Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-02-28

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fright that | believed he had told me
to come. Then he threw away The
cigar and rose. saying: "Ah, remem-
her You are the lad with the little
mules. Come and sing for me"
More terrified than ever | followed
him 10 a large square room, where
great beautiful piano was standing.
\ He threw himself into chair and mo
tionIng to pile Of music on stand,
babe me lind something ! knew Then
III told him very humbly that ! had
never seen a piece Of music before
outside Of the shop windows, and that
all knew were hymns | had learned
from listening In the church entry
! sometimes He stared at me q little
at first and said: "Impossible!' ana
then he told me to sing whatever /
knew. SO | dd--two verses OF one
OF orr beautiful italian hymns Then
| sang, another and another, little sim
ple airs. but | loved them, for they
I, were all the life had besides caring
for the little mules aud selling the
milk.
When I had finished I was very
much frightened, and longed to get
away. Tho signore said nothing at
ALL bur rang q bell and gas some or
der to a servant | felt very much
ashamed. for 7 thought 7 had NOT
pleased him; but he led me outside
again, and By the porch stood his
carriage "Get in" he said briefly,
a. SignOreY | said, hesitating, and
then obeyed, trembling with JOY and
wonder.
We drove to what was then the
square opposite which Signore Lupez
had his classes in music, and before
knew what was happening we stood
before him and Signore Arlelgh was
saying: "Slgnore, | have brought to
you a genius. Can you arrange to
take him to study with your
/ To study--wlth you! The words
were there, but I could not grasp their
meaning, nor apply them to me; but
when | did, ah, when | did! When |
learned that was to go to him twice
every week and practice all day If /
chose, when he told me the next day
that | was 10 study language and
literature besides, need | tel you that
| almost believed that l had found
heaven?
j / was 20 years old then, and for six
wears | studied with him. Signore
Arlelgh came back from England only
once, and that year after | began,
and he was good enough to tell me
that more than pleased him. 1t was
wonderful this new life OF mine.
So the time passed until the June of
The year was "a My work was
nearly over for In the holiday season
that year was to go on the stage
4 first, here in Florence. had taken
lodgings In the Via de Grandi, and
was supporting myself by doing a
little copying for Signore Lupez, or
helping him with beginners. And in
the vacant rooms across the street two
persons Signore Vernitl, an artist,
and his daughter, Carlotta Verniti.
cannot tell you how it AL began;
it Is 100 sacred to me too sacred and
too unutterably sad From the mo
ment when | saw her first in her
little scarlet cap and jacket ! loved
her used to watch her moving about
their little rooms evenings, before the
blinds were drawn, and | grew to love
her more and more. You de- not I'M
derstand, do you? To love before you
have spoken TO one? Unless you are
from Italy, too-for we are the only
ones who love like that, who would
even love on for years without word
exchanged with the one beloved, 1t is
beautiful, is it not?
But one day We met Almost always
she did their small shopping in the
early morning and ! would plan to 20
70 practice just as she was returning,
so that | could see her face. This day
| had walked but II little way when
| saw her coming In the little scarlet
cap knw so we'll she had a basket
which just before | met her she in
some way let fall aud Its contents
some pomegranitGs. | think We're
scattered on the pavement. | went
forward eagerly and helped her to
EdlllhI iHtiu up HHh lluShlliA ~ hli1
and smiling she thanked me. After
that we always exchanged Il greeting
when we met, which you may be sure
was often, ana one day ventured to
leave the house just after she did and
50 oyertakc and walk Il little with
her.
came to do this often and one
morning she asked ME timidly II |
would not CONF sometimes and sing
10 her She played n little, she said,
and listened To me often and often
when the windows had been open and
| had been practiciug little alone,
or course went gladly. and she
played for me some simple. soft Italian
airs on the little, old piano.
So the long beautiful summer days
went by, and one Jay when the aus
umn came | told her first that |
loved her, ana learned from the dear
HIPS that | too was loved. After that
life Was more beautiful than ever |