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

Well, II L ever =! cried honest Mrs.
Gaskin, staring delightfully."- at the tricks
Of the trained monkey that was attached
to Michael Peronis barrel organ.
The noon shadows slanted along across
the green sward in front OF the farm
house door; the tall white lilies and
thickets Of blue larkspurs dropped in the
hot sunshine, and the corn-felds at the
back of the house nodded their multitu-
dinous green heads in the occasional
zephyrs, as the farmers wife with her
little ones clinging shyly to her skirts,
stood iu the doorway, listening to the
drone Of the organ and little Bianca's
shril yet sweet voice, as she danced and
sang, clsttering her castanets high in the
air.
"And don't believe she's day older
than my Maggie" said Mrs. Gaski', as
little Georeie, scarcely as yet able to
toddle without assistance, crept across
the short, dandeiou starred grass to put
his penny in the monkeys withered palm.
Dear heart alive there's something sad
about it, too ~
And when the song and dance was fn-
ished, Mrs. Gaskin beckuued 10 tho Lrii-
liant.eyed swarthy elf who stood pushing
the wavy, jet black locks away from her
forehead.
You're to come in, my dear" she
said, "you aud your father"
But he is not my father" interrupted
the child, almost impatiently.
"Well, the foreigner, any how, and get
slice Of my homemade loaf aud a good
dish of milk. Ill go bail he won't OBJ
Ject to that"
Little Blanca turned and chattered
something iu Italian to her companion,
tie displayed his gittering white teeth
IN smile, and bowed obsequiously to
the farmers wife. Mrs. Gaskin led the
way in, and with bustling hospitality
spread the board for Peroni, Blanca, aud
even the poor shriveled face monkey.
"I1n't she pretty child !" whispered
Mrs. Gaskin to her old maid sister, Miss
Drusilla, and she was right. Blanca was
very beautiful, in spite of her sun-em-
Drowned skin, bare feet aud ragged scar
let irock. Her eyes large and liquid.
we're full of the deepening sunshine Of
her native Italy her features were small
and regular, and her mouth was ripe and
rosy as the biggest strawberry now ripen.
ing on the vines under the south garden
fence.
"Ah !" sighed Drusilla Peck, ait is a
pity she should have to tramp round the
country to sing songs and dance dances
for livin'."
And when Blanca turned away, fan
tastically returning thanks for the enter
tainment she had received, by kissing
Mrs. Gaskins toil.hardeded hand, the
good woman's motherly heart fairly ached
for the lonely, lovely child, who seemed
as if it we're adrift upon the world.
Not until the party of foreign adven-
turers had been gone more than two hours,
did Mrs Gaskin discover, to her unspeak-
able dismay. that one of her silver spoons
which had been heirlooms from her dead
and bnried grandmother. and the little
silver mug that David, her eldest boy,
had had in the days of his babyhood, were
gone also.
II knew it !" dolorously groaned Miss
Drusilla. These foreign jugglers are all
light-6ngered. What else could ye OK
pect, Amanda Ann 2"
Mrs. Gaskin fairly sat down and cried
not so much, it must be confessed, for
the battered silver mug and antiquated
tea spoon. as for the ruthless demolish.
nent of the many castles in the air she
had built around the sweet face and fai.
ry figure of black-eyed little Blanca.
"i never, never will believe in anybody
again" sobbed tho farmers wife.
The purple shadows of twilight were
ust stealing down over the corn-feds,
and making dreamy sort ofehiaro- oscuro
over hill aud slope and misty river vale.
when Mrs. Gaskin, rocking George to
sleep on her lap with one Of the sweet,
stereotyped old cradle songs that all
mothers know by heart was startled by a
light tap on her shoulder.
"Signora 2" cried soft voice 10 her
ear.
why, bless my soul !" cried Mrs. Gas.
kin, tits the little foreigner !"
"I've brought back the cup and spoon
Of silver" said Blanca. He took them
Il saw it, out dared not speak, for he
is cruel in his wayward moods, aud bears
heavy hand. Tonight, when he lay
asleep under the hedge. l stole them
from his pocket, and here they are."
Mrs Gaskin started 6rst at the upex.
pected recovered property, and then at
Blanca.
"Sit down and rest yourself spell" 4"
said 'he, before you go back. You're
all out of breath"
II am not going back" said Blanca
resolutely. "He would beat me to death.
But you kissed me, and gave me bread
to eat and milk to driuk l could not
let him steal your treasures"
"What are you going to do 7" asked
Mrs Gaskin, still mechanically rocking
George back and forth on her knee.
II don't know" Blanca answered reck.
lessly. Ave run away"
Run away and you not twelve years
old 7"
The child gave q curious Italian ,hrug
to her brown shoulders.
"What else can l do shall beg my
way. can sing, eau dance / have
my castanets here under my shawl. Oh,
never fear. Blanca Nifanto need not
quite starve while there arc berry bushes
by the roadside, and cloar cold water in
the glens."
That's oil nonsense" interrupted hon.
est David Qaskip's voice from the angle