The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-09-27
TtcO WdifS.

I'm SO tired, Matte p
$50 am I, Mona, but we've done SO
little, the boy answered, in italian.
"And I'm hoarse, Matte; it hurts me
when [ sing"
cit always hurts me, too; but you
know if we don't carry back more than
sixpence we get tho supper-and, o dear,
am hungry"
81 know" said Mona, almost crying.
Well, we'll try again. Well stop at
the hotel over yonder; there are men at
the steps, and maybe they Will give us
something"
1t was cold day Little Nattie's
hands were SO red that it was with diff
Guilty he held the bow of the violin. but
he managed to play the few bars preced-
ing Mona's little song. The child was
pretty, with a clear, dark skin, end star
like eyes; but few people noticed that,
for her hair hung tangled from her tom
pies, and the hat she wore had long oeen
so broken about the brim that it only
added grotesque feature, that attracted
attention from the gentle face.
Poor little Mona How often she had
stopped that day to look at children no
older than herself, who tripped along in
their dainty garments, and whose knowl-
edge Of care only extended to their dollies
and their lessons. Mona never remem-
bered the time whom a mother kissed
her, and her father had been dead four
years. They came over here, Italian
emlgrants, and the mother died of ship
fever soon after landing.
When both parents were dead. the
children, two sorrowful little souls, went
out into the street to earn their liveli-
hood as best they could. Matte had his
fathers old violin, on which he could
play with surprising taste and accuracy,
and Mona had the making of an excep-
tlonal voice, in those low, clear tones of
hers. The children at once began to
please the public, and gathered a good
number of pennies in the course of the
day. Ii they could have kept by them
selves, they might never have known
hunger or hardship of any kind, but a
countryman of their own, willy. de-
ceptive italian, took advantage over
them, that. in the end, made them the
slaves of his will. The poor children
were at last obliged to pay over to him
all they received, and were badly treated
i'll the bargain.
Brother md sister commenced their
song, under the full light of the street
lamp, IN front of the hotel steps. Mona
was hoarse, but she put forth her utmost
power, looking meantime with that pa
tient asking which is seen only on such
faces, while the delicious smell of we'll
seasoned viands came from the opening
into the kitchen below.
Halloo, croaker - exclaimed one
fashionably-dressedyo young man. Here's
penny if you'll stop that miserable
footing"
Hold your tongue, Charles. 1 tell
you I've heard voices at public concerts
with not half the tinabre of that child's
notes. said another.
Who knows butshe may be second
Mahbran ?"
"A second screech-owll'' was the
laughing reioinder.
But don't you know Rachel was
picked out of the streets? and look at
the creature-she's pretty"
The girl looked up with flushed
cheeks and feverish glitter in her ewes.
She knew they were talking about her.
though of course she did not understand
them. A hope sprung up-what heart
Is not full of hope, even the beggar's if
1T be that of a little childs Only three
pennies more, and she should have
something to eat. She had often gone
to bed hungry in these hard times, and
now 1t seemed to both the children that
they were nearly famished.
Strange to say, the young fellow did
not give them penny even to stop
them, as he said he would.
The great gong sounded for supper;
the rain was beginning to fall; the men
hurried IL to their plentifully-spread ia
BILE, one morsel of which would have
been delicious to those parched Iips. and
the two children, with sad, hungry faces.