The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-03-07
The Image Seller.
BY sHIRLY BROWNE.

francesca Reedo could speak; pale
SLIM stripping, with great dark eyes,
and complexion stained with the olive
OF his native land. But he had a pleas
ant smile, and the glimmer of his white
teeth from door to door was like the
wave of a friendly hand. And although
his linguul command of the language
was but small, he could understand II
deal more than. he was able to ex.
press.
So that not unnaturally, his brown
face flushed scarlet, as he atood with
his 'ray OF images at Mrs. Topthroue, S
door, and that matron soreamed out to
her youngest hope, who had opened
it:
One o them dirty, thiavin' foreigners
with his niger face and his pa rley voos
as wouldn't trust in the same rooms
where my spoons was-no, not for
nothin! Send him about his business,
Tell him we don't want none of his
trashP
And poor Francesca turned away
mortified and detected.
1t has been long, sultry summer
dny, aud as yet Francesca had sold
nothing. The iu,age tray was heavy
80 Was Francesca Reedo's heart. i,
i will once again,' he muttered to him
Aesa, i'm his native language. Once
and tliv,, if | prove unsuccessful, / vii
's>cept my tate'!' r. '.''' '''' g " TT
AT tho next house he paused with his
musical CRY of Images ! I'M ages Please
buy my i,l,ngges!'
A yousg gml came to the door fresh
faced, like a daisy, with blue, pleasant
eyes.
Oh, enaeama,'s she cried what
prcityHplsster imagla. Nay L. buy.
onc!'
Francesco's eyes brsghsepad. !, tle
plcasa't ,smile, oaAle back to has mouth,
as he oosed "a l,ftlc statue1tc vi n chilL's
figure from its abiding place
Eelhu Jigtiu, he uttered, holding It up
and the girl bought it.
Won't you have a driuk of wa.cr::'
she said, artlessly. Its a warm day.
and you look tired 1'h ID
francesca smiled and aodded.
Gras'e! he cried; 'mohi grasie siyno
ys,,a-' ''t''4f rt
- don't understand you,' sSid the
girl, laughing; but here is the wa.
ter .'I1.E Il eHH -tE
Rosasaond.' said the voice Of a
plump, kindly faced matron, who came
by just then, give the poor fellow a
psece of that cake you baked this more
ing. III warrant it won't come amiss.
Are you hungry, my boyr
4 Francesca smiled and nodded again,
and Rasamond Ellis watched him, with
an amused smile, as he eagerly devour.
the home made cake aud drank the cool
water, +, 3 1"IG} }0jE1g,g SSgs>
Francesca Redo shouldered his bur
den again, an trudged away. Mrs. Ellis
aud her daughter, Rosamoad, forgot all
about the poor Italian wanderer in half
an hour but Francesco's memory was
more tenacious.
Hold 7 he said to himself, 'she was
like an angel, with those soft, plying
eyes. She bought Of me, and paid me
my prico-she gave food and drink
Rosamond! Rosamondl She shall be
my saint, my fair divinity! And the
name upon the door was E.l-l.i.s, Ellis.
[ will not forget. I am poor and friend
less, but remember the fable of the
Lion and the Mouse. Some time ma y
be able to thank my Rosamond with the
blue eyes
Itwas foolish sort of day Dire am
but what else had Francesca Redo to
amuse himself with?
The. clamps along the street were ligh,
cd, when he returned to his dismal home
in one of the narrowest and most swarm
ing Of the down town streets The
landlord, burly Neapolitan, who kept
9 grocery on the lower floor, stood at the
door, in his shirt sleeves, smoking a long
clay pipe.
'HowS goes it, my friendv quoth ht
francesca shook his head.
There's letter for, the, within said
Antonio, % legal letter, with aee!s Of
red ,wax. Courage, my friend perhap,