Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-06-27
G. ASTA DIV A,

%
melancholy about her. she is a widow; / like
her though. and believes she likes me; I'll think
this over. have plenty OfmOney, and nobody
to spend it upon. Yes. / think 1 will ask
pretty Madame Victor to marry me-"
Rap, rap. rap
Come in-whO's there"
PLEASE sir. it's your clean clothes"
Clean clothes and pray who are you, you
little cherub. and where do you come frOm2n
- am Lauretta, sir, and live with Bridget
who washes your clothes, and she sent me with
the basket tonight" :"
Yes should think she did Won little duck-
ling, and the basket is larger than yourself
Come and sit down In this chair by the fire and
warm your tOes-there now, want to talk with
you. Are you Bridget's child2'
. Oh no, sir" and look Of care passed over
the little face.
No, thought not Washerwomen's chill
dren don't have such eyes, nor such broad fore
head, nor soft hair. Well, birdie, how come
you with Bridget have you no parentS!'
- don't know. L only dream have Brid-
get lets me stay with her because L can sing
Sing and what has that to do with it ~
Oh, sir, sing my songs in the great houses,
and they give me sixpenees, and l take them
TO Bridget"
Aha, you pay your board, them Well little
Lauretta: will you sing for me now"
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 l know
something 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? ~
Nurse taught me-"
Nurse Who Is nurse9'
Nurse is dead" The dark eyes fill with
tears, and the ruby lips are quivery.
Mr.. Patron walks up and down the room.
His curiosity is excited as well as his pity.
Please, sir shall 1 have the basket? Brid-
get will scold me if L stay so long"
No, little one, | will carry the basket 1 am
going home with you;
d" It's up Ave flights of stairs, sir, and there
Is no light in the passage
- All the more reasons should 90 with YOU
Now am ready. Come, my little singer. you
and / will be 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 CaSta Diva, shall tread safe
ly enough while this little hand leads me- Ugh,
how many flights are there'-Only two, Well
can climb them if you can. So. Is this the
dOOr9''
Och and 5 it you, sir, that would be after
coming to see poor woman at this hour Will
You be seated, SIR" said Bridget wiping q
wooden chair with her apron. . Your shirts
were not ironed to be suiting We, may be?''
Shirts all right, Bridget. / 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
- Ye take a deal trouble for lone bit of a
children, indeed, sir. but her story is not 50
very long. She lived with a 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 child thPr the middle of ~
and got kilt; and when she reached the house.
n | In fright. sure it was on fire and the moth
er of it gone, and niver was she able to find it,
SO she Kept the child AID comes to America
with 1t, for 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
70 60 TO work. a all we poor creatures do an
she took In washing in the one room down stairs;
but niver bit would she let the child do for
itself; but waited on it like slave, and only
taught il to sing, . as its mother did before it,
she said and last year Thersesa died This
poor creature took on 80 bad that took her
myself only Eli be bringin' her up differently
intirely; III teach her to earn her bread at any
rate, and 50 L send her out every day TO sing
TO the great folks, an makes her help me to
carry around the clothes. and that is all, sir"
1T was very good in you, Bridge to take the
little orphan; you have saved her from a sad
fate; you will be rewarded you may depend"
Bridget raised her eyebrows and dropped
courtesy. while little Casta Diva, as Mr.. Pat
ron then, and ever since called her, bid her face
IN the bed and sObbed to hear her own story re-
lated The kind gentleman looked at her ten
derly, and then continued:
& have plan for this poor child, which will
relieve you Of your charge, and repay you for
your goodness of heart. Good night, little one
I'll come tomorrow. Dry your tears. for will
yet make you happy. Here, Bridget, is some
money for you, and be sure you do not send her
out TO sing again. have something better for
her 10 do.
Bridget dropped another courtesy and her
mouth opened wide-fOr she was all mystifed
and bewildered.
An hour later and Mr. Patron is again seated
in an easy chair before his bright coal fire. with
his dressing gown once more folded around him.
The only difference is that he smiles instead of
sighing as he did before.
As, yes, - be says " / see my way clear. I
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
Protege. will see her Tomorrow morning, and
perhaps she will accompany me to Bridget's
lodging. Not a very romantic walk to invite
the lady Of my heart To share, but then the cir
cumstances are peculiar"
Now l think Of it, I must engage Of my
landlady y the little bedroom next to mine am
determined 10 adopt that singing cherub for my
own will change her name To Casta Diva
Patron Ii sounds musical, and she is musical
herself III sweet Madame Victor only sees I'm
her what / do, We shall be an amazing happy
family. / declare l feel like a husband and
father already. shall find enough to do with
my money after all
And so he goes to bed and dreams of his fu-
ture joys till he fairly laughs aloud in his sleep
Now it il morning, and if you will put your
head out Of the door you can see him walking
along the hall. He stops at No. 8-knocks
gently; but the rich toned piano. touched by
thrilling hand does not allow 50 love-like n tap
To be heard. This time he knocks louder, the
music stops, and the door is opened by beau
tiiul woman who smilingly invites him to enter
Well, don't wonder he fell in love with her
They closed the door. Let's you and 20 peep
at the key-hole and hear what they have TO say.
u never tell-will you Hark Well after
all can I tell what they said now because L
promised wouldn't; hut Patron has staid in
there great while and he don't ask her TO
sing or play all the time