Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-05-30
Such a miserable den il wss 6, d.rt =

Such a miserable den it was, 90 dark an,
dreary; how could he take his little wifi
there? Smoke dried and begrimed, tn
oharred beams pOking out their black muE
Eles in every direction to territy her, anc
the heavy, shattered buildings opposite
frOwning down their eternal dark frowI
upon her timid face. Dusky garments
futtering out on strings and poles, for sale
garments of nameless shape and quality
ard color; for daylight had hard work tc
peer down at any time into Tibb's Old
Court.
And, as he raised her from the ragged
bed, she chung about him with her burning
arms, and murmured out feebly, Home,
PaOlo, / want to 60 home across the sea ;
it is cold here and l never see the sun
Cold! why. it is summer, litter wife, and
hot-Oh 50 hot as l tramp the weary street
and grind out my tunes
Poor boy! Poor PaolOr
Bet when I am tried I think of coming
back to thee, little one, and that gives NE
strength
Then he took the small hand again, and
started to see how thin and wasted it vas;
and again she murmured out a yearning
after home, away from this cruel place where
there was no sur, where dirty old men
peered in upon her, and called her my
dear She should die there some day, and
then he would be left all alone.
Die?-what. die and leave me? How he
.clasped the poor thin hand now, and press
ed his lips upon it how gently he laid her
head upon his bosom and sOothed her, how
he promised that tomorrow he would try
harder than ever to earn e little money;
and then, if she we're strong enough, they
would 60 away to some SUMMER place.
But she put her finger on his lip, and
cried out, Home, home
So he promised her that, too. she would
60 home.
In the earlier morning he kissed her qui-
city, for she is still sleeping; he takes up
his organ, and starts briskly upon his
round, for he has a long way to walk
And when the sun pOurs down upon the
dry, white houses, and the very air that
stirs family is hot and arid, where is she?
Poor lad what, nothing yet? The whole
long morning gone. and nothing gained
But he grinds away, and his marionettes
dance and frolic as if there is no such
things as dropping little wives and sunless
lodgings. Noisy urchins gather rOundhim,
and dance and shout too, and sometimes
fall to kicking n another, for variety, and
now a miseraole French piano sets up in.
opposition and spoils his music. With a
sigh he looks up to the balcony under which
he has played so long. A lady sits there
eating grapes, that must have cost-I don't
know how much.
.Datemi gaalche cosa, murnegTs the lad,
in his own tongue; and his sad mouth aud
wistful eyes echo the words.
But the lady puts her delicate hand to
her ear. in horror at the jingling piano,
which will keep on s~creeching out about its
Own Mary Ann shakes her head and
keeps on feeding her lap dog with dainty
morsels of cake; for the poor spaniel has
been sick and is dainty in his eating.
Then Paolo turns away heavily and
stumBles against a few perambulatOrs-
which is nothing new, since those inven-
ton have aKoDderful knack of holding their
own, and refuse to diycrge a hairs breadth
from their line on any account. All down
another row of fine houses for nothing; and
when he murmurs out some mournful words
about a. sick wife, the answer is Nat
he has no busins~nth a wife, which is
vs,v trr- q cOmforting. But when one
hepne little girl throws him a half pen
he is 50 grateful that he grinds out his
whole stock Of tunes again for her.
More row and more failures; it ishours
since the milk went below, eud the Young
water c~reese's' are slowed away long ago /:
it is 50 late that PaOlo can stay no longer.
A hot tear rolls down his check as he looks
at his one half penny, and in his abstrac-
ton he stumbled against a knot of gentle
men,
.Datemi qualche cosa.' cried out the lit
tie lad, with a sob in his voice; for he was
thinking of the little wife he had no bust
ness with.
He was answered in his own tonguel-
Yes, a sovereign, . whole golden sover-
eign-ah little wifel
Shall he show his treasure at once, or
keep il back a little, that the rejoicing may
be greater? Now he draws near the end
of his walk; he enters that dreary place
where the dark frown hoyers ~cternally, and
the sun never comes. He stands on the
threshold, stretching forth his arms joyful
il to his little wife. There is nothing on
the bed but a heap Of cloths and a bit of
clav-co1d ouitn coId She had aoDe homo