The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1857-1858, 1857-07-15
Oasta Diva (!

"iIigh ho!'' signs Mr. Patron "what for.
!arn lie IL lie to i've alone? AID he drew his
CHAIR cl1se to the fire ANA ensconsed himself
therein, wrapping lis tri-cu'e:e1 dressing
gown about hGn. | wiSa was married.
know n ialy boarls in the same house too
and believe she haze me if ] were to
ask her: | mean the pretty music teacher
She is yonng deiicate aud amiable: only
there seems to he something melancholy n
bout her. she is a widow, like her though.
and believe she likes me; IN think this over
] have plenty Of money, and nobody to spend
it upon. Yes, lthink ! will ask pretty Mad
anne Victor to marry me-.
Rap, rap, rap.
Come in--whOs there?"
Please, sir, it $ your clean clothes
Clean clothes. and pray who are you,
you little cherub, and where do you come
from
II am Lauretta, sir, and live with Bridget,
who washes your clothes, and she sent me
with the basket tonight"
ayes, should think she did, you little
douckling, and the basket is larger than
yourself Come and sit down in this chair
by the fire AMI warm your toes-there, now
want to talk with you. Are you Bridget's
childg'
ooh, no, sir" and look of care passed oy-
or the little face
mo, | thought not. Washerwomen's
children don't have such eyes, nor such broad
foreheads, nor such soft hair. Well, birdie,
how came you with Bridget? Have you no
parents?"
II don't know l only dream i have
Bridget lets me stay with her because can
sing
"Sing, and what has that to do with it?'
s'Oh, sir sing nay songs in the great hou-
sss and they give me sixpences, and1 take
them to Bridget"
s.Aha, you pay for your board them
Well little Lauretta,. will you sing for me
nowY'
eyes, indeed" and the little one stands
mp in the middle of the rug, and opening her
rose bud mouth abe sings Casta Diva!
"Bless my stars what voice! know
something about music myself at least e
nough to know that such voice should be
. fortune to the one that possesses it Little
one, where did you learn that
"Nurse taught me"
Nurse! Who is nurseY'
sNurse Is dead The dark eyes ell with
tears, and the ruby lips arc quivering.
Mr.. Patron walks up and down the room.
His curiosity 10 excited as well % his pity.
"Please, sir, shall have the basketa--
Bridget viii scold me il l stay 90 long"
mo little one, ! will carry the basket, !
en going home with you
AXIS up Eve fight Of stairs, sir, and there
u NO light in the passage"
s.All the more reason l should 60 with
YOU. Now am ready. Come my little
aipeer, YOU ard will be better acquainted
before long. Don't fall down these steps
keen hold Of my hand; here VIC are in Broad
way. Now where do we t'irnr down Prince
street, hey2 and now down Crosby. What
do YOU live in this alley. Oh, never fear Cas-
tn Diva, shall tread safely enough while
this little hand leads me. UGH how many
more II ut, are ttere2 only two well can
climb them II Jpl Gao. ~, Is this the door,
..Uv, ID Is i yoa sir, that Won q be alter
cciain. H. see poor woman q. tnis hour
Viii SOU lie seated; sir, said bridget, wip-
ing wo0isf chair With her apron. "lour
ahirts were not ironed to be suiting ye may
beY
"Shirts al rig ht, Bridget / came to bring
home vosr little siri, ana 20 ask Won some
tf.its. isfys,u. her -seias seen stf.5ine 70 me
W i! yaa teli d. ntisree'te came tfoinf
.ia.f#ke i esst te;as q tttsahta f9r a lone
h:t es i hisdrep iaAeei = 90 ser story -
~, ,,-s ls3nr. <he 5sved vith 4 iurren wo-
man i, the r 4D4n he.as. adaea tneresa-
Th. ~.,n IN she ~as waltiag maid IN Laurel
a. family. in Italy somewhere and while
80 ~as out with the child, then only two
var o. fov tie sake Of the mir there came .
hix row : the city and the childs father
-. n tne middle Of it, and got kilt and
vhea she reached the house, all in fright,
s.re Il vas ON fire and the mother oft gone
"a niyer Vas she able 10 6nd it So she
keDt the child land comes to America with It
fr she hoard how IL strssts were paved
- ma. ga whsa shs eans ard faDd M
= - ~ God bit foe ~ working 80
0ro . vsek, . N - psoe sssasarss