Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-08-01
CAMILLA.

tAut smith was poor oti man. lie
had Il back room i'll the top ct noisy
lodging house, where he slept nights and
munchcu his meals OF bread aud cheese
TOR bologna sausage, When he could at
ford it,, and from Whence he rrcpt, as
harmless and uunuticcd as a fly, down to
the co;nnr OF the dingy street, to- the little
music ShOu OF Carl HERMANN. :, ",ua;n o"+
tier somewhere in Soho.
There he tinkrrcd all day on broken vio-
Inns and other Instruments, save on Satur
day afternoons, when he went to the house
ot "a small tradcSlnan, to teach the piano
to three or tour very stupid girls. Sun
days, he rurlrd w in his den anil amused
himself nobody knew now until Mon
day morning.
There are Il few tertaintics; he never
went to church but he picked ragged
children from the pavement when they
fel! near him, and gave them half pennies
when he had any shared his dinner often
with NANCY, dirty cur, who acted as t,
sort of escape valve for the ill-tcmpe' of
| half the men and women in the street
and he reused Pat Ryan from his md
night snooze in the gutter, and literally
carried him home to, Norah and the chill
dren.
As for honesty, as ncighbor remarked,
If he found five shillings in the streets,
strength anC shoe-lcathcr to find the OWL
err
One cold, dark night, Paul was return
ing from his work, with loaf Of bread
under one arm and violin under the
other. anu nearly fell over u small object
clouched on the step.
BLESS us what's this?" cried Paul,
! striving to regain his equilibrium.
"Only me, sir!" and the small object
stood up,and became IL very pale, thin and
ragged chll>:
/ ARE you hurt, little girl
"What are you doing here in the coId?'
| "Nothing.'
why don: you go home?''
81 amt got any"
Dear me. Where's your mother:'
In hcavcn'
At this Paul was dumfoundcd, and see
ing that great tears were stealing down tho
the chilu's wan face, he thrust the violin
under the arm which had held the bread
! and, putting the other around the tiny
figure, he said, ooh, I've got home, d
real Jolly place. Come up nnd see.
And this is the way old Paul came tt
, have neat little housekeeper, and to BE
buying calico gowns and shoes out of his
poor salary.
People wondered at the 81 ght Of this
bent old man. hitherto alone and uncarcd
for, now walking daily to his work with
] his hand upon the shoulder of the odd
yet pretty faced Girl, looking at her with
honest PRIDE Frightening his eyes, and
laughing as loud as she whenever tho
joke came in. But old PAIL looked un
concerned, evaded the questions OF the
curious, and learned TO love nothing in
this world better than the little waif
Camilla
| There we're many, many days wher
rheumatism drew Paul up by the fire II
! the old back attic, and 1iew the very las
penny ont Fl the dilapidated purse; bu
; brave little Camilla, never forgetting how
near death she had been on that bitter
night Of their meeting; always found s
word to Nar; oil hunger, and courage t.
! keep them both bright until help came
! The winter of 1856 come in like 4 lion
a many poor wretch well remembers
and with the blast come Paul's enemy
! He turned, one night, a sad face from
, his warm corner in Btrtman's shop among
! the violins, and hobblcd up the colo
street, feeling the approach Of the ole
rheumatic pains, and wondering villa
would become Of his poor little Camilla
His excitement carried him up to the
last flight Of stairs, and, hearing Camilla
voice, he paused to re2t and to listen
She was singing in that sweet and OK
pressive manner that made her voice
/ seemed to him the sweetest and and pures
he had ever heard. At the end OF another
stanZar he took breath, ar'. another voice
said.
"Chi'd, you astonish me. Either
am poor Judge Of music, or else YOU
voice is the finest ever heard. You arc
right III prcfcrring its cultivation to any
thing else
An electrict thrill shot through ole
Paul's frame, and quickcncd his blooc
to a rapidity that quite carried away his
rheumatic pains, and il a twinkling he
was up stairs and in his little attic.
He was terrified at the the sound Of
voice; but the sight Of handsome anc
polished gentleman, with diamonds IL
his snowy linen, heavy ring upon hi:
dainty white hand, unquestionablt
broadcloth upon his back, in close con
versation with Camilla, whose wondrou:
beauty had Of late startled even his dull
perception, was more than Paul coulc
bear.
! He was avery small man-had been il
his youth-and now that Times wither
ing fingers had touched him, he wa!
shrivelcd and dried, like withcrcd fruit
but in his virtuous indignation he putfet
out to its fullest extent, and in falsett(
voice piped,? "Camilla, how dare you in
vite anyone to come bcre?'
ooh, Uncle Paul!' This is Mr.. Clavcr
I ing the gentleman whosc-whose-'
:sWhosc mother she saved from death
Your niece, sir, a lew, days since was
passing through our crowded thorough
fare, when my mothers carriage drew M
| to the pavement. The horses were FESTIVE
and bidding the driver attend to them
she began to descend unassisted. Hel
! foot was on the step, when the animals
sprang forward and flung her violently
from her footbol'I. But for the sudden
act of your niece, who received my moth
er in her strong, young arms, the fall
might have proved fatal one. came
to day at my mothers earnest request,
to express heartfelt gratitude, and to
Offer
"You needn't offer Camilla penny, sir.
She'll never suffer while I've pair of
hands to work for her." said Paul.
"'You mistake me. I do not wish to
insult you, but would raise this child from
poverty and would educate her, that she
might be of use toyou and to herself, ana
become refined woman. Don't let your
self love stand-in your light, and shut e
out from.lier. She sings like prima
donna, ana wished to study music =: 80
The large 1ustrous eyes of the child
turned imp!oripgly to the strange
guardian.