Lauretta, will you sing for
me now?'
Eyes, indeed and the little one stands
up in the middle of the rug, and open
ing her rosebud mouth, she sings Casta
Diva
Bless my stars, what a voicei [ know
something about music myself; at least
enough to know that such a voice should
be a fortune to the one who possesses it.
Little one, where did you learn that p
Nurse taught me-
'Nursel Who is nurse p
Nurse is dead
Tbe.dark eyes filed with tears. and
the ruby lips are quiyery.
Mr.. Patron walks up and down the
room. His curiosity is excited as well
as his pity.
please, sir, shall I have the basket ?
Bridget will scold me if stay solong'
No, little one, I will carry the bas-
ket, I am going homo with you
'It's up five flights of stairs, sir, and
there is no light in the passage
sAll the more reason 1 should go with
you. Now I am ready. Come my lit
tie singer, you and | will be better ac-
quaiDted before long. Don't fall down
these steps keep hold of my hand here
We are in B~rosdwsy. Now where do we
turn ? down Prince street, hey ? and
now down Crosby ?. What! do you live
in this alley ? Oh, never fear little Cos
u Diya, l shall tread safely enough
While this little band leads me. Ugh
how many more flights are there ?-only
two. Well, 7 can climb them if you
can. So, is this the door?'
sOch, an il is you, sir, that would be
after coming to see a poor woman at
this hour? VIII you be seated, sir?
said Bridget, wipipg a wooden chair
with her apron. Your shirts were not
irOned to be suiting you, may be9
Shirts all right, Bridget, 1 came to
bring home your little girl, and to ask
YOU something about her. She has been
singing to me. Will you tell me where
she came from p
.Ye take a deal o. trouble for a lone
bit of a child, indeed, sir but her story
is not SO very long. She lived with a
furren woman, in the room below, named
Il lere6Sa. Inc woman sue vas noAe'NS
maid in Lauretta's family, in lilly,
somewhere and while she was cut with
the child, then only two years old, for
the sake of the air, there came a big row
in the city, and the child's father was in
the middle of it, and got kilt and when
she reached the house, all in a fright
sure and it was on fire, and the mother
Of it gone, and niver was she able to hnd
Il. So she kept the child and come to
America with it; for she heard how
the streets 1ere paved with gold; and
When she came ard found nary gold nor
food but for the working, she had to go
to work, as all we poor creatures 90 ;
and she took in washing in the one room
below stairs. But nivcr a bit would she
let the child do for itself, but waited on
it like a slave, aud only taught 1t to sing,
.as it's mother did before it, she said.