Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-08-20
A strange Scene.


1t was many years ago that poor
widowed woman in New York, leading
hard life Of unending labor, was called
on to part with the one thing dear to her,
her only child. Mother and daughter
had toiled together for fifteen years,
and the only light in their
dark lives was that shed by their loving
companionship. But the girl had always
hsen weakly. Under the heartbroken
mothers eyes she faded and wasted
away with consumption, and at last the
dav enme when the wan face failed to
answer with smile the anxious, tear
blinded eyes Of her mother. The poor
young creature was dead.
For many months the pair had been
supported by the elder womans sewing
and il was in the character OF employer
had become acquainted with Mrs. e
and hsr story. By an occasional visit to
tho awful heights of tenement where
they lived, by few books and some com
fortine' words, | had won the love of the
dying girl. -,
The summons to her burial reached
me upon one Of the widest days preced-
inp Christmas, turned on the gas and
sat down, deyoutly thankful that i had
eut all connection with the wicked
weather. when an ipstallment of it burst
in upon me in the shape of Parepa
Rosa. She was Euphrosyne Parepa at
that time, and tine operatic idol. And
even as we congratulated ourselves on
the prospect OF delightful day together,
there came the summons for me to go to
the humble funeral Of the poor sewing
woman's daughter.
''rhis is terrible" said |, "but must
60"
And then ! told Parepa the circum.
stances, and specnllted on the length of
time | should be gone, and suggested
means of amusement in my ABSENCE
"But | shall go with you" said the
great hearted creature.
So she trew around her throat q
long white comforter, pulled on her
worsted gloves, and OFT in the storm we
went together. We climbed flight after
fight OF narrow, da'k stairs to the top
floor, where the widow dwelt in miser-
able little room not more than dozen
feet square. The canvas-back hearse
peculiar to the twenty-five dollar funeral
stood in the street below, and the awful,
cherry. stained box, with its ruffle of
glazed white muslin, stood on the un-
covered trestles in the center OF the
room above.
Then the minister came ina dry, self
sufficient man, with nothing of the ten
derness of his holy calling about him.
Icier than the day, colder than the storm,
he ratified through some selected SEN
tences from theI Bible, and offered set
form of coincidence to the broken hearted
mother, telling her of her sin in rebelling
against the DEGREES of Providence, and
assuring her that nothing could bring
back the dead. Then he hurriedly de-
parted, while hush fell on everybody
gathered in the little room. Not one
word had been uttered of consolation. of
solemn import, or befitting the occasion
Then Parepa arose. her cloak falling
about her noble figure like mourning drG-
perry. She stood beside that miserable
stained cherry box. She looked a mo-
ment on the wasted, ashy face upturned
toward her from within it, She laid her
soft, white hand on the forehead of the
dear girl, and she lifted up that matchless
voice in the beautiful melody
'Angels, ever bright and fair.
Take, oh take her to your care"
The noble voice swelled toward Hea-
ven, and if ever the choirs of paradise
paused to listen to eartb's music it was
whom Parepa sang SO gloriously beside
that poor dead girl. No words can de-
scribe its effects on those gathered there.
The sad mourner sank on her knees, and
with clasped hands and streaming eyes
the little band stood reverently about
her;
No queen ever went to her grave ac-
companied by greater ceremony To
this day Parepa's glorious tribute of
song rings with solemn melody in my
memory as the most impressive service |
II H.. Il