Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-08-24
A Renaissance Of Parepa.

A Renaissance Of Parepa.
The New York season of music was
closing Satiated with praise; Parepa
Rosa drew her fur wrap around her Shout
ders, and stepping from the private en-
trance of the Academy of Music, was
about to enter her carriage when 'Please.
mi ladi,' in low, pleading accents, arrest
ed her attention. 1t was only the shrunk-
en-, misshaped form of little Elm, the
Italian street-singer, with his old violin
under his arm but the face upturned il
the gasIight, though pale and pinched, was
as delicately cut as a cameo, while the ca
ger, wistful light in the great brilliant
, eyes, the culver of entreaty in the soft
Italian voice, held her for moment
against her escorts endeavor to save her
the annoyance of hearing beggar's plea.
"Well," said the great singer, half i'm
patient, yet full of pity.
I "Woxld ai lauf please in sweet, brok-
en- English, and the slender brown hand
of the dwarf held mp fragrant white lily,
with crystal drop in its golden heart.
"Do you mean this lovely flower for
me?" A passionate gesture was her ans
wer. Taking the flower. Parepa Rosa
bent her stately head. "You heard me
sing ?"
| mi ladi. I hid under the stair. Twas
yesterday heard the voice. o, mi ladi,
mi 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 those soft dark eyes afame,
and in the sobbing broken words: "Miladi,
oh mi ladi-I could die.''
"Child," and her voice trembled, ''meet
me here tomorrow at s." 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 pear the stage sat little Elfn, like one
entranced. Grandly the clear voice swelled
its triumphant chords and rang amid the
arches with unearthly power and sweet
ness. 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 sweet
ness stole over you like the distant chimes
of vesper bells. Encore after encore fol-
lowed. The curtain rolled up for the last
time, and as simply as possible the mana
ger told the audience of last night g Incl
dent, and announced that Parepa Rosa's
farewell to them would be the simple bal
lad warbled many bitter day through the
city streets by little Elm, the 1t Italian
musician.
Long and prolonged was the applause,
and at the first pause, sweeping in with
royal grace came our Queen of Song. At
her breast was the 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" Ac-
companylng her came the low, sweet wall
of little Elin's violin. There was silence
in that great house at the close, then a
shout went up that shook the mighty pill
lars
A whisper being heard that Parepa
Rosa meant to educate the boy unsteady,
the generous hearts of few had 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
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, We die it unto me. ''-Maru
L. Wright, IN Detroit Post.