St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-03-30
4 Reconnaissance Of Parepa
Rosa.

The season OF music was closing.
Satiated with praise, Parepa Rosa drew
her fur wrap around her shoulders,
and, stepping from the private entrance
of the Grand" was about to enter her
carriage when "Please, mi ladi," in low
pleading accents, arrested her atten-
ton. 1t was only the shrunken, mis-
shapen form of little Elm, the Italian
street-singer, with his old violin under
his arm but the face upturned in the
gaslight, though pale and pinched, was
as delicately cut as a cameo, while the
eager, wistful light in the great, bril-
liant eyes, the culver of entreaty in the
soft Italian voice held her for mo-
ment against her escorts endeavor to
save the annoyance of hearing a beg
CARS plea.
''Well," said the great singer, half
impatient, yet full of pity.
''WOuld mi ladi please p in sweet
broken English, and the slender brown
hands of the dwarf held up IA fragrant
white lily, with crystal drop in its
golden heart.
ado yOu mean this lovely flower for
me ?" A passionate gesture was his
answer. Taking the flower Parepa
Rosa bent her stately head. "You
heard me sing ~
"Mi ladi, | hid under the stair
Twas yesterday | heard the voice.
Oh, mi ladi, mi ladi, could die :" The
words came brokenly from quivering
lips passionately in earnest. The lond
voice of the world she had Just left had
never shown Parepa Rosa the power of
her grand voice as she saw it now in
the sObbing, broken words, "Mi ladi,
oh, mi ladi, could die :"
"Child,' and her voice trembled,
'meet me here tomorrow at D." and
holding the lily caressingly to her
cheek she stepped into her carriage and
was driven away.
1t was Parepa Rosa's last night. In
a box near the stage sat little Elm like
one entranced. Grandly the clear
voice swelled its triumphant chords,
and rang amid the arches with I'M
earthly power and sweetness. The
slight frame of the boy swayed and
shook, and Il look so rapt, so intense.
came on his face, You knew his very
heart was stilled. Then the wondrous
voice trilled softly, like the faint sound
of bugles i'll the early morn again its
sweetness stole over you like the dis
tant chimes of vespcr bells. Encore
after encore followed. The curtain
rolled up for the last time, and us sim
ply as possible the manager told the
audience of last nights incident and
announced that Parepa ROsa's farewell
to them would he the simple ballad
warbled many bitter day through the
city streets by little Elm, the Italian
musician.
Long and prolonged was the APP
plause, and at the first pause, sweep
ing with royal grace, came our queen
of song. At her breast was the frag-
rant lily. Queen, too, by right of her
beautiful, unstained wOmanhoOd as
well as 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" Ac-
complaining her came the low, sweet
wall of little Elfin's violin. There was
silence in the great house at the close,
then shout went out that shook the
mighty pillars.
\ whisper being heard that Parepa
Rosa meant to educate the boy must
cally, the generous hearts of few
opened the gates of fortune for little
Elm. To-day he is great and famous,
''the boy violinist,n 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 ut the last great
day it shall he written in shining let
terS on thy name: ''InaSmuch us We did
ii unto the least of these, We did il I'M
to me- New York World.