The Van Buren press., 1871-09-26
MISCELLANY.
Canilh.


Paul Smith was ppor old man. Hc
had back room in the top of a'noisy
lodging house, where he slept nights
and munched his meals of bread and
cheese Tor Bologna sausage, when he
could afford it, and from whence he
crept, as harmless and unnoticed as a hy.
down to the corner Of the dingy street,
to the little music shop OF Carl Bertmann,
a German settler somewhere in Soho.
There he tinkered all day on broken
violins and other musical instruments,
never absenting himself for a moment,
save on Saturday afternoons, when ho
went to the house of a small tradesman
to teach the piano to three or four very
stupid girls. Sundays, he curled up in
his den, and amused himself, nobody
knew how, until Monday morning
There are few certantes he never
went to church but he picked ragged
children from the pavement when they
fell near him, and gave them half pen
nies when he had any; shared his dinner
often with NANCY, dirty cur, who acted
as sort Of escape,vaNe for the i'll TEN
per of half the men and women in the
street and he reused Pat Ryan from his
midnight snoozo in the gutter many a
cold night, and literally carried him
home to Norah and the children.
AS for his honesty, neghbor remark
ed; " If he found fire shillings in the
aa a 2qt tn .angs In ns worth
owner"
One cold night, Paul was returning
from his work, with loaf OF bread under
one arm and a violin under the other
when at the street door he stumbled, and
nearly fell over small object crouched
on the step.
Bless us What's this ?" crod Paul,
striving to regain his equilibrium.
"Only me, sir!'' and the small object
stood up and became very pale, thin,
and ragged child.
"Are you hurt, little girl 7"
"No, sir "
"What are you doing out here in the
cold" ......
"Nothing
"Why don't you go homer
amt got any T.
"Dear me Where's your mother p
"In heaven" !"
At this, Paul was dumbfounded /; and
seeing that great tears were stealing
down the child's wan face he thrust the
violin under the arm which had held the
bread and putting the other around the
tiny figure, he said, cob I've got a
home-a really jolly place Come up and
see
And this is the way old Paul came TO
have neat little housekeepcr, and to be
buying calico gowns and shoes out of his
poor salary.
People wondered at the sight Of this
bent old man, hitherto alone and uncared
for, now walking daily to his work with
his hand upon the shoulder Of the odd,
yct pretty faced girl, looking at her with
honest pride frightening his eyes, and
laughing as loud as she wherever the
Joke came in. But old Paul looked un
concerned, evaded the question of the
curious, and learned to love nothing bet
ter in this world than the little waif, Ca
milla.
There were many, many days, wher
rheumatism drew Paul up by tho fire in
the old back attic, and drew the very last
penny out Of the dilapidated old purse
but brave little Camilla. never forgetting
how near death she had been on that bit.
ter night Of their meeting, always found
word to ward of hunger, aud courage
to keep them both bright until help came
The winter Of 1856 came in like q lion
as many poor wretch well remembers
and with the first blast came Paul's enc
my. He turned one night sad face
from his warm corner in Bertmann'
shop among the violins, and hobbled ~
the cold street, feeling tho approach o
the old rheumatic pains. and wondering
what would become of his poor little Ca
milla.
His excitement carried him up TO tht
last flight Of stairs, and hearing Camilla
voice, he paused to rest and to listen
She was singing in that sweet and ex
pressive manner which made her vote,
seem to him the sweetest and purest hi
had ever heard. At the end of the stan
"a she took breath and another voic,
said, Child, you astonish me. Either
am n poor Judge Of music, or else you
voice is the finest l ever heard. You arr
right in prcferring its cultivation to any
thing else "
An electric thrill shot through ole
Pauls frame, and quckened his blood tc
rapidity that quite carried away hi'
rheumatic pains, and in a twinking h'
was up the stairs and in his little attic.
lie was terrified at thosound Of man.
voice, but the sight Of = handsome ant
polished gentleman, with diamond stud
in his snowy linen, heavy ring upon hi
! ja:.,,, ,,,L;,o haul ,,nnuostinuakloh q hro ad