The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-05-11
A R,m;n;,canoa Of Parena.

The New York season of music was
closing. Satiated with praise, Parepa
Rosa drew her fur wrap around her
shoulders. and. stepping from the pri-
vate cntranceof the Academy of Music,
was about To enter her carriage, when
please, my ladi,' in low. pleading ac-
cents. arrested her attention. Ii was
only the drunken. misshapcn form Of
little Ellin. the Italian strcet-singer,
with his old violin under his arm; but
the face upturned in the gaslight,
though pale and piuched. WAS rs deli
catcly cut rs u cameo, while the eager,
wiS,ful light in the great brilliant eyes.
the guiyer of entrcaty in The soft Italian
voice, h ld her for u moment against
| her escort rndeavor Ia save her the an
noyancc of hearing n beggar's plea.
We'll" said the great singer, half
impatient. yet full of pity.
Would mi ladi please in sweet
broken English. and the slender brown
hands of the dwarf held up Il fragrant
white lily, with crystal drop in its
golden heart.
"Do You mean this lovely Hover for
me?' \ passionate gesture WAS her
answer. Taking the Hover. parepa
Rosa ben, her stately head you
heard mo sing?'
Mi ladi. hid under the stair. Twas
yesterday heard the voice. Oh. mi
ladi, mi ladi. could dic!" The words
came brokcnly from Juivering lips, pas
sionatcly in earnest. The loud voice of
the world she had jus, left had never
shown Parcpa Rosa the power of her
grand goice rs she SAW it now in these
soft. dark eyes ai'ame and IN the sob
| hia". broken words: My ladi, oh. my
laIi | could die.
Child" and her voice trcmblcd.
inject me here tomorrow at five and,
holding the lily carrcssingly Ia her check
| she stepped into her carriage AMI was
| driven away.
II was rarepa Rosa's last night In
| box near the stage sat little Elm, like
one cniranccd. Grandly the clear voice
SwclIcd lis triumphant chords and rang
amid the arches with mearthly power
! AMI Y~rclncls. The slight frame of the
| boy sway"d and shook. and look so
wrapt, 80 intense. came on his face.
] you knew his very heart was stillcd
! Then the woudrouS voice thrilled softly
/ like tlc faint sound of buglcs in the
! early morn; again its sweetness stole
over you Ike the distant chimes of yes
! per bells. Encore after encore followed
The curtain rolled up for the last time
and rs simply as possible the manager
! tol che audience of last NIGHTS incl
dent. and announced that Parepa Rosa $
farewell 10 them would be the simple
ballad warblcd many Il bitter day
through the city streets by little Elin,
| the Italian musician.
Long andprolon%cd was the applause,
and nj the first pause, sweeping in with
royal grace, came our queen of song
Al her breast was the fragrant lily
Queen. too, by right of her beautiful,
unStaincd wOmanhOod, rs well ~ by the
power of her sublime voice, she stood a
moment. then sang clearly and softly
the ballad with its refrain Of Farewell,
Sweet Land" Accompanying her came
the low, sweet wall of little Eltin's yio-
lin There was silence in that great
house ri the close. then shout went
up that shook the mighty pillars.
A whisper being heard that Parepa
Rosa meant to educate the boy musical
". the generous hearts of Il few had
opened the gates of fortune for little
Elm. To-day he is great and famous,
and they call him TO play before Princes
Parepa Rosa! God called thee in thy
perfect womanhood. but thy voice lives
in our hearts, and at the last great day
il shall be- written in shining letters ON
thy name: .'lnasmuch rs We did il unto
the least Of these. We did il unto Me"