The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-04-24

copyright isa3, by u D. Iippncott Company,
and published by special arrangement with
theml .-
A short. swarthy, gray haired old man
who swung his little legs on opposite
sides of the barrel upon which he sat,
who smoked stumpy old pipe, whose |
one heavy eyebrow ran clear across his |
forehead. who wore tiny gold earrings |
and seldom cut his hair, who spoke in .
monosylables-such was Carlo di Carlo |
1.-THE dago.'
A tail, fat, blooming brown creature,
loud talking and voluble, full of fun and
temper luxuriant to coarseness. whose
bust measure and age were both some
where in the early forties, who seemed
fashioned for laughter and unlimited
maternity. who sat every evening on the
front doorstep of the shop opposite her
husband-this was the Signora di Carlo.
A Unity bit of girl, radiant as pc
tite. lrk as her father, symmetrical as
her Their of 90 years ago, whose 1.-the
fgug, was Just throwing out hints of fu-
ture DIRECTIONS, whose long black hair
was raight as an Indians, but fine as
the WI upon the head of the babe who
lay G. owing upon the mothers lap, who
was ticeut like her father, but whose
mota RS fire flashed from her eye on oc-
casio4-a girl to love, to hate, to do and
daro- behold the sweet daughter, Car
lott Ii Carlo! The discerning eye be-
held IA her promise of romance, posi-
bilitis Of tragedy, and he who looked
upon Ter once paused to look again.
8 ,11ya ,-al lpepae Of VI
rious ages and sexes, of various degrees
of beauty, but all handsome, healthy,
picturesque, noisy lot, quarrelsome with.
out pugnacity-these were the little Di
Carlos.
A small. square front room, with low
shed around its two sides over the ban
duette, an oyster counter along its parti-
ton wall. fruit stand spread beneath
its sheds opening on two streets, red
lantern hung out at the corner for IA sign
see the mercantile house of Di Carlo.
Within front corner of the shop in
winter and out on the banquette in sum-
mer, his chair placed so as to command a
view of the fruit shelves on both sides,
sat a one legged cobbler surrounded by
his professional litter of old shoes, tools
strings and scraps of leather.
Fourteen years ago Patrick Rooney
took this chair, engaging to pay for the
rent and privileges of the same by doing
the family cobbling-a fair arrangement
with circle of three when Carlotta was
wearing her first shoes; but, to quote
from Pat, There's been niver timt
since but the madam's been aither afthel
raisin the rint on me or a-threatenin Il
do that same an sure I'd We deserted
long since if she'd liver sint Inc notitica
ton be an ugly messenger, but whin she
shteps out herself bloominer n liver, wut
anither wan O thin black eyed beauties
forninst her buzzom, do put by fresl
batch o. little scraps for patches an trait
mes.f to dozen on the half shell on the
strength o the new customer to tn,
thrade."
The Di Carlos doubtless knew goot
bargain when they had it, and so Pa
had been encouraged to remain by per
quisites in the way of oysters and fruit
This, however, was scant offset to al
increase from one to nine healthy sho,
wearing boys and girls.
If Pat had begun to think seriously o
the matter some years ago, the christen
ing of a newcomer, when Pat hobble
all the way up the aisle at st. Alphonse'
one morning and recorded a sponsor
vows for diminutive little beauty o
the name of Patrick Rooney di Carlo
held him firm to his chair for some time
and then-well, the signora counted OIL
this md became reckless, and there wer
twin and in year another. There's NJ
tell 2 what discomfort might have begun
to fe ment in Pats breast had it not beef
that Carlotta beganto grow SO startling
" b iutiful, and young men and old mel
and boys began hanging about the sho
whtl there was nothing to buy, or buy
ing things they evidently did not want
and ii the time looking at Carlotta.
Pat mad petted the child, called her hi
''sv 4teheart," trotted her on his on
knen and sung her to sleep to "Lanigan'
Bal from the time he came to the L
Caro- shop.
Oily within the last year, however
since the halo of glorious womanhoo
was lowering about her, had tende
solicitude about the girl entered his hear
and although the signora fortunately di
not suspect it no added duty would hav
driven him from his post now.
And yet the Di Carlos had not been Ell
tirely unreasonable. Later concession
had been made. A room, the entire gal
ret over the shop, had been placed 9
Pats disposal, and here he had fnall
moved his few belongings-a cot, cha
or two, huge green box which held h
surplus clothing in fraction of its spaC
(such a wooden bin as the poor Irish EN-
grant usually dignifes by the name
trunk and which one need not be Englis
to call box) gaudy picture of the vi
gin Mother with her heart ahame,
much framed photograph of Carlotta
her first communion dress, rosary al
crucifix, and hanging across the raj
ers the moth eaten remains of brig
uniform and broken torch lamp, f
before his accident Pat had been
Irishman, a Fenian, an American wal
politician and festive leader in tore
light professions, patriotism and Il
like.
Nobody ever knew just how or
whom the shot was fired that made hi
cripple and cobbler (and he alwa,
added "a Dutchman and dago to boot
laughing alone at his final pun. But
was fearful row. Three men were she
and all came near dying, but didn't di
and as all the wounded carried weapo
more or less spent they considered d
cre'ion the better part of v-.lor and ins
gated no investigations.
All this was before the days of te
phones and hospital ambulances, and P
was carried into the shop of a Germ
shoemaker next door to the saloon whe
the shooting was done. He would pre-
abl. have been sent to the Charity he
pitol next day, however, excepting tn
his host, Hans Schmidt, had happened
ha in Tho snlnnn of the tirnn of the d