The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-07-11
A Renaissance OF Parepa.

The season of music was closing. Sa-
elated WIN Praise, Parepa Rosa drew her
iur wrap around her shoulders, and, step
ping from the private entrance of the
Grand" was about to enter her carriage
when "please, mi ladi," in low pleading
accents, arrested her attention. It was
only the shrunken, misshapen form of lit
tie Elm, the italian street singer, with
his violin under his arm but the face
upturned in the gaslight, though pale
and pinched, was as delicately cnt as a
cameo, while the eager, wistful light in
the great, brilliant eyes, the culver of en-
tfeaty In the soft Italian voice, held her
for moment against her escorts en-
deavor to save the ANNOYANCE of hearing
beggar's plea. "Well," said the great
singer, half impatient, vet full of pity.
"Would mi ladi please ?" in sweet broken
English, and the slender brown hands 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 his an
swer. Taking the flower. Parepa Rosa
bent her stately head. "You heard me
sing ?" "Mi ladi, hid under the stair.
Twas yesterday I heard the voice. Oh,
mi ladi, my ladi, could die" The
words came brokenly from quivering lips,
passionately 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 ahame, and in the sobbing.
broken words, "Mi ladi, oh mi ladi,
could die" "Child," and her voice
trembled. "meet me here tomorrow at
FIVE" and holding the lily carelessly 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 tri.
umphant chords, and rang amid the
arches with unearthly power and sweet
ness. The slight frame of the boy
swayed and shook, and look so rapt, so
intense, came on his face. you knew his
very heart was stilled. Then the won
drous voice thrilled softly, like the faint
sound of bugles in the early morn again
its sweetness stole over YOU like the dis
tant chimes of vesper bells. Encore after
encore followed. The curtain rolled up
for the last time, and as simply as posi-
pio Viz uhudHcI tOlu tuo duulonC6 Oh lhSU
nights incident and announced that
Parepa Rosa's farewell to them would be
the simple ballad warbled many bitter
day through the streets by little Elfu,
the Italian musician. Long and pro.
longed was the applause, and at the first
pause, sweeping in with royal grace, came
our queen of song. At her breast was
a fragrant lily. Queen, too, by right of
her beautiful unstained womanhood, as
we'll as by the power of her sublime voice,
she stood moment, then sang clearly
and softly the ballad with its refrain of
Farewell, Sweet Land Accompanying
her came the low, sweet wall of little
Films violin. There was silence in that
great house at the close, then shout went
up that shook the mighty pillars. A
whisper being heard that Parepa Rosa
meant to educate the boy unsteady, the
generous hearts of few opened the gates
of fortune for little Elm. To-day he is
great and famous, "the boy violinist,"
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 it
shall be written in shining letters on thy
name " Inasmuch as we did it unto the
least of these, ye did it unto me."-Se-
Lected.