Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-04-14
singer stepped up to him with smile and

slnBSLL sGOpPOu UP w MN "AOiA :,
said: H'
'How is It, Signor Griffo2 will you loan
me the ducats now; or will you at least lis
ten to my explanations, and not interrupt
me with your cursesT
"Curse, | curseP-uO, Heaven forbid
the money l will count out directly, my
son. You are magician, and have be-
Witched me. Upon your honest face or
your golden voice, / loan it without inter-
est, If 1t must be So" Ia =
"No, no, that is more than l ask, my
worthy sir. Be assured you do me great
favor, which | shall not forget after the
carnival, when am happy bridegroom
and rich man." Fillippo quickly gath
cred up the money and vanished through
the street door, and Critic awoke as II
from heavy dream, to a consciousness OF
what he had done. At first he seemed to
repent his generosity. then, shaking his
grey locks, involuntarily exclaimed, "He
has voice! he can sing and bewitch with
his songs. He shall teach my Elisetta."
The carnival was brilliant and magnif-
cent, but passed far too quickly for Eli
lppO. He had not, as formerly, celebrated
it with his gay companions. He was seek
ing his unknown loved one amid the crowd
of masks, and too often found himself sad
ly disappointed. His gold at least engaged
an old woman to bring information OF her,
and also deceived all watching eyes which
guarded the beautiful unknown; through
her he received a few lines from the lady,
containing, however, nothing but prom
ise to meet him on the coming 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 listen
ed to hear the sweet words OF life that
trembled unexpressed upon her lips, the
dense crowd separated him from the fair
one, and instead, the braves of hundred
mocking voices greeted as they looked on
and boisterously applauded the farce.
Fillippo sat in his lonely room in sorrow
and silence, when the door suddenly open
ed and Griffo stood before him, the sight
of whose face recalled his uncancelled obli-
CATION, and struck new terror to the un-
happy lover. The object of his visit, how
ever, was by no means such as FilIippo 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 request that he would give his
AdaHghter lessons, 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 regular customer OF the
old man. Then Critic told him how, long
years ago, the persuasions of his friends
| had induced him to marry, and how In
years time his young wife died, leaving
| him daughter, whom the tender care OF
| prudent aunt had reared. 81 have had no
| tice," he added, shat many tlatterers anC
| idlers, attracted by her beauty, seek to en-
snare the girl; so that it is dOubly necessa'
ry that she be suitably employed, that evi
may not take root in the soil of her heart.
| The next morning, in compliance witt
| Griffo's request, FillippO was on the spot a
the appointed hour, and followed him will
no little curiosity into the upper apartment
of his lodgings. ~.
| Who shall describe his astonishment
when, from side door entered the lont
sought, unknown object of his love. For
getting all else, he threw himself at hel
feet, kissing her beautiful hand, and cover
ing it with kisses, which she very gracious
ly received, believing the appreciation ant
consent of her father had been gained.
But it was far otherwise. While tn
young pair abandoned themselves to jO,
and delight, the old man foamed with ange
and rage, and storm of imprecatiOns 500
convinced the lovers of the true state Q
the case.
All seemed lost. Critic seized the gil
and led her into the adjoining room, an
was about to kick Fillippo out of the dool
when suddenly the remembrance came t
him, how, on former occasion, he had, b.
the mysterious might of music, subdue
and conquered the terrible anger of the oil
churl. He quickly seated himself at til
open piano, and if before he had been sing
ing in joke, this time he sang with tn
earnestness of desperation, and not in vail
Orpheus wrung from the miser his Fury
dice, and became his son-in-law. No so
of song, since Fillippo Palma, has ever wo
from miser gold, far less Elisetta.