The Osceola times., 1880-07-10

iDTdll, duu tutH- tiltn All Wac rAii.
ihto the room had stolen the dread
angel; over the closed eyes bent the
| tender face Of Shanatos: and on the
the midnight air there rang out the
passionate sobbing Of Young girl.
All little child, it is hard, bard for
| you to know che has gone from the
beauty OF sea and sky, but il will be
harder for you after you have tested of
lile's weary. monotonous travail; then
you will call her back more passionately,
and want more than ever the love you
know will never deceive, and never
swerve OF falter in allegiance to you.
Well for us if We could only see the ex-
ceeding Joy upon which our dear ones
enter; il We remembered that they had
but cast off this coil of mortality in yon
far sinless world, TO shine new Mem
mons" Should we pray them, then, to
take up the tolls Of earth that we may
be happy? All, no! But to the child
who knows naught OF earth's dreary
bivouac, and who, consequently, cannot
understand that TO the toiler rest is
sweet, and that after the burning heat OF
the day the traveller rejoices in the cool,
sequeetered shadow he finds that side
the border lands, there is nothing to
/
The child's grief spent itself at last,
and she slept-slept beside her dead
until morning; and then she was reused
belonged, entering to see why her
knocking at the door had been disre-
garded.
"Poor child" she murmured, as she
saw the change which the hours OF
night had brought; poor, notherless
child"
Latter in the day there called at the
house one ofthe revelers who had been
startled by the appearance of Corail on
the previous night. He had felt SO
strange an inclination TO learn more of
this little girl, whose voice had such a
mournful music, that he determined to
call and apologize for his thoughtless-
ness. The woman, Jessa, met him with
the news Of the lady's death. Ques-
toned as TO their history, she knew
little. Madame Galba came there eight
years ago. She lived alone, worked
beautiful flowers on lace, painted on
velvet when she was well. She had no
letters, and no friends but great
singer, who was kind to the Signora
Corail. When he asked for the child,
she said she was by her mother, and
they could not prevail upon her to leave
the room CT to take food
He left, promising to call again, and
at the close OF the week he kept his
word. This time, the child was gone to
the graveyard, and thither he followed
her. He found her sitting quite still
her eyes dark with unshed tears. She
started us his football fell on her ear, and
looked in surprise as stranger halted
beside her. The face appeared familiar
Where had she seen it? Across hel
mind came the vision of calm night
when into the chamber Of death stole
thoughtless, merry voices, singing
catches of LES Chsnsons de Beranger.'
Henry Aylton stepped forward. and ad
dressed her in Italian.
"Signora, can be of use to your
am so sorry sang those songs; but
did not know"
"You were good to 60" she said
simply.
Again he asked:
"Can help you at sll?"
She shook her head.
.. "No; am waiting for letter from
England. My mother said | should be
sen' for and they would take care of me
but it is so long coming"
"Have you friends in EnglandP"
81 don't know; | believe So"
poor child is your father dead?"
"No, | don't think he is, because
mother spoke Of him just before she
died"
He looked at her with fresh interest
She was of good family doubtless; the
clear profile, the supple limbs, the free
grace of her movements all told Of ars
tocratic lineage: and what fate wai
hers! alone among str ,ngers.
He drew nearer and went on.
evil you tell me your name2 / may
; be able to find your English friends.
; am going to England in week or two. >
"My name? Coral de Galba. / must
wait for my letter. | can only find them
, in that way. The letter must com,
soon, it has been so long. Don't you
think it will?"
He shook his head
II cannot say, my child. Have you
no friends in Naples?"
, None but Jesse and Angelo Viccoa
who teaches me to sing. lie says one
day my voice will make me great"
Long he talked with the child of her
, lite in Naples, and, when she rose TO &c
home, he walked with her to the quay
For weeks did the child and Jessa look
tor the letter, which never came; and
when the question was mootcd as 70
! what should become OF the delicately
nstured girl, old Angelo VIccola offered
|, to train her voice.
"She may make her fortune on the
stage" he said. And Jessa promised to
let her remain in the room she had
occupied so long.
, Henry Aylton fingered in Naples till
all these arrangements were made, and
the last sight he had of the girl was by
her mothers grave, as, looking up in
his face, she said:
Coral will never forget you; and she
will work so hard to be a great singer;
then she will find her father"
Next day he LEFT Naples; and for years
his life and that of Coral de Galba were
spent in scenes so far apart that in time
her name almost ceased to be with him
a memory.
CHAPTER IL.
Back through the bysone days
Back through the younger yeaD
Eleven years afterward, over the
breakfast table of an old country house.
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