Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-12-07

mig. II Primo Tenore was tired ana
very cross. The afternoon had
obeen most trying. At his prac-
tice hour the plano was out Of tune. tho
accompanist had played abominably.
and he half suspected that he had him.
self made false note. Whereupon he
had called the luckless Celestino by
some very hard Italian names. and
seizing his hat and coat had started out
for a walk In the avenue to relieve his
ruffied feelings.
As he walked along briskly In the
clear, cold. winter air. noting how peo.
pie paused to look at him. nudging one
another as the famous singer passed.
bis spirits slowly rose. lie was very
handsome, was II Tcnore, and the Ia.
dies were always wont to eye him ad-
niringly, even when they did not know
that his broad chest could send forth
one Of the finest voices In the world.
II Signore was forgetting all about
the opera which was to come that night.
forgetting the unplcasantncss OF the
afternoon. his hatred Of the robustlous
basso and his jealousy Of the new sec.
-ond tenor. He was forgetting Verdi
and Meycrbeer and Gounod and con.
tenting himself with the beautiful
weather and the comfortable feeling OF
being alive and strong and we'll and
good to look upon. Now he need be no
langulshing troubadour, no ill-starred
Huguenot. nor even bereaved lover,
but just an ordinary man like oil the
others-only handsomer.
II Tenore was smiling softly to him.
self at the wide.cyed looks Of admira.
ton In the faces Of two pretty school
girls who had just passed him. when
IN unwclcome sound struck upon his
sensitive ear. The smile faded from
his lips and frown wrinkled the com.
placent forehead as his eye caught
sight Of the obnoxious travelling piano
and the quaint little figure which was
making the music CO."
II signore strobe angrily to the curb.
stone.
"Basta!" he cried In fierce italian to
dis humble little compatriot. "why do
you shrek at me that horrible tune
Why do you sound It to mc-to me, II
Tenore? Cielo! Do not hear It often
enough? Do not work over It night
and day, and must always hear when
would forget for moment? All
must I not sing 1t tonight, that note
which drives me crazy? Corpo Ill Bac.
GO! It Is maddcning!"
The poor Italian maid had begun to
cry at the frst angry tones Of the grand
gentleman who had spoken the only
words that she had understood since
morning. But such unkind words!
II did not know, sisnore." she be.
gan.
bah! You did not know! Well.
take yourself OF. I will give you this
not to sound that tune to me again. -
and he thrust round dollar toward the
girl. who was drying her eyes on her
green silk apron.
But the little maid did not reach for.
ward to take the money, as he had ex.
pected.
"Oh, signore!' she cried. eagerly, "a
played 1t this time as always play I,
'oftenest, because I love 1t so. Oh. sig.
more. do you really love the beautiful
music?" and an expression of wonder
came into her soft brown eyes as she
raised them admlringly to tho tcnor's
handsome face.
"YOu love the music: My little aria"'
he cried, half pleased, half scornfully
swell, my child. and why do YOU love
1t so we'll that you play 1t always on
your horrible instrument. so that |
must hear 1t as ! go by? Bah:
"Oh, slgnore, It Is so beautiful. &c
tender. so full of the great feeling.
love the master who wrote 1t SO well
and-I feel that I could love the one
who sang It. too. II he sang It az the
great master meant. oh. I feel how h.
could do III" and the little brown hand.
'clasped themselves eagerly together on
the blue silk handkerchief.
$50 you know how ] should sling Il
do you? Well. my child. you shall come
and hear me. and hope. little one, tina,
my singing will please You a. the grea,
masters would have DONE" and LIE
Sande Tenore hastily wrote Q few
words on q card and handed It 70 tn,
still wonder-eyed girl.
"Oh, sign0re, q thousand thanks" tn,
girl began to say fervently. But tn,
handsome gentleman had already gone
and Bettina. looked after his departin,
,lgure, then glanced down at the bit OF
cardboard In her hand and brea thed {
quick sigh Of wondering delight Coult
It really be true. and was she going (,
hear the grand gentleman with tn,
dark. shining eyes and the lovely lonl
mustache sing her song-her beautiful
song?
Bettina crept between the shafts O
the piano and dragged her heavy instru
ment to the next block. Her days wOrl
was not ended yet. and many wear!
hours must pass before that woul.
come to pass for which her soul wa
longing. But all that afternoon tn
tired little feet trudged manfully owe
the cObble-stOnes and the round, wear!
arms turned the heavy crank with new
zest and dragged the heavy machIn,
with a back aching less than usual
For, tucked Into her bodice. close owe
her eager little heart. she felt magi
talismain against WEAKNESS and un
kindness and disappointment. But sh
played her favOrite tune no more tina
day.
Bettina's father was a paper fiowe
maker. He had been famed by hors
one day when he was dragging plan
with her, and since then his leg ha,