The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-01-05

leur, who. acted as sort of escape.
valYe for the ill-temper of half the
men and women i'm the street; and be
reused Pat Ryan from his midnight
snOoze in the gutter many cold night,
aud literally carried him home to
Norah and the children.
AS for his honesty, neighbor re-
marked, elf he found five shilliDgs
i'm the street, he'd wear out ten shil-
lings worth of strength and shoe Ieatb.
er 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 crouched on the door step.
"Bless us! What's this?" cried Paul,
4 trying to regain his equilibrium.
"Only me, sir! And the small Oh
ject stood UP, and became very, pale,
thin, and ragged child. -.-.....
"Are you hurt, little girl ?''
"NO, sir"
eWhat are you doing out here i'll the
cold?"
"Nothing.n
"Why don't you go homc?"
81 amt got any,"
Dear me Where's your mother ?"
90 In Heaven :"
AT this Paul was dumb:ouDded and
seeing that great tears were stealing
down the child's wan face, he thrust
the violin under the arm which held
the bread, and putting the other around
the tiny figure said: H.
"Oh! I've got a home-a really
| Jolly place. Come up and Sec"
And this is the way old Paul came to
have neat little housekeeper, and to
be buying gowns and shoes out of bis
poor salary.
People wonder at the sight of this
bent old man, hitherto alone and un-
cared for, now walking daily to his
work with his hand upon the shoulder
of the odd, yet pretty faced girl, look
ing ut her with honest pride brighten
ing up his eyes, and laughing as loud
as she, wherever the joke came in.
But old Paul looked uncUncerned,
eyaded the questions of the curious,
and learned to love nothing better in
this world than the little wait, Camilla
There were many, many days when
rheumatism drew Paul up by the fire,
i'm the old, back attic, and drew the
last penny out of the old, dilapidated
nurse but brave little Camilla, never
forgetting how near death she had
been OIL that bitter night of their
meeting, always found word to ward
off hunger, and courage to keep them
both bright uutn help came.
The winter of 1S66-came in like a
lion, rs many a poor wretch well re-
members, and with the first blast came
Paul's enemy. He turned one night
a sad face from his warm corner in
Bertmann's shop among the viOlins,
and hobbled up the old street, feeling
the approach of the old rheumatic
pains and wondering what would be-
come of his poor little Camilla.
His excitement carried him up to the
last flight of stairs, and hearing
Camilla's voice, he paused to rest and
to listen. ghe was singing in that
sweet and expressive manner which
made her voice seem to hiDa the sweet
est and purest 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
preferriDg it to anything else" :,
An electric thrill shot through Cid
Paul's frame and quickened bis blood
to rapidity that quite carried away
his rhumatic pains, and in twlnkllnS
he was up the stairs aud in his little
attic.
| He was terrified at the sound of a
mans voice, hut the sight of hand
some and polished gsEtieiEaG, with
diamond studs in his snowy hnen, a
heavy ring upon his dainty white
hand, unquestiOnable broadcl0th upon
his back, in close conversation WIN
his Camilla, whose wOndrous beauty
had of late startled even his dull per.
ception, was more than Paul could
beaF. :.
He was Z sery email man-had been
| i'm his youtbIand nov HCt tinle's
witheriIig fingers had touched Him,
he was shriveled, and dried like with
cred fruit, but iu his virtuOus lhd!gna-
tion he ptIfFed out to his fullest extent,
and in his falsetto voice, piped
"Csnills, how dare you invite any
one here7 90,
"Ob, Uncle Paul! this IS tsr. Clev,
ering q gentleman whose-whOseD
Whose mother she saved from
death. Your neiee, sir, few days
since, was passing through our crowded
tloroughfare, when niy mothers car
riage drew up to the pa1eHent. fEhe
horses were restiye, and bidding the
driver TO attend to them, she began tC
descend unassisted. Her foot was OF
the step, when the animals sprant
and flung her violently from her 1oot
hold. But for the sudden act OF you
neice, who received my mother III ne
strong youAg erms, the fall nigh
l have been q fatal dae. Fly I:other a
once entered a shop, and keePing y9Y
q neice near her, Rent for me. caIi'
2 to-dav. at my mothers request, q
express our heartfelt gratitude, and tt
offer" .r..
= "You needn't offer Camilla a penny
sir. She will never suffer while I've
nan, 81 hands tp Scrl f.r her," SAT-
! Paul. .t ,,;s,
70 insnIr YOU, but would raise thl
child from her poverty anu euuca,'
her, that she might be OF use 10 yo'
and herself, aud become Ieihe.
woman. Don't let your SELFISH ioV'
stand In her light, and shut 1t gu
from her. she sings like a prim'
donna, and wishes TO st-ry music;
The great lustrous eyes Of tho ehlit
turned impioringIy to her guardlan.
? HIor Camilla, can't stand in you
= way. knov you're every bit a bori
: lady, if your poor forsaa ken mothe
Q did die in hovel among wretcnSs W.
!. turned her child into the cold as soci
as the breath left, her body; but deer,
/ NE / can't part with you" fo -..
+" ma yo.s shsli not. Let me serv'
little Camilla, ana she shall neve
!. leave You, hut shall prove he.s,n:
to you in your old age"
Paul could say nothing and th'
strange visitor departed, with III
further injury to his darling than al
eloquent glsnce from an expressiv,
pair of eyes.
Then from the gloomy lodging nous
tn a snug set of chambers few street.
oil went Paul and Camilla, and tn,
moor wretch began to look like a an
other being in his cleaner work clothe.
and Sunday suit, earned from in
creased number of increased pupils
provided through thc willing assis
tance of their philanthropic friend
CleverIng.
Day after day, Camilla went witt
her books to the teacher so strangely
provided; aud after a little time there