The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-01-30

Mrs. Gaskin cried, starting up. alt
what I'd most wish for in all the world
but we've eight of our own, and its a hare
row for you to hoe. and | didn't just lik,
to ask it,"
"One can't turn stray lamb away
from ones door," said David huskily.
And so little Blanca Nifanto stayed
under the sheltering shadow of tho farm
house roof until ono day, stranger from
the city, who was down fishing in the cool
trout streams of the woods, chanced Is
hear her singing 10 the twilight.
III never heard sweeter voice in my
life," said Mr.. Milford. ut should be
cultivated"
"She goes to singin school twice week
with Dave and Maggie" said Mr.. Gas
kin, with the air Of one who feels that he
has done his full duty.
"Singing-school She should 60 on the
stage. Such talent az that ought moi
to be hidden away in a napkin"
The upshot of it was, that when Mr.
Milford went away he took Blanca with
him, to train her delicious young voice
as he believed it was capable of being
trained.
THAT nightingale throat of hers will
make her fortune yet !" predicted Mr.
Milford.
She'll forget us ALL" wept poor Mrs
Gaskin. when the hour Of parting came
mo, mamma. dear. l won't" cried
Blanca, with passionate burst of tears
"l'll love you always-alwavs-for you
were my friends when l had no one in ali
the wide world to turn to-"
Five years afterward, and the voice
whose wondrous strains George Milford
had prophetically heard, had entranced
the musical world. Blanca Nifanto was
the prma donna of the operatic stage
the cantatrice whose ballads we're worth
gold piece for every note and she had
come down to spend the summer with
her old friends in the brown .roofed farm
| house.
AS beautiful as ever star-eyed and
cream-sk kinned, with lu tr )us black hair
worn like coronal about her head, and
unconsciouslv graceful ways. David Gas
kin, her playmate of olden times, looked
at her with mute wonder. Could it be
possible 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 cows =
"Ah, Banca," he said, almost envious-
ly, "you are a rich lady now. and a
great singer. l wonder you remembered
U.S."
Blanca turned her soft eyes appealing
ly on him.
"Oh, David, whom should | remem.
Der, if not you ~
David got up, and began to pace up
and down the floor.
III suppose that young man at the no.
tel is rich too ?"
what young man ?"
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 Mosss.
"Oh, Mr.. Allaire :" said Blanca inno-
Gently. "He is very wealthy too"
at must be fne to have such train
at ones hees,' said David bitterly.
is it my fault, David !" said Blanca,
almost ready to burst into tears. Can |
bid them stay away
But David determined at all hazard to
be displeased, had turned sullcnly into
the house.
NANNY" cried Blanca, for by this
name she still addressed good Mrs. Gas
kin, "what makes David so cross with
me What have l done to make him an
gry?"
But Mis-. Gaskin too went into the
house without answering. What could
she say to the:beautiful young cautatrice?
Would it be fitting to make answer:
"My son, the hard working farmer lad,
has ventured to fall in love with you,
queen Of song and beauty. Even 80 the
feeble glow-worm aspires to the calm
glitter OF the star"
But Blanca could not but notice that
the eyes of the good farmers wife were
swollen aud red the next day.
NANNY" she cried,"what is the mat
ter ? Are you sick p
"Heart.sick. child" Mrs. Gaskn IN.
swered, with great convulsive sob.
David is going away
David going away! Where ?"
ITO San Francisco, he says. All me
aud | thought he would be the stay aud
prop Of my old age"
"But he sha'n't CO." cried Blanca res.
olutely. "I'il ask him not"
Aud she went out in tho orchard,
where David was moodily gathering u
basket of gold-skinned summer boughs,
looking very handsome and very misan.
thropic in the green chequered light that
came streaming down through the apple
tree leaves.
David, is it true that you are going
awayf"
"Yes, Blanca, it is true"
"And why ?"
"Smply because l am miserable here
Isn't that reason enough ?"
David, tho black eyelashes droop'
ed, aud soft, rosy pink stole over the
rich olive cheek, as Blanca stood there
before him in the attitude of suppliant
David, would you stay if l asked
you ?"
The gold-cheeked summer-boughs wen
tumbling in yellow cascade all over tn,
short, green orchard turf David Gas
kin had uuwsrily let 60 the basket han
die.
"Bianca, do you really mean it7"
"Yes. David"
"Aud Mr.. Allaire and Sydney Viii
loughby ?"
"One hair Of your head, David, il
more to me than both Of them put to
gether."
He claSped her littlc haads raptWous
ly in his.
! uxVhy didn't vou tali ,u.. thi. tac,ra