The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-09-07
CAMILLA.

noisy lodGlng-house, where he slept
nights, and munched his meals Of
bread and cheese Cor Bologna sausage,
when he could afford it) and from
whence he crept, as harmless and un.
noticed as fly, down to the corner
Of the dignity street, to the little
music shop of Carl Bermann, a Ger
man settler somewhere in Soho,
There he tinkered all day, on, bro
ken violins and other musical instru-
ments, never abscnting himself for a
moment, save on Saturday afternoons,
when he went to the house Of a small
tradesmau 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 ccrtainties; ho ne
yer went to church; but he picked
ragged. children from tho pavement
when they fell near him, and gave
them halfpennies when lie had any
shared his dinner often with man
e., dirty cur, who acted as a sort Of
escape-valye for the ill-temper OF halt
the men. and women. in tho street ;
and he reused Pat Ryan from his
midnight snooze in the gutter many
cold night, and literally carried him
home to Norah and the "children."
Az for his honesty, a neighbor re.
marked, ''If ho found five shillings in
tho street, he'd wear out ten shillin gs
worth Of strength and shoe-leather to
find the owner" ... ..... H..
One cold night, Paul was returning
from his work, with loaf Uf bread
under one arm and a violin under the
other, when at tho street door he
stumbled. and nearly fell over small
object crouched on the step.
"Bless US! What's thisr cried
Paul, striving to regain his equilibri-
um.
"Only me sirl" and the small OBJ
ject stood up, and became very pale,
thin, and ragged child.
"Are you hurt, little girl?"
mo, sir"
"Wbat are you doing out hero in
the cold ?"
Nothing"
"Why don't YOU go homo?" .....l....
81 amt got anyH
"Dcar me! Where's your moth.
erl"
"In hcavcnw
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, ooh
I've got a nome-a really jolly place
Come up and see"
And this is the way old Paul came
to have neat little heusekcepcr, and
TO be huying 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 shoul-
der of the odd, yet prctty-faccd girl,
looking ut her with honest pride
Frightening his eyes, and laughing as
loud as she whenever the joke came
in. But old Paul looked unconcerned
evaded the questions of the curious,
and learned 10 love nothing better in
this world than tho little WOLF Camil-
Ia.
There were many, many days,
when rheumatism drew Paul up by
the fire in the Old back attic, and drew
the very last penny out of the dilapi-
dated old purse; but brave little Ca
milla, never forgetting how near
death she had heen on the bitter
night of their meeting, always found
word to ward off hunger, and cour-
age to keep them both bright until
help came.
The winter of 1861 came in like q
lion, as many poor wretch well re-
members, and with the first blast
Paul's enemy. He turned ono night
a sud face from his warm corner in
Bcrtmanns shop among tho violins,
and hobbled up the cold street, feel
ing. the approach.of the old rhenmat-
ic pains, aud wondering what would
become of his poor little Camilla. ..
His excitement carried him up to
the last flight of stairs, and hearing
Camila's voice, he paused TO rest and
to listen. She was singing in that
sweet and expressive manner which
made her voice seem 10 him the sweet
est and purcst he had ever heard. At
the end of the stanza she took breath,
and another voice said, "Child, you
astonish me. Either I am q poor
Judge of music, or eso your voice is
the finest I ever heard. You are
right in prefering its cultivation to
anything clse.'
An electric thrill shot through old
Paul's frame, and ouickencd his blood
to u rapidity that quite carried away
his rheumatic pains, and in twink
ling he was up stairs and in his little
attic.
He was terrified at the sound OF
mans voice, but the sight Of hand.
some end polished gentleman, with
diamond studs in his snowy linen, c
heavy ring upon his dainty white
hand, unquestionab.e broadcloth up
on his back, in close conversation
with his Camilla, whose wondrous
beauty had of Iate startled even his
dull perception, was more than Pau
could bear. .
He was q very small man-had
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