The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-08-28

The child gave curious Italian shruE
to her brown shoulders.
"What else can do2 shall beg my
way. can sing, can dance; have my
castanets here under my shawl. Oh, nevel
fear. Blanca Niianto need not quite starvt
while there arc berry bushes by the road
side, and clear cold water in the glens."
"That's all nonsense" interrupted hon
est David Gaskin's voice from the angle in
the porch, where he had sat until now
unnotiCed. Smother, she must stay with
u.s."
"God bless you for the word, father, )
Mrs. Gaskin cried, starting up. "lt's what
I'd most wish for in all the world, but
we've eight of our own, and it's hard row
for you to hoe, and didn't just like to
ask it."
"One can't turn n stray lamb away from
ones door, said David huskily.
And so little Blanca Niianto stayed
under the sheltering shadow Of the farm-
house roof until one day, stranger from
the city, who was down fishing in the cool
trout streams of the woods, chanccd to
hear her singing in the twilight,
i never heard sweeter voice in my
life" said Mr.. Milford. at should be
cultivated"
"She goes to singin'-school twice a week
with Dave and Maggie" said Mr.. Gaskin,
with the air Of one who feels that he has
done his full duty.
"Singing-schooll She should go on the
stage. Such talent rs that ought not TO
be hidden away in napkin"
The upshOt Of it was, that when Mr..
Milford w"nt away he took Blanca with
him, to Il in her delicious young voice as
he believed It was capable Of being trained.
"That nightingale throat Of hers will
make her fortune yeti predicted Mr.. Mil
ford.
"she'll forget us ALL" wcpt poor, Mrs.
Gaskin, when the hour Of parting came.
"No, mamma dear, wOn'tn cried
Blanca, with passionate burst of tears.
"Fll love you always-always-for you
were my friends when had no one in all
the wide world to turn to-"
Five years afterward, and the voice whose
wondrous strains George Milford had pro-
phetically heard, had entranccd the musi-
cal world. Blanca Niianto was the prima
donna Of the operatic stage-the canta-
trice whose balards were worth gold
piece for every note; and she had come
down to spend the summer with her old
friends in the brown rooted farmhouse.
As beautiful as ever star.eyed and
cream-skinned, with lustrous black hair
worn like coronal about her head, and
unconsciously graceful ways. David Gus
kin, her playmate Of olden times, looked Mt
her with mute wonder Could II be posi-
BILE that she was the little Blanca who
used to climb the hay lofts with him in
search Of eggs, and follow, dog-like, at his
heels when he went at twilight to bring
home the cowsl
"Ah, Binnca," he said, almost enviously,
"you are rich lady now, and great
singer. wonder you remembered u.s."
Blanca turned her soft eyes appealingly
on him.
"oh, David, whom should l remember,
II not youp
David got up, and began to pace up and
down the floor.
"I suppose that young man at the hotel
is rich tool"
"What young manm
"That Sydney Willoughby, the one who
came down from New York just because
you were coming"
"Yes; he is rich, believe"
"And the gentleman with the team OF
cream-colored horses who is boarding at
Deacon Moss's."
"0h, Mr.. Allaire !'' said Blanca inno-
Gently. lie is very wealthy too"
at must be fine to have such train ut
ones heels" said David bitterly.
"Is it my fault, Dayid!n said Blanca,
almost ready to burst into tears. "Can I
bid them stay awaym
But David, determined at all hazard to
be displeased, had turned sullenly into the
house.
"Mammy," cried Blanca, for by this
name she still addressed good Mrs. Gaskin,
'what makes David SO cross with me I
What have done to make him angry7"
But Mrs. Gaskin too went into the house
without answering. What could she say to
the beautiful young cantatrice7 Would it
be fitting to make answer:
"My son, the hard.wcrking farmer lad,
has ventured to fall in love with you,
queen Of song aud beauty. Even so the
feeble glow-worm aspires to the calm gilt
ter Of the starr
But Blanca could not but notice that
the eyes Of the good farmers wife were
swollen and red the next day.
"Mammy," she cried, "what is the mat
teri Are you sick p
"Hcart.slck, child" Mrs. Gaskin an
swcred, with a great convulsive sob.
David Is going away"
"David Going away Wherep
"1o San Francisco, he says, All, me!
and | thought he would be the stay and
prop fmy old.ngo"
4But be sha'n't 60" cried Blanca rcso-
lutely. am ask him not"
And she went out in the orchard, where
David was moodily gathering basket of
gold.skinued "summer boughs," looking
very handsome and very misanthropic in
the green chequcredl light that came stream.
ing down through the appc.trec leaves.
"David, is It true that you are going
awayW
"Yes, Blanca; IT is true"
"And why7"
"Simply because | am miserable here.
Isn't that reason enough I"
aDayid,"-the black cyclnShes dropped,
and soft, rosy pink stole over the rich
olive check, as Blanca stood there before
him in the attitude Of suppIiant-"David,
would you stay Il asked your
The gold.chceked summer.boughs went
tumbling in n yellow cascade all over the
short, green orchard turf. David GaSkin
had unwarily let go the basket handle.