Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-03-17

aria was concluded, and Critic stood
PAINTING, wiping the perspiration from
his forehead, the singer stepped up to
him with smile and said:
Chow is it, Signor Critic? will you
loan the ducats now; or will you at least
listen to my.explsnation, and not inter
rupt with your curse"
Course, / curse?-no, Heaven for
bid the money will count out direct
Iy, my son. You are a magician, and
have bewitched me. Upon your honest
face, or your golden voice, / loan it
without interest, if it must be So"
mo, no, that is more than L ask my
worthy sir. BE assured You do me a
great favor, which shall not forget af-
ter the carnival, when L am happy
bridegroom and rich man." Philippe
quickly gathered up the money, and
vanished through the street door, and
Critic awoke, as if from heavy dream,
to a consciousness of what he had done.
At first he seemed to repent his generos-
ity, then shaking his gray locks, invol-
unfairly exclaimed, He has a vOicel he
can sing ana bewitch with his songs.
He shall teach my Elisetta."
The carnival was bright and magnifi-
cent, but passed far too quickly for
Fillippo. lie had not, as formerly,
celebrated it with his gay companions.
He was seeking his unknown loved one
amid the crowd of masks, and too often
found himself sadly disappointed. His
gold at last engaged an old woman to
bring information of her, and also de-
ceived all watching eyes which guarded
.he beautiful unknown; through her he
| r. CT ived few lines from the lady, con-
tanning, however, neither yes nor no
but a promise to meet him on the com
ing Sunday. True, he had seen and
spoken with her on the evening of the
last day of the carnival, and confessed
his love; but while he listened to hear
the sweet words of life that trembled
Iunexpressed upon her lips, the dense
crowd separated him from the fair one,
and. instead, the braves of a hundred
hooking voices greeted him, as they
looked on and boisterously applauded
the farce.
| Philippe sat in his lonely room in sOr-
row and silence, when the door sudden
| Nv opened and Critic stood before him,
the sight of whose face recalled his I'M
Cancelled obligation, and struck new
terror to the unhappy lover. The object
of his visit, however, was by no means
such as Fillippo had anticipated; he
came to assure his young friend that the
sweet strains of his golden song were yet
floating through his brain, and to re-
quest that he would give his daughter
lessons, and teach her those charming
melodies, with which she might gladden.
and solace his old age. Palma was not
more surprised at this request than at
the news that he had daughter, whom
he had never seen or heard of though
he had been long time a regular GUS
mer of the old man. Then GIiffo told
him how, long years ago, the persua-
sions of his friends had induced him 20
marry, and how in a years time his
young wife died. leaving him a daugh-
ter, whom the tender care of prudent
aunt had reared. AZ have had notice
he added, ''that many fatterers and
idlers, attracted by her beauty, seek to
ensnare the girl; so that it is doubly ne
cessary that She be suitably employed,
that evil may not take root in the soil
of her heart. :"
The next evening In compliance with
Critics request, Fillippo was on the
spot at the appointed hour, and follow
ed him with no little curiosity into the
upper apartments of his lodgings.
Who shall describe his establishment
when from a side door, entered the long
sought, unknown object of his love-
Forgetting all else, he threw himself at
her feet, kissed her beautiful hand, and
covered it with kisses, which she very
graciOusly received, believing the APP
probation and consent of her father had
been gained.
But it was far otherwise. While the
young pair abandoned themselves tojOy
aud delight, the old man foamed with
anger and rage, and a storm of impreca-
tiOns soon convinced the lovers of the
true state of the case.
/ All seemed lost. Critic seized the
| girl and led her into the adjoining room,
and was about to kick Filiippo out of
the door, when suddenly the remem-
brance came to him, how, on former
occasion, he had, by the mysterious
might of music, subdued and conquer
ed the terrible anger of the old churl.
He quickly seated himself at the open
piano, and if before he had been sing
ing in joke, this time he sang with the
earnestness of desperation, and not In
vain.
Orpheus rung from the miser his
Eurydice. and became his son-in-law.-
No son of song, since Filippo Palma,
has ever won from a miser gold, far less
Elisetta.