Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-04-20

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 Elfn, 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 large,
brilliant eyes, the quiver of entreaty in the
soft, Italian voice, held her for moment in
spite of her escorts endeavor to save her the
annoyance of listening to a beggars plea.
"Well p said the great singer, half impa.
tiently, yet full of pity.
"Would mi lsdi please p in sweet broken
English, and the slender brown hand of the
dwarf held up fragrant white lily with
crystal drop in its golden heart.
DO you mean this lovely flower for me?'
A passionate gesture was her answer.
Taking the flower, Parepa bent her stately
head. 'Did you hear me sing?'
"Mi ladi, hid under the stair. Twas yes
terday heard the voice. Oh mi ladi, mi
ladi, / could die :"
The words came brokenly from the culver
ing lips, passonately in earnest. The loud
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 these soft, dark
eyes afame and in the sobbing, broken words
mi ladi, oh mi ladi, l could die ~
"Child,' and her voice trembled inject
me here tomorrow at FIVE" And, holding
the lily caressingly TO her cheek, she stepped
into her carriage and was driven away.
1t was Parepa's last night. In box near
the stage sat little Elm like one entranced.
Grandiy the clear voice swelled its triumphant
chords and rang amid the arches With un-
earthly power and sweetness. The delicate
frame of the boy swayed and shook, and
look so wrapt, so intense, came over his face,
you knew his very heart was stilled. Then
the wondrous voice thrilled softly like the
faint sound of bugles in the early morn; again
its sweetness stole over you like the chimes of
distant bells. Encore after encore followed.
The curtain rose for the last time, and as sim
ply as possible the manager told the audience
OF last nights incident, and announced that
Parepa's farewell to them would be the simple
ballad warbed many bitter day through the
city streets by little Elm, the Italian mlsi-
clan.
Loud and prolonged was tn applaus', aad
at the first pause, sweeping in with royal
grace, came our queen Of song. Upon her
breast was the fragrant lily. Queen too, by
right OF her beautiful, unstained won anhool,
as well as by tn power of her sublime voic9,
she stood silent for an instant then sang
clearly and softly the ballad with its refrain
of Farewell, sweet land" Accompanying
her came the low, sweet wall of little E'hu's
violin. There was silence in that great house
at the close then a shout went up that shook
the mighty pillars.
A whisper being heard that Parepa meant
to educate the boy muscally, the generous
hearts of few opened the gates of fortune
for little Elfn. To. day he is great and famous
and they call him to play before princes.
Parepa Rosa God called thee in thy por-
feet womanhood, but thy voice lives still in
our hearts, and in the last great day it shall
be written in shining letters against thy name,
'Inasmuch as ye did it unto the least of these,
We did it unto Me. ."-DetrOb Post.