The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-08-28
BIANCA'S LOVE LIFE.

'i5ig We'll, if | ever!' cried honest Mrs,
skin, staring delightfully."- at the tricks
N thc trained monkey that was attached
,lSSiliohaCl Pcroni's barrel organ.
he noon shadows slanted along across
'..iR green sward in front Of the farmhouse
2Ei.or; the tall white lilies and thickets oi
z 7uc larksputs dropped in the hot sunshine,
y Ind the cOrn.felds at the back Of tho house
uolded their multitudnous green heads in
Che occasional zephyr, as the farmers
wife, with her little ones clinging shyly to
her skirts, stood in the doorway, listening
to the dronc Of the organ and little Bianca'S
shrli yet sweet voice, as she danced and
sang, Gathering her castanets high in the
ir.
"And don't believe she's day older
than my Maggie" said Mrs. Gaskin, as
little George, scarcely asyet able to toddle
without assistance, creep across the short,
dandelon starred grass to put his penny in
the monkeys witEered palm. "Dea: heart
alive there's something sad about it, too u
And when the song and dance was fin
shed, Mrs. Gaskin bcckoned to the bril-
liant.ey-d swarthy eli who stood pushing
the wavy, jet black locks away from her
forehead.
"You'ro to come in, my dear" she said,
"you and your father"
"Rut he is not my father" interrupted
the child, almost impaticntly.
"Wcll, the foreigner, any how, and get
slice Of my homemade loaf and good
dish Of milk. I'll 60 bail he won't object
to hai."
Little Blanca turned and Chartered some
thing in Italian to her companion. Hcdis-
played his glittering white teeth in smile,
and bowed obscquiously to the farmers
wife. Mrs. Gaskin led the way in, and
with bustling hospitality spread the board
for Pcroni, Blanca, and even the poor
Slrivellcd face monkey.
"Isn't she a pretty childm whispered
Mrs Gaskin to her old maid sister, Miss
Drusilla, and she was right. Blanca was
very beautiful, in spite Of her sun.em-
Drowned skin, bare feet and ragged scarlet
frock. Her eyes large and liquid, were
full of the deepening sunshine Of her native
Italy; her features were small and regular,
and her mouth rs ripe and rosy rs the
biggest strawberry now ripening on the
vines under the south garden fence.
"Ah r' sighed Drrsilla Peck, sit is n
pity she should have to tramp round the
country to sing songs and dance dances for
livin'."
And when Blanca turned away, fantasti-
caly returning thanks for the entertain
ment she had received, by kissing Mrs.
Gaskin's toil.hardened hand, the good
womans motherly heart fairly ached for
the lonely, lovely child, who seemed as II
it were adrift upon the world.
Not until the party of foreign adventur-
crs had been gone more than two hours,
did Mrs. Gaskin discover, to her unspeaka-
bio dismay, that one Of the silver spoons
which had been heirlooms from her dead
and buried grandmother, aud the little sill:
yer mug that David, her eldest boy, had
had in the days Of his babyhood, were gone
..lso.
81 knew i'll" dolorously groaned Miss
Drusilla:: "These foreign juggles are all
light.fngered. What else could ye expect,
Amanda Amp
Mrs. Gaskin fairly sat down and cried
not SO much, it must be confessed, for the
battered silver mug and antiquated tea
spoon, US for the ruthless dcmolishment OF
the many castles in the air she had built
around the sweet face and fairy figure oil
black-eyed little Blanca;
al never, never will believe in anybody
again." sobbed the farmers wife.
The purple shadows Of twilight were
Just stealing down over tho corn-iields,
and making a dreamy sort of chiaro-oscuro
over hill and slope and misty river vale,
when Mrs. Gaskin, rocking George to sleep
on her lap with one Of the sweet, Stereo-
typed old cradle songs that all mothers
know by heart, was startled by a light tap
oil her shoulder.
"Signora ~ cried soft voice in her ear
"Why, bless my soul Z" cried Mrs Gas
kin, ats the little forcigncrw
"I've brought back the cup and spoon
ofsilyer," said Blanca. "Hs took them
1 saw it, but dared not speak, for he is
cruel In. his wayward moods, and bears
heavy hand. Tonight, when he lay aSlecT
under the hedge, stole them from his
pocket, and here they arc"
Mrs. Gaskin started first at the uncx'
Psctedly recovered property, and then al
Blanca.
"Sit down and rest yourself spell,
said she, "bclorc you go back. YOU'RE al
out Of breath"
!" an not going back" said Blanca reso
lutely, lie would beat mo to death
But you kissed me, and gave me bread L
eat and milk to drink. | could not lei
him steal your treasures"
"What are you going to doI' asked
MB, Gaskin, still mechanically rocking
George back and forth on her kpco.