Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-07

Il hs were allowed TO use his time and strength
IN another wAy. His singing was q good thing
for them, and Maestro Mecheri had said IL was
DETER that be should not be put to labor that
/ would tire him, because IL was not good for his
voice. And IL did not matter % that he brought
in help one way or another, and, upon the
| whole, bis voice brought in much more than
his labor In the fields or vineyards would have
done.
When she had climbed M the street TO her
6yn door and unloaded the donkey and driven
him into his rough stable, with the iron-barred
Windows, she gave him some food and mounted
the steep, dark stone stairway which took her
| to the rooms where she lived.
When she opened the door and entered the
living room q wiry little elderly man rose
| from chair at her entrance.
Good day, Brigitta." he said II have been
| waiting for you"
| 1t was Maestro Mecheri.
"Good day. Maestro" she answered. ~
have been at work at the olive gathering with
Cola. There Is quite a good crop, but the olives
are small There has not been enough rain"
That Is true, answered Maestro Mecheri.
I'VE have needed rain for many weeks have
come to talk with you about Giovanni"
| Has anything gone wrong with hump" she
NO." said Maestro Mecheri, '.he has good
luck, that ragaazo. He has a fine voice and is
strong and not troubled with ideas. And he is
good looking: Often believe money is given
az much to his merry eyes and white teeth as
| to his singing. The forestieri like his cheer.
ful: handsome face. 1t is good luck to be born
Looking like that 1t has possibly made his for
I'm what way, Santa Maria2" exclaimed
The forestisri have ways of their own" said
the maestro. There are two signoras who
have heard him sing and have taken afancy to
| him.
eyes," Brigitta interrupted, "they sent the
concierge Of their hotel to tell him to come to
their salon the other day. Giovanni told me
about it. ltwas all hung with old brocades and
for antiquities, and it was filed with flowers,
and there were many pictures Of q boy who is
dead. His mother was the one who sent the
concierge to Giovanni"
YES" said Maestro Mecheri, "that is IL, and
that is the point That is why say they have
ways of their own, the forestieri. Most people
when child dies-if they are rich-bury him
finely and have masses said and hang blaek and
white bead wreaths on his tomb. They are
very handsome, those bead wreaths with mic
ngho or ma modre,' and other sentiments
upon them. have even seen little weeping
willow made Of green beads bending over a
headstone. There are beautiful ornaments for
the dead made Of beads. And this signora
must be rich, but she seems to have queer ideas;
she did not explain them much to me- but
gathered some Of her fancies from some few
things she said. It seems as if she was not con-
tent that the boy life should be ended on earth
and continue only in Paradise. She has
strange wish that he should seem still to live
on earth and do things for other boys.
1t is singular. but it is a good thing for
Giovanni. She came to see me about him."
Br1gltta made gesture OF amazement. Her
eyes had been wide open before, now her mouth
opened.
YES" continued the maestro, scratching his
grizzled, curling poll, ''she has wish that this
boy OF hers-who is in Paradise-should help
Giovanni. She did not say it exactly, but I
could see she had some fancy-I guessed it from
her face and from her voice, which trembled
when she spoke. am not dull fellow"
What does she want to do?" said Brigitta
''It makes one feel strange-such an idea. I am
not sure like it 1t might bring iIl-fortune-
Ike the evil eye--to have person who is dead
watching over one."
Maestro Mecheri shrugged his shoulders.
That Is stupid" he said. 1T is the idea Of
peasant" He knew that Brigitta was q peas
ant, and quite common and ordinary one
and. he, who was professional person con-
nected with the theater, did not shrink from
speaking his mind to her. 1T is good thing
for Giovanni and her plans are sensible in
spite Of her fancies. She says that he has a
voice which might bring him fame and fortune
II he does not strain it by singing too long and
II 1t is trained afterward. She says that out of
the fortune Of her son she will pay you sum
which will make it possible for you and Cola to
afford to let him stop singing in the street, and
he shall go to school for year or SO until his
voice Is changed. l am to watch over him and
let her know when it will be safe to begin train
ing him. And l am in the meantime to teach
him all know about music, that it may help
him when he can begin practicing.''
1t ID ike romance, said Brigitta staring.
'.They have ideas-the forestieri. 1t is well
they have money Also"
Maestro Mecheri rubbed his chin and looked
course natural that a peasant woman should
not understand all this might mean sVF'-
ut may make q rich man Of him." he said,
III his voice is very fine one-as I think it
will be-he may make a great Torture. He may
sing in great cities, perhaps before the king,
and the impresarios will pay him immense
sums every night. 1t was SO with Mario. il is
SO with Patti. There is nothing so valuable as
q voice all the world wants to hear
Brigitta laughed little.
"One cannot bring ones mind all at once to
thinking that of ones own child" she said
1t would be queer enough to think Of Giovanni
singing before the king!''
If he has good fortune, said Maestro Mech
eri, shat may all come in time. The signora
wished me to see you and Cola and explain to
you and ask you if you were willing. She is
going away soon herself and wishes it ar
ranged"
Brigitta laughed little vaguely again.
"You must come and see Cola" she said.
'.You will not be such imbeciles as to refuse?"
said the Maestro.
what one has, one has" she answered, "and
One cannot be sure of what his voice will be
when he is a young man. But as she will give
something to make up to rs for losing his work
now, do not think Cola will care. And as for
me it is all the same SO that one has something
in ones hand"
He could not sing more than year." said
the maestro. You know how the other boys
voice was lost and how he broke down. His
was magnificent" with another rub at his griz-
zled curls and queer look and tone OF regret.
1T was magnificent. He would have sung be-
fore the knight could not have been other
wise. 1t was great misfortune for him.
You mean the son Of Lisay'' said Brigitta
He died last night, and she is almost mad,
they say
Maestro Mecheri's look of regret took on q
sudden spasmodic deepening
did he?" he said. "Poverino! Poverinov"
"He has been dying for months" said
Brigitta, but she would not believe it. He
coughed until he was worn TO q skeleton
"Ah" sighed Maestro Mecheri. "And he
might have sung before kings 1t was q won
derful voice."
But he is dead" said Brigitta, unsmotion-
ally. He died last night
(To be continued)