The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-09-24
OAKLAND Mp.s.s lTuR5 sRRTEaIBER q. 1851
THE yIotKNa I

whose sake the father hal left home
and country TO wander thren&h for5
eign lands. .
For, almost at the altat Mabel
Holbrook's lover had forsak zen her,
wrecking the life whose prolnise had
been SO fair. She could not bear the
plying wordsand Looks of those who
knew her fate, SO begged nefaather
to take her away till the storyasnpuld
be forgotten. Z
Nearly a year had passed since thai
unhappy day, and she had f0uafl y
not happiness, quiet content which
was almost psaees They. shaxa jlhen
|spefs<ilis sssne Gay siB Ntesc5si. s'@f
Mabel liked the almost Sabbath still
ness of the little place. 1t rested her
after the restless life in the great
cities which. they had visited.
One day she sat by her window
when suddenly there came a sound
of music-a violin softly playing.
and the jingle of taTnhourine, while
a clear, sweet, childish voice sang
oneof the delicious pheasant songs"
so often !, heard in Itlay. Looking
out frem behind the flowers in her
window. Mabel saw the violinist, a
young Italian. tall, graceful. almost
noble in his bearing and though his
clothes We're poor, and worn, and
travel-Stained, his hands were white
and shapely, and the cloak which
hung over his shoulder was such as
any cavalier might have carried.
Beside him stood a young girl in the
picturesque dress of the country, her
little hands fine and white, too
holding a large tainbourine. the
lovely bright eyes raised to the face
of her companion as she sang, as if
inspired by his playing.
Drawn by the sound of the music,
Mr.. Holbrook entered the room and
stood beside his daughter.
"The child sings WE'LL" he said,
and in a moment a glittering gold
coin lay at the singers feet.
"Oh, PaOlop' she cried, STOPPING
in wonderful amazemeut to pick it
up, "see, it must be fairy gold !"
mot 50, little one" laughed Mr..
Holbrook, who come out from the
inn In time to hear her exclarnation.
"It is an honest English half soyer-
eign, which you haye fairly earned by
your song. Come in with me and |
will change it in Italian scudi, which
will be Of more use to you"
His accent was not very perfect
Mabel had taught him, and he was
not an apt pupil-but the young
musicians understood. They felt the
Kindness in his voice, and gladly fol-
lowed him into his daughters room,
where Paolo bowed with the grace
of a young price before Mabel.
Nina Basaldi for that was the
girls name--in answer to Mr.. HOl-
brooks kindly inquiries soon told
all their story; how their father
(whO WAS Of a noble Florcntine fam
lily, she said with a pre- ud lifting of
her pretty head had had to leave
his home because of enemies, and
had fled to Switzerland, where her
mother had died when she was but a
baby ; how their father took care of
them and made them so happy till
at last he sickened and died from
some strange; fierce fever how Paolo
had sold all but their fathers violin
(and cloak, which she wore when it
was cool, for Paolo was so careful of
herr to pay the debts ; and how they
were making their way to Milan,
where the dear brother hoped to
earn money that she, Nina, might
study and become a great singer.
"Butnow that your fat her is dead )"
said Mr.. Holbrook to Paolo, "why
do you not seek your relatives ?
They can have no cause of anger
against you, surely"
Paolo shook his head sadly, saying:
"It is the old story of the Ven
delta; and my father made me swear
that would not let them know of
my existence even, lest / might fall
a victim to their vengeance, and little
Nina be left alone in the world. You
know the feud is from father to son
for generations"
"Paolo says we shall find friends
somewhere" said Nina, with a little
sigh; but it is weary seeking, and the
road is so long,"
Dear Nina" said Mabel, impul-
sively, her heart won by the girls
simple story, "the friends are here
and the weary road is passed. We
will keep you, will we not, papa ?"
and she turned to her father, who
stood by with smiling face.
"Oh, sweet lady ~ cried Nina, in
an ecstasy of delight, "dO you mean