The Lamar register., 1892-10-22
rIETRO.

l.
that most beautiful city of Italy
They were poor aud had many chill.
drvn--so many. in fact that Gerardo
grumbied not little when the baby
Pietro was laid in his arms.
lone more month to feed" he said,
when there is not enough food in the
house now for hall OF them"
He laid the baby down with an i'm.
patient sigh and went out to the near.
est tavern. Bread cost but one small
silver piece, while the drink cost two.
but Gerardo silenced his conscience tif
he had any) by rejecting that the
liquor brnced him up much more than
the bread would have done.
II began with the DAG of Pietro's
birth and never seemed to quite pass
away-this idea that he was in the
way. lie was neglected, ruffed and
blamed ior all the mischievous pranks
OF his brothers, the consequence of
which was he grew up a slender, deli.
cate boy, hungry for love and kind
treatment. which. needless to say, he
never received. Yet am quite sure
he could not have told you what he
wanted. He would not have known
how TO express Il. lie grew up an
ou,cast-a pAriah from human love
and tenderness.
Hes a fool" people said of him,
and his father fully agreed that it was
so. "He's a fool" they said, and
having thus satisfied their own minds.
they lost no time in telling others
un,il it was generally conceded
throughout their neishborhood that
Gerario's last boy was perfect
fool"
Indecl, he did not seem like the
other children. They were full OF
lile and animal spirits, as children
should be; ready for fight Mt any
moment and always boisterous and
noisy. Pictro would steal away by him
self and stay for hours. They watch
ei him once to see where he went and
followed him up TO the big cathedral
OF s.. Marks where they found him,
with rapt looks and hushcd breath,
lis eniug to the great organ. The
with its grand throbbing music
p.eIssd him far more tina the beautI.
tul singing. He Was III for days when
they kept him at home, and only re-
covered when they permitted him to
worship the beloved organ once
more
lies a fool" they all said with
one accord.
a bigger fool than We though.
him they agreed.
One day an EnsIishman who was
| soiournins in Florence was strolling
through st. Marks admirins the
t-sautiidl paintings and listening to
the music when he came upon little
boy halt hidden against q ptllar-A
littl- boy with most wOebegonetnce.
The tears 70 ling down each side had
WASHED two white paths through the
dirty little face, making him look more
forloru and uncarcd for than ever.
The Eurlt-hmAn could talk like a ma
tive aud was 30 struck by the beauty
OF the great modruiul eyes and culver
inr lips. through which the breath
came in quick, short gnsps, that he
uncon-ciously drew nearer, intending
to speak.
The boy made such picture sitting
n he did where the purple light from
one OF the great windows bathed HIM
ia amethyst glory, with his dirty little
iar. turned toward the organ loft, and
the mournful brown eyes, full to over
howing. drinking in seemingly the clo-
rious music. that the man ielt like an
intruder and stopped for n moment
lost IN admiration. The music rose
aud fell aud died away, and little Pie
tro came back TO earth once more
snd rose from his seat by the pillar
ready to 20 back home. Then 1t was
that he saw the strAneer-a man who
looked at him with kind. enquiring
eyes and who asked mis- name. Pie
tro answered him, full OF amazement;,
He felt very awkward in the light oil
those kindly eyes.
DO you like music!' the stranger
asked =,
"Oh. love it," Pietro answered
with kindlins eyes.
..Wiu YOU come and see me, Pietro
want to otalk with you. Can you
pIay the organ2 Niollng Harp Per
haps you sing2' d,
pietro shook his head to each one OF
the questions and the ever-ready tears
began to fall. .,,
Never mind; perhaps you will
some day. have many musical IN.
struments at my house, and | will
show them to you; perhaps 1t you are
a good boy, | Will play for you, Have
YOU ever heard anyone play on the VI
oling Nor Well, / am ready to wa
ger that youwill like 1t better than
tine organ -, -.
when shall come, sir2" said Pie
tro. -,
"Why, any time you want to; To-
MORO y morning, perhaps, and you
must ask for Mr. Britain. Can you
remember? Mr.. Britain at the Niiia
Romola."
PIetro could hardly wait for the
morrow to come. lie was so absent
minded and INDUCED in so many day
dreams that his father more than
once remarked:
That boy grows a bigger fool every
= 4.