The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-08
SIXTH AVENUE
,nddenly she, too, leaned against the wall.
"Your boy died." she said. Mine is

,uddenly she, too, leaned against the wall.
Your boy died." she said. Mine is
dead, too"
"Yes,' said Lisa, hoarssly, and looking
u the pale face and black drapsries. II
have heard them speak Of you. But you
you are a rich %siCnora, and he, your son, he
wanted nothing" And she bowed her head
lRain.
'"He-he wanted life" whispered the lady
in black. land l could not give it himr'
She pressed her hsnd on her breast: II
could not buy it, or beg it, or search it on
ny hands and knees, or work for it like a
servant, as if l had never been a lady at all.
No one could sell it to me-no one in all
the great, powerful, wonderful world where
The wise men now SO much. l had always
given him everything else-he thought !
,ould give him a~nything-but l could not
give him that, md he was so young, and it
seemed so beautiful to him-and be wanted
itn' And she bowed her head. too.
~"Pasquale," said Lisa, my boy did not
want it,"
''Try-try to be comforted that he was
not forced to bear it," said the other.
But ah. poor woman!-God help you-if
he did not wan it,"
she wanted it once.' cried the peasant;
'he loved it three years ago-two years ago.
1t was all the voice-the beautiful silver
voice that broke his heart-was false and
deserted him-that tricked him and left
him to die"
Poor boy, Poor boy!" wept the woman
near he. And the peasant knew that the
bears were for the young dead she had never
seen.
"Ho always sang" she went on-"whsn
he was a tiny thing with round cheeks
forestieri stnrea at him and gave him
soidi for his good looks and his long eye
iashes-even then he could sing. He used
to try and makeSsounds like the birds, and
If he heard an cir in the street he would
try to repeat it and then clasp his little
hands and laugh for pleasure when he had
made 1t right. And | YVES proud of it and
boosted Of him to tho %neighbors and made
him sing for them, He was like a little
bird; he put his head on one side like one
when he sat on my knee and sang, looking
from under his lashes. They were 80 long
az that'-measuIing her fngures-"and no
had cnTls like a Gesu RamGino, and soft
cheeks and strange eyes which seemed al
ways TO be listening for music in the air
such as we could not hear. And | was
proud and let him sing. | ought to have
put my hand over his little red mouth and
killed it ~then-then that voice of silver
and gold that was such q traitor and Il false
friend"
but you loved it and were happy" said
her nearer. Il know. | have one boy left,
he sings."
THE saints give to him that it may not
end III grief said Lisa. "We poor peas
a~nts-poor enough-when he was old
enough to go INTO the streets. it was a fine
thing for Us that be could 20 and sing. He
was so handsome and his voice was such d
wonder that the forestierl liked him. They
gave him money and were always praibing
and petting him. There was no other boy
who lived like him. 1t was almost AS if he
had been a real signoriue. though he lived
here in the Citta Vecchia. If he
did not sing one day before a hotel
or a villa, the next time they would ask
why he had not come. If he had been
only like other boys and cared for nothing
but the praise and the money, it would
have been all right. But he was not like
music. and he was always finding something
to read about singing n great singers. l
loved him and he loved me, and / listened
with all my heart when he talked, but | did
not quite understand. He knew | did not,
but still he loved me. and always told his
thoughts to me-. He loved his voice; 1T WAS
his treasure. and he wanted his life to be
all music. He was willing to work all day
and all night if he might sing we'll in the
end. And they told hin:-the forestieri
who knew about voices, and Maestro Mo
cheri- that he might some day be a great
singer-a great one!'
HE might have been" said the listener.
"Yes, | know that is true. He might have
b~een-and---" She hesitated a moment
with parted lius-a strange light of thought
seemed to leap into her eyes and rest there,
though she did not finish.
"He used to come here and lean against
the wall at sunset said Lisa. He would
look Out over the sea to tho Madonna della
Guardia, and it would seem as if he were
IN a d dream. When he came in to eat, it