Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-09-08
BlAACl'S LOVE LIFE.

Gaskin, staring delightfully."- at the tricks
OF the trained monkey that was attached
to Michael Peroni's barrel organ.
The noon shadows slanted along across
| the green sward In front of the far m house
door; the tall white lilies and thickets OF
blue larkspurs dropped in the hot sun
shine, and the corn fields at the back OF
the house nodded their multitudinous
green heads in the occasional zaphyrs, as
the farmers wife, with her Iitrle ones
clInging shyly to her skirts, stood in the
doorway. listening to the drone of the
organ and little Bianca's shrill yet sweet
voice, as she danced and sang, clatterine
her castanefs high in the air
"And [ don't believe she's day older
than my Maggie" said Mrs. Gaskin, as
little Georgle, scarcely as yet able to tod
die Without assistance, creep across the
short, dandelion starred grass to put his
penny in the monkeys's wlthered palm.
Dear heart alive there's something sad
about it too ~
And when the song and dance was fin
ished, Mrs Ga kin beckoncd 90 the bril-
liant-eyed swarthy elf who stood pushinA
the wavy. Jet black locks away from her
forehead.
YOU'RE to come in. my DEAR" she sal
''you AID your father
''But he is not my father" " interrupted
Cu6 Culiu, dlmO6G I'M JaGloutiY.
"Well, the forelg er nyh0w, and gel
a slice OF NY home ade loaf aud a good
dl-h Of milk. I'll go bail he won'o OBJ
iect 10 that"
Little Blanca turned and chatted some
thug IN Italian to her cnmpanion. BE
dlspiayeG hls itterlng white teeth in 6
sDile, and bowed obs qulonsly to the far
mer's wife. Mrs Gaekin LED the way in.
| aud with busting b ssJIta lry spread III
board for Peroni, Blanca. aud even The
poor shtiVeiled face nOnkey.
Tut sac pr, tty chi,d - whisE cred
nj S. Gaskln to her old maid strr, Mis-
Dfusiila. and she was rlgnt. Blanca wac
very beautiful, Ia spite of her eun-em
Drowned skin, bare feet and ragged scare.
frock. her yes large and liquid were
full Of the deepening snusttine If Ter na-
tive ltily; her features were small aLd
regular, and her mouth as Iipe and rosy
as the biggest strawberry now r4pen1ng on
the vines under the south garden fence.
''Ah - sighed Drusiila Peck, sit is a
pity she should have to tramp round the
country to slng songs aud dance dances
for hvin'."
And when Bianca turned away, fantasti-
cally returning thanks for the entertain
ment shc had received, by kissing MIS-
Gaskin's toll hardened hand, the good
woman's motherly heart fairly ached for
the lonely, lovely child, who seemed as if
1t were adrift upon the world.
Not until the party of foreign adventur-
ers had been gone more than two hours
did Mrs. Gaskin discover, 10 her unspeaka-
BILE dismay, that one of the siver spoons
which had been heirlooms from her dead
and buried grandmother, and the little
silver mug that David, her eldest boy, had
had in the days of his babyhood, were
gone also.
81 knew it !" dolorously groaned Miss
Drusllla. "These foreign juggeIs are all
light fingered. What else could ye expect,
Amanda ann ?"
Mrs. Gaskin fairly sat down and cried
not SO much. it must be confessed. for the
battered silver mug and antiquated tea
spoon, as for the ruthless emolishmpnt
Of the many castles in the air she had
built around the sweet face and fairy tig
ure of black eyed little B,anca.
81 never. never will believe in anybody |
again" sobbed the farmers wife.
The purpole shadows of twilight were |
Just stealing down over the corn fields.
and making dreamy sort of chi1r 0ScurO
over hill and slope and misty river va e,
when Mrs. Gaskin, rocking George to
sleep on her lap with one of the sweet, |
stereotyped old cradle songs that all moth
9rs know by heart, was startled by a light |
tap on her shoulder.
"Sgnora ?" cried soft voice in her
ear.
"Why. bless my soul p cried Mrs. Gas
kin, its the little foreigner -
I've brought back the cup and spoon |
IF silver" F" said Blanca. "He took them.
saw it, but I dared not speak, for he is |
leaVy hand. Tonight, when he lay
sleep under the hedge, stole them from
lis pocket, and here they are."
Mrs. Gaskin started first at the uneX-
oectedly recovered property. and then at
Blanca.
''Sit down and rest yourself SPELL"
aid she, .'before you go back. You're
III out of breath"
81 am not going back" said Blanca
esolutely. "He would beat me to death.
But you kissed me. and gave me bread to
at and milk to drink. could not let
lim steal yOur treasures"
"What are you going to DO :" asked
1rs. Gaskin, still mechanically rocking
George back and forth on her knee.
81 don't know" Blanca answered rock
essly. 81 have run away"
Run away and you not twelve years
Id 90
"The child gave curious italian ehrug
O her brown ehouIde1s
"What else can do shall beg my
Tay. can sing, can d ,nce have my
a1tanets b. re- under my shawl. On, nev-
r fear. Blanca Nifanto need not quite
tarve while there are b-rry bushes b, tie
oadside, and clear cold water iu TIC
lens"
That's all nonsenss," INTERN oted hon
ct David GAskin's voice fir. N the auelg IN
he porch, where he had SAT Un il now
nnoticed. Mother, she must stay with
g. ..4 l..
God bless you for the word, father"
Irs. Gaskin cried, starting up. Its what
d mot wish for in ali he word, but
7e've eight Of our own, a id it's hard row
or yon to hoe, and I di1n't just like to
sk it.
One can't turn stray lamb away ftcm
mes door, said d .vId huskiiy.
And so little Btanca Nifanto stayed IN.
Ter the sheltering shadow of the farm
louse roof until one day, stranger from
he city, who was down fishing in the cooI