The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-02-02
Camilla.


the dingy street, to the little musi
shop of Carl Bertman, German set
tier somewhere IN Soho. ---,-
There he tinkeretl all day on broker
violins and other musical instruments
never abscntingliimsel fora moment
save on Saturday afternoons, when h
went to the house Of a small trades
man to teach the piano to three or fou
very stupid girls. Sundays he eurle,
| UP in his den. and amused himself, III
] ono knew how, until Monday morn
ling.
There are 4 few ccrtalnties, he new
er went to cmlrli; but lie pickct
ragged children from the payemen
when they fell near him, aud CAV,
them half-pennies when he lad any
shared his dinner often with q NANCY
dirty eur, who acted as sort o
escape-yalvc for the ill-temper Of hal
the men and women In the streets
and he reused Pat Ryan from hi
midnight snooze in the gutter many {
cold night, and literally carried hin
home to Noah and the ''childrcil.n
As for his honesty, neighbor re
marked II he found five shilling
in the street, he'd wear ont ten shill-
ings worth of strength and shoe-leatll'
cr to find the owner"
One cold night Paul was returning
from his work. with loaf of bread
under one arm and a violin under the
other, when at the street door he
stumbled and nearly fell over a small
object crouclled on the step.
!" Bless lis, what's this!'' cried Paul,
striving to regain his equilibrium.
only me SIR" and the small OBJ
irct stood mp, and became very pale,
thin and ragged child.
".Are you hurt, little glrl!"
" No sir"
"What are you doing ont here in
the cod"
Nothing"
why don't you 50 home 7"
" amt got any,"
The winter Of 1856 come in like a
lion. as many a poor wretch well re-
members. aud with the first blast came
Paul's enemy. lie turned one night
sad face from his warm corner III
Ecrtram's shop among the violins,
and hobblcd up the cold street, feeling
the approach of the old rhe'inati,
pains. and wondering what would be-
come OF poor little Camilla.
Ills excitement carried him mp tc
the last flight Of stairs, and hearing
Camilla's voice. he pauscd TO rest aud
listen. She was singing in that sweet
and expressive manner which made
her voice seem to him the sweetest
and p;lrest he had ever heard. At
the end Of the stanza she took breath,
and another voice said, Child, You
astonish me. Either | am a poor
Judge of music or else your voice is
The finest ever heard. You are
right in preitrriHg its cultivation to
anything eiec'
Anselectric thrill shot through old
Paul's frame and quickened his blood
to rapidity that quite carried away
his rheumatic pains, and in a twink
ling he was up the stairs and III his
little attic.
He was terrified at the sound of a
mans voice, huA the sight Of a hand
some and polished gentleman, with
diamond stnds iIIhis Snowy linen, a
heavy ring upon hi. dainty white
hand. UNREASONABLE broadclotll upon
his back. in close conversation with
his Camilla. whose Wondrous beauty
had Of late startled ey&p his dull per-
seption, was more thA9 Paul could
bear.
He was a very small man-md been
in his youth-and now that times
writing fingers had touched him, he
was shriveled and dried like withered
fruit. but in his yirtilous Indignation
he pulled out to his fullest extent, and
in lis f;ilsette voice piped. Camilla,
how dare you invite anyone here -
sea, Uncle Paul This Is MIR.
Clavcring, gentleman, whose
WHOSE
:. Whose mother she saved from
death. Your nieee, sir, a few days
since, was passing through our crowd
ed thorouglltare, when my mothers
carriage drew up to the pavement.
The horses We're restire, and bidding
.the driycrto attend to them, she be-
can to ascend uuassisted. Her foot
was OH the step, when tie animals
sprung forward and flung her violent
IL from her foothold. But for tie
sudden act Of your niece, who receiv-
cd my mother in her strong young
arms, the fall might have proved i
fatal one. My mother at once entered
a shop, and Keeping yom niece by
her, sent for me. came to-day, at
my mothers earnest request, to ex-
press Our heartfelt gratitude and TO
Ofier-"
" You needn't offer Camilla n
penny, sir. She will never suffer as
long as | have u pair Of hands to work
for her." said Paul
you mistake me. | do not wish
to Insult you, but would raise this
child from her poverty, and edncate
her, that she might be of use to you
and herself ana become q refined
woman. Don't let your selfish love
stand in her light and shut It ont from
her. She sings like a prlma donna
and wishes to study music"
The great lustrolls eyes of the child
turned imploringly to her new guar
dian.
''Lor', Camilla, ! can't stand In
your way, | know you're every bit
n horn lady. If yotlr moor fOrSaken