The record-union., 1896-12-06

with lightened my labor, the bosses We're
easy on me, women fattered me, child
rem followed me. 1 was never without a
place to sleep. food 1 could get at many
tables, and wine flowed like music. All
that needed could buy with a song or
laughing jest. 1t was merry TO make
merry and l loved the world that loved
me.
If / wanted money I could always
get work. The fruit-men up town would
pay me to polish apples because the peo-
pie stopped and bought to hear me hum
ming an air. could go out on the scows
and ride in the tug. Any railroad gang
would take me. When I felt like wan
dering, the organ grinders who tour the
South and West would have me for mon
key-boy.
But when l wanted something for
myself alone, it was refused. Why not
earn money and fame as singer? l
asked and tried. They put me in the
| chorus, where / could not sing free.
When / undertook to raise a scow gang,
| they laughed at my jest. Did l ask from
all the women one to love alone, l was
| told to sing my love to all. So it was al
ways-no home, no bed of my own, no
work Of my own, no song of my own,
| no love of my own. All the world loved
me, no one me alone. When | grew sad
| one day, sick in my heart-were they
| sorry? Not they; it was Luigis jest.
And they laughed till l laughed with
| them, the laugh at myself.
Still, disapDointments never stayed
| long. 1 really did not care. / could
sing to the many women. laugh for the
many men. For the laughter and song
| both came at my call, till-to-night,
| carissima mia, when my heart in de-
spair at the loss of it's dearest hope,
rose and choked music dead in my
| throat"
| Poor Luigi,'
! Maria stood up, put her arms around
his neck and kissed him. She was
| touched by the tale, but not whit more
than was Luigi himself. He embraced
| the sympathetic girl, and, for the mo-
ment at least, loved her, and the senti-
ment was the purest he had ever known.
Lost in the bliss Of emotions new to
them, they did not hear the door open.
''Jesu, Maria!" ''Jesu, Maria, sacre-
ment.
| Marco and his wife stood there horri-
fed, aghast.
Luigi was limp with the shock of the
| surprise For once his impudence
| failed him. 1t would be useless to tell
any tales now: old Marco knew him.
Maria advanced with dignity toward
her parents, but Luigi jumped through
the window to the fire escape, whence he
half climbed, half fell to the sidewalk
| and fed.
| Luigi was not seen in the Italian
quarter for more than a week. No one
missed him except Maria. She had a
bad night of it after being caught love-
making, but after that her parents had
the bad time. They had recited Luigis
record to their daughter, and, as old
| Marco knew it, it was much longer and
| considerably worse than even the pre-
| cinct detective could have made it out
But Maria cared nothing for their SLAM
der. She had from Luigi himself the
true story which was the key to theirs
and as she sat silent under their
| tongues, she was not listening to them
| she was hearkening for a voice in the
street. On her face was the look of de-
cision, of the will to do-no matter
what-for love and joy. And the old
couple, being people of the world, their
| world, understood the signs. They
knew the way of women of their race
when in love. Sadly the old heads shook,
but Marco said:
after all, think what I was and see
how have turned out"
And Think said his wife, "how we
did it in spite of all. Yet it turned out
we'll. If we fight them, it may be with
our Maria as it was with-with the other
children. They went to the Mayor; this
time we'd better see the priest
SO all three watched for Luigi, who
was off with a gang on the scows. He
made three trips to sea. On all of them
he did so much thinking that his merry
reputation was going to the bottom with
the loads of garbage dumped. Finally
his mind was made up, and he returned
TO Mulberry street. He bought a new
suit of secondhand clothes and a brand
new red handkerchief, in which he an
peared-not at the winery, not to Ma
ria, but to old Marco
| The fishmonger was pleased though
he pretended to be ugly. He made no
reply to Luigi's cheerful greeting. He
busted himself splashing the fish with
water. The young man seated himself
| comfortably on a clean box and waited
Looking about the stall, he reckoned it
was true, as he had heard, that Marco
Fuzori had at least a thousand dollars
saved up from the profits of his score
of years in the business.
| Marco" he began, 'T want your
daughter, Maria. She loves me; I love
her. l am willing to marry her, and
mind you, / am speaking of the priest.
pot of any common-law marriage. What
| do you say?
| Marcos heart gave a lurch of salts
/ faction but he restrained his feelings
He tipped fish over inthe wet and then
turned toward the young man. He put
his fists on his hips, twisted his coun-
tenance into a snarl, and bending low,
cried out in well-feigned scorn and as
tonishment:
You dog of brigand, you marry
my pearl of child, you? Sacr-r-re-
ment,"
Luigi grinned. Marco might have
spoke more harshly.
II speak of priest" said Luigi in
a tone of quiet insinuation.
! Marco was busy with the fish again
and made no reply.
Il have spoken of the priest" Luigi
repeated, accentuating the change OF
| tense.
And who are your" roared Marco in
rage. who are you, what are YOU.
and Jesu Maria, what win you ever be ?''
II am Luigi Deigatti-"