Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-05-14

/
that it was a true home. She had a
great many beautiful ornaments
around, among others, rare, old
Venetian glass vase. This we both
liked better than anything else in the
/ room.
George came home early, to see
me a little while before dinner, and
he had good laugh over Flossy. He
seemed glad to see her, though, and
my last anxious thought was quieted
by that.
We went to the concert that even
ing, and ! only wish | could say
anything worthy of it. The critics
wrote about it at the time; but they
couldn't enjoy it half as much as we,
who only listened, in rapt delight,
without thought of criticism. But
| am not going to talk of the music,
or my story will be too long. must
say, though, that when the concert
was nearly over, Georges brother
Tom joined us, and we all liked him
very much. Of course, George did
and so, of course, Kate did, for he
was their brother. But | mean
liked him too.
The next morning Kate was busy,
and | wanted to paint the lovely vase
| have spoken of before. So / took
my box of colors into the library and
placed the vase in a good light. /
was at work on it when Kate called
me, and | ran to her, leaving every
thing as it was. In few minutes |
returned; but oh what a change
Flossy had in some unaccountable
way knocked over the vase, and its
slender neck was broken. | am sure
l need not tell how felt.
Gathering up the fragments and
my colors, | hastened to my room.
There / tried to decide what to do.
Mamma was not near, to help me /;
but the thought of her suggested the
recollection that several years ago
she had found a rare piece of this
same glass in the shop of an old Ital-
ian refugee, in one of the downtown
streets. After much hard thinking,
/ decided it was in Pine street. But
where was Pine street? And how
could [ go without betraying my er-
rand? Thinking that, on the whole,
the simplest plan was least to my
suspicion, l put on my bonnet, and,
after tying Flossy where she could
do no more mischief, put the broken
vase in my pocket and went down
stairs. / called to Kate that | was
going out to do little shopping, and
hurried away, lest she should make
embarrassing inquiries. / was puz-
zled to know how to find the street.
The conductor told me where to get
out but | felt as though in an en-
tirely new city when | found myself
in the narrow, crowded, crooked,
| Il or 70 7 hny-il
dered that | knew not which way to
go; but walked rapidly on, hoping tC
find some clew to the shop | wanted
At last, / saw sign which seemed
to recall the name / had in mind
There was dozen other signs on the
door and stairs, and | trembled a
the thought of going alone into sucl
a den as | knew opened from any o.
those doors; but my distress owe
the broken vase gave me courage
and | ascended the narrow, dirt,
stairway. | knocked timidly at th'
door that had the card "Luigi Cap
ote," tackled on it, and was so fright
ened when / heard the slow footsteps
of one coming to admit me that m,
heart beat audibly.
s.1Mio Dio % exclaimed the oil
man. as he saw me: ''And does tn
Signorita wish to come here?''
| took the vase from my pocke
and said that / wanted to find anoth
er like it.. He took the delicate glas
in his dirty hand, turned it, muttere
some words of admiration and of re
gret over it; then said:
II not have same one. | hav
what l will show the Signorita.
He led me into curious room.
was dingy and crowded to degree
yet, at a glance, / saw that ther
, were treasures of art there. In spit
/ of my terror, / could not restrain eS
, carnations of delight as | locke
around, and this seemed to pleas
! the old man. His face lighted u
under his odd red cap, and, thoug
; he did not smile, an illuminate
5 spread over his face, making th
3 large eyes lustrous.
4 "The Signorita likes the things {
) beauty?" he asked, by infection
+ rather than by words. sit is wei
+ Beauty is her right, for she
e young"
: | cannot tell you how mournful
these last words were said. The
il went to my heart, and, plying b
n age and apparent desolation, tt
!. tears sprang to my eyes as replied
" ssBut you, too, love beauty. u
Y are old ; but you have more beautif
d things here than I ever saw before.
e He looked at me quickly, touch
by the tremor in my voice; th
/, said: 'sSil 81. We will find som
e thing to please one who has a hes
ID for the DID,
|, ''But you are not so very old, So