The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-10-28
The Flower of the Air
By Katherine lyman.

Nh>
brown children are as heautifuI as
braces among the olive groves and
vineyards. Maddalena. dancing with
her ragged skirt held high. and her
brown BARE feet t~winkling in the
grass where the cicala sings. might
have made a living part of an idyll. 1t
was always Maddalena who danced.
n Bepp" who sat on the scorched hill
side piping her music. his brown eyes
mysterious with dreams.
They were both orphans and perhaps
the loneliness was Il link TO draw them
closer together. For such there was
the stick if the goats strayed, or they
forgot 10 be home by shutdown. Mad
1dalena had her own share of beatings,
Yet she would have borne them doubly.
irebly. if Beppo could only have gone
free. FOR Beppo was fragile and gentle.
and the stick that only enraged her
and made her obstinate, had. on the
contrary. made Beppo i'll for days.
Yet. if Maddalena had not kept her
wits about her. they would have been
lin trouble much oftener than they were.
II was Beppo who would forget on the
warm hillside the sickness of his last
beating, and the chill of his empty
-stomac1, making tunes for Maddalena
10 dance 10. while the goats invaded the
vineyards. or the dews and night found
them yet far afield.
II was good while the summer last
and the children could forget the
beating> in the comfort of the sun on
their half-clad bodies. But harder when
il was winter. sharp and bright. and
there were more children. real children
of the louise, than the house could hold.
and Iieppc's starvation and nakedness
told upon him. 50 that he coughed and
grew hollow-eyed. while Maddalena
WAS only eXhilarated by the clear air
and he unwinking sunlight.
She was very much stronger than the
boy, and their positions We're quite re-
,ersed. she bearing the heavy burdens
and taking the rough roads; he accept
ing this state of things. as though he
were the girl and she the boy. No one
but Maddalena knew as the boy him
self did the aches and the WEAKNESS
that made him lean on his friend as Il
sick child on the bosom of its mother.
But there was neither sickness nor
chill in the air the day Antonio came
that way.
II was Il brilliant day. and the JOY of
the worli had got into Beppo's iuting
and Maddalena's dancing. The little.
lean. golden-brown girl in her ragged
frock of brown and orange and scarlet.
was gay as a humming bird. Lightly
a. one she poised and fiOated and
swayed over the burnt grasses. and
.Ganced faster and faster as I'eppo. with
eyes of rapture. made wilder music.
Suddenly the pipe fell from his lips
and the dancer came to earth.
"Brava, bravissima!" from the lips
OF a stranger, had sutficed TO break the
spell.
The newcomer was a bearded. dark
fellow of middle age. with a wide
mouth. and a smile of extreme enjoy
ment that fell on the children with a
aeantIy dressed. with Il profusion Oi
bright colors and a hat hung with
ribbons. The children thought him
very fine and gazed at him open
mouthed.
II am sorry" he said. making a bow
to Maddalena. ITO have interrupted the
delicious performance. See
here'-he took from his breeches-
pocket a handful of small coins and
them-"tiS 4 tribute to
and genius; but gold it should
be. gold and gems, if Antonio Romano
could but follow the promptings of his
He seated himself on the grass by
Beppo, with the n of one coming
critically to the theater.
Dance now, my beauty" said he;
dance again and let me delight myself
with your grace. And you, Sig. First
will you not tune up again."
BY degrees he won the confidence of
the shy children, and Maddalena danced
or him untiringly, and afterwards went
through the acrobatic performances
from what she had seen at 4
travelling circus.
All" he cried, and again All"
deep breaths of satisfaction. And
at last, having applauded vigorously.
ne begged them to lead him to their
mothers in the cottage below.
All" said Maddalena. Il have no
mother. nor has Beppo. None cares for
is, except the Mother of God. So we
owe each other and make pets of the
She started suddenly, and s%pringing
looked distractedly about the hill
ide.
They have wandered again. she
.ried. land tonight there will be beat
ngs and no supper for thee. Beppo, and
me. Alas! it is my fault. and it is
,nIy last night that she beat thee, and
tarved thee, caro-"
She ran to Beppo and caught his
lead to her breast as might n mother,
Iuite unheeding the presence of the
ray stranger. who. was the cause of
heir transgression.
But Antonio Romano swore an oath
Vhich the recording angel might well !
dot out.
per Bacco." he cried. "Who is she. {
his monster that beats and starveS