The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-10-28
MaddaIena nodded enerpeticaIIy.

low 1nere. we go 10 fdlermO, where
;iie signorina shall dance in the square
and The signor shall pipe TO her"
He spread his hands III above their
heads.
Come. little ones" he said. my good
wife shall feed and clothe you. If Papa
Antonio is ever harsh or cruel with you,
may the little one he gave to Heaven
forget him!"
He took a hand of each. and the chill
dren, fascinated, went away with him.
Antonio led his two goat-herds to
where by the door of the biggest cara
long earrings. cooked something
savory over 4 little tove.
See. my beloved. what | have
brought thee he said. These are two
little orphans, rescued from hunger and
the whip. to be thine own instead of the
angel we have lost
They have no mother?" she asked,
already opening her arms.
Nor father. my beautiful. They are
the little children of the good God, and
now they are ours"
\ little later the white oxen were
once more put in the yoke. The whips
cracked. the great arava numbered
heavily. and Beppo and Maddalena sat
snugly within Antonio's wheeled house,
lest any should see and recognize them.
and held each others hands. and looked
in each Others eyes. full of delight and
wonder at their adventure. and fearing
nothing so long as they were together.
Antonio was as good as his word. No
father and mother could have been
more tender to the little waits than he
ard Teresita.
There was no hue and cry upon their
track. Who cared for them. poor little
human crickets. when the goats came
home alone at evening. At first. the
stick stood ready to the stout peasant
hands to punish them when they should
come. But presently it was realized
that they would not come: and none
grieved. since Beppo was Il weakling,
and Maddalena passionate and ,obsti-
nate.
The years passed very happily. jour
neying up and down the strange our
tries, with Antonio and Teresita and
their troupe of mummers. Madalena
brought prosperity of a kind to An
tonic. She was no ordinary dancing
girl, no common acrobat. The strength
and suppleness which had made An
tonic call her Flower of the Air" re-
tanned her lame. and everywhere the
caravans halted. drew crowds to see
her dance on the tight-rope and dis
port herself at gidGy heights as secure
and graceful as any bird.
But. as the SHOWS and the storms
so the SHOWS of age in time fell on An
tonic. They had all earned for the day
and saved nothing; and the time came
when the troupe melted and broke up.
and Antonio and Teresita were left all
but alone with their children.
1t was then that the English impresa-
rio saw the performance of the Flow
er. of the Air" and offered her an en-
gagement at a salary that nigh took
her breath away.
Maddalena danced with JOY.
Now it is my turn" she said. land
Their and mother. and own a little vine
yard. and keep Il roof for Beppo and
me to return to one day"
"Beppo will go with thee. child?"
said Antonio. III is well. Are o not
brother and sister? And Teresita and
will ha bapnI.r lno,yipr bn =; p.ur
thee in the wicked world"
All these years. Beppo. sickly and
dreamy. had been little use in the
troupe. Not that he was ever
allowed to feel that his Sicilian piping
was thin as the c~icala's song to those
who liked the blare of brazen instru-
mentS.
He brought love for him when he
said Teresita. to whom the chill
dren stood in place of the baby she
had lost: and both she and Antonio
were proud of the tall. handsome. deli
cate lad. who had the look of a signor.
and not of a son of peasants.
why. father and mother mine" said
Maddalena, in response to AntoniO's
speech. I'VE have a much better plan
than that; a much better plan"
She blushed and dimpled all over like
a brown pool in sunlight.
Eve are to marry, Beppo and /.
See you. we have always loved each 9th
er. Before you came to love us. we
had only each other and the Madonna
md the angels. And it is better that
should be Signora than %Signorina in
world we GO to-"
So it was settled. and the little lovers
Of old became husband and wife and
away with the English impress
lrio. while Antonio and Teresita went
sadly back TO Sicily and became pro-
selling the caravans. and turn
ng the white oXen to the pillow.
They looked long for the children to
,ome to them. but they did not come, al
.hough the fond and faithful letters and
money came regularly.
"A little longer" wrote Maddalena.
and we will come and will stay. and !
hall forget that | was the Flower of
he Air. and shall be glad to remember
hat [ am only a little withered flower
IN a Siciiian hillside"
The performances 1t the Variety