The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-04-27
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CAMILLA.

Paul Smith was poor old man. He
had back room 10 the top Of noisy
lodginghouse, where he slept at nights,
and munched his meals of bread aud
cheese, aud from whence he orcpt,
down to the eorucr OF the dingy street,
to the little music shop Of Carl Bert
ma0, a German settler somewhere 10
Soho. There no tinkered all day on
broken yiolins aud other musical instru
ments, never absenting himself for a
moment, save on Saturday afternoons,
when he went TO the house of small
tradesman to teach the piano to three
or four girls. Sundays he ourled up
10 his den, and amused himself, nobody
knew how, until Monday morning.
There are a few certainties, he never
went to church; but he picked ragged
children from tie pavement when they
fell near him, and gave them half.pen
MES when he had an5; shared his din.
ner often with a cur, who acted as
sort of oscapeyalve, for the ill.temper
ofhulfthe men aud women 10 the street;
aud he rouzed Pat Ryan from his mid
night snooze in the gutter many a cold
night, aud literally carried him home to
"Norah aud the children"
As for his honesty, neighbor re.
marked: off he found five shlllings in
the street, he'd wear out ten shillings
worth Of shoe leather aud strength to
find the owner"
One cold night Paul was returning
from his work, with loaf OF bread
under one arm and violin under the
other when, at the street door. he
stumbled and nearly fell over small
object crOuched on the step
Bless US What's this 7" cried
Paul, striving to regain his equilibrium
"0uly me, sir !" and the small ob.
Ject stood up, very pale, THU, aud
ragged child.
Are you hurt, little girl ?"
"No, sir"
What are you doing out here in the
cold ?"
Nothing"
"Why don't you so home p
81 amt got any"
The Winter Of 1886 came in like a
lion, as many poor wretch we'll re.
members; aud with the first blast came
PaupS enemy. He turned one night
with sad face from his warm corner
in Bertman's shop amoug the violins,
and hobbled up the cold street, feeling
the approach OF the old rheumatic pains,
and wondering what would become of
his poor little Camilla.
His excitement carried him up to
the last fight Of stairs, and, hearing
Camilla's voice, he paused to rest and
listen. She was singing 10 that sweet
and expressive manner which made her
voice seem to him the sweetest and
purest he had ever heard. At the end
of the stanza she took breath, and an j..
other voice said; "Child, you aston.
ish me Either | am poor judge of
music, or else your voice is the finest |
ever heard. You are right in prefer.
ring its cultivation to anything else"
IN electric thrill shot through old
Paul's frame, and quiOkened his blood
10 rapidity that quite carried away
his rheumatic pains, and in a twink
ling be was up the stairs and in his
little attic.
He was terrified at the sound of a
mans voice; but the sight of hand.
some and polishsA gentleman, with
diamond studs 10 his snowy linen, a
heavy ring upon his dainty white hand,
nnquestionable broadcloth upon his
back, in close conversation with his
Camilla, whose ,wondrous beauty had of
late startled even his dall perception,
was more than Paul could bear
lie was very small wan-had been
IN his youth--and now that times
whitening fingers bad touched him, he
was shriyeled and dried like withered
fruit; but in his yirtuous indignation
he pulled out to his fullest extent, and
In his falsetto voice he piped: Ca.
%illa, how dare you invite any one
here 7"
"Oh, Uncle Paul! This is Mr.. CLAY.
erlng, gentleman whose