South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1878-05-17
Casta Diva.
A THRILLING STORY.

'Heigh. no. signs Mr.. Patron, what
foriorn thing it is to live alone r. and
lie drew his easy chair close TO the fire
and ensconced himself therein, wrap
ping his tri-colored dressing,gown about
him. i wish | were married know
iady-board in the same house. too
and believe she'd have me, il were
70 ask herr mean the pretty music
teacher. She is young. delicate and
amiable only there seems so be some
thing melancholy about her. as though
she had known sorrow; besides she is q
widow. like her enough, and be-
lieve she likes Inc. I'll think this over.
l have plenty of money and nobody
to spend it upon. Yes I think I will
ask pretty Madame Victor to marry
me.
Rap, rap, rap!
Come in-who's there2'
Clean clothes and pray who arc you.
you little cherub. and where do You
! come from?'
am Lauretta, sir and live with
Bridget, who washes your clothes, and
she sent me with the basket tonight
Yes, | should think she had, you lit.
tie duckling; and the basket is bigger
than yourselfl Come and cit down in
this chair by the fire and warm your
toes-thcre, now! l want to talk with
you: Are you Bridget,s child?'.
oh. no, SIR and look Of care pas.
ses over the little face.
No. thought not. Washerwoman' q
Oh
broad foreheads, nor such soft hair.
Well. birdie, how came you with Bridg.
ct? Have you no parentsp'
Il don't know. / only dream / have.
Bridget lets me stay with her because
l can sing. Oh, sir, sing my songs,
in the great houses, and they give me
six-pences and l carry them all to Brid-
get
Aha! you pay your board. thsnp
Well. little Lauretta, will you sing for
me nowp'
Yes, indeed!' and the little one
stands up in the middle Of the rug. n nd
opening her rosebud mouth, she sings
Casta Diva.
Bless my stars, what voice I know
something OF music myself; Mt least
enough to know that such voice
/ should be fortune to the one
who possesses it. Where. did you learn
thai?'
| Nurse taught me-
Nurse Who is uurseP'
Nurse is dead The dark eyes GIL.
ell with tears and the ruby lips are qui.
vering.
Mr.. Patron walks up and down the
room. His curiosity is excited as we'll
as his pity.
Please, sir. shall have my basket
Bridget will scold, if stay so long.
No. little one, will carry the bask-
ct; am going home with you;
ITS up five flights Of stairs, sir. and
there is no light in the passage-way.'
All the more reason should go with
you. Now am ready. Come, my lit.
tie singer. you aud will be better ac-
quainted before long. Don't fall down
these stone steps: keep hold Of my hand
here we are in Broadway, Now where
do We turn, down Prince street, hey
and now down Crosby. What do you
live in this alley? Oh, never fear, little
Casta Diva, shall tread safely enough,
while this little hand leads me. Ugh
how many more flights are therep only
two Well. well, | can climb them il
you can. So is this the door,
Och, and is it you, sir, that would be
afther coming TO see poor woman at
this hour? Will you be seated sir p
said Bridget, wiping n wooden chair
with her apron. Your shirts were not
ironed to be suiting we, may be?'
Shirts all right, Bridget. came TO
bring home your little girl, and to ask
you something about he's She has been
singing to me. Will you tell me where
she came from p
bit of a childer. indeed, sir; but her
story is not so very long. She lived
with furrin woman in the room below
named Theresa. The woman said she
was waiting maid in Laurettas family
in Italy. somewhere, and while she was
out with the child, then only two years
old, for the sake Of the air, there came
= big row in the city, and the child's
father was in the middle or il, and rot
kilt and when she reached the house
all in a fright, shure il was all on Gre.
and the mother Of il gone, and niver
was she able 10 find her at all. So she
kept the,child an comes to America with
it; for she heard tell how the streets
were paved with gold and whom she
came and found nary gold, nor food for
the working /, she had TO go To work as
all we poor crathers do, and she took
in washing in the one room down slaits
but niver a bit would she let this child
do for itself. but. waited on IL like a
slave, aud only taught il to sing "a its
mother did before it, she said; and
last year Theresa died. This poor
little Crather took on so bad that took
her meself, only I'll he bringing her IN
different intirely I'll tache her 70 earn
her bread at any rate and 40 I sends
her out every day TO sing to the great
folks. and makes her help me carry
round the clothes. and that's all. sir r
at was very good in you Bridget, u
take the little orphan. You have saved
hpr from n eo1 fofa Won ill L..