The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-26
4 R.nainisc enc. &c Paranl.

/ The New York season of music was
closing Satiated with praise, Parepa
Rosa drew her fur wrap around hel
shoulders, and, stepping from the pri-
yate entrance of the Academy of Music,
was about to enter her carriage, when
please, my ladi, in low, pleading ac-
cents, arrested her attention. 1t was
only the drunken. misshapen form OF
| little Rlfin, the Italian street-singer,
with his old violin ualer his arm; but
the face npturned in fife gasiight,
though pale and pinehed, was as deli
cateIy cut as a cameo. while the eager,
wistf,il light in the great brilliant eyes,
| the culver of .entreaty in the soft Italian
voice, Ia Id her for moment against
her escort endeavor to save her the an
noyance of hearing beggar's plea.
'.Well,S said the great singer, half
impatient, yet full of pity.
'sWould mi Iadi 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> her
answer Taking the flower, Parepa
Rosa bent her stately head. You
heard me sing"
mi ladi, hid under the stair. Twas
yesterday l heard the voice. oh. mi
ladi. mi fadf. | could diet The words
came brokenly from quiyering lips, pas
sionately 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 afiame and in the sob
bling, broken words; my ladi, oh! my
ladi-I could die. >
Child and her voice trembled,
tsmeet me here tomorrow at FIVE, and,
holding the lily carressingly to her cheek,
she stepped into her carriage and was
driven away.
1t was Parepa Rosa 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 unearthly power
and sweetness. The slight frame of the |
boy swayed and shook, and look SO |
wrapt. so intense, came on 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 distant chimes of YES
per bells. Encore after encore followed. |
The curtain rolled up for the last time,
and as simply as possible the manager
old the audience of last nights incl
lent. and announced that Parepa Rosa's
farewell to them would be the simple
ballad warbled many a bitter day
through the city streets by little Elm,
he Italian musician.
Long and prolonged was the applause,
md at the first pause, sweeping in with
oval grace, came our queen of song.
1t her breast was the fragrant lily.
queen. too, by right of her beautiful,
lnstained womanhood, as well as by the
,ower of her sublime voice, she stood a
then sang clearly and softly
he ballad with its refrain of Farewell,
sweet Land. Accompanying her came
he low. sweet wall of little Elm vio-
in. There was silence in that great I
ouse at the close, then shout went
p that shook the mighty pillars.
A whisper being heard that Parepa {
sosa meant to educate the boy musical
i. the generous hearts of few had
pened the gates of fortune for little !
lin. To-day he is great and famous,
nd they call him to play before Princes.
Parepa Rosai God called thee in thy
erfect womanhood, but thy voice lives
4 our hearts. and at the last great day
shall be written in shining letters on
~ name. -'Inasmuch as We did it unto
le beast of these, We did it unto Me