The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-01-10

vineyards. Maddalena dancing with hel
ragged skirt held high and her brown
bare feet twinkling in the grass where
the cicada sings, might have made a
living part OF an idyll. IL was always
Maddalena who danced and Beppo who
sat on the scorched hillside piping her
music. his brown eyes mysterious with
dreams.
They were both orphans, and per-
haps the loneliness VAS link to draw
them closer together For such there
was the stick IL the goats strayed Or
they forgot to be home by sundown.
Maddalena had her own share OF beat
iags. yet she could have borne them
doubled trebled. If Beppo could only
nave gone free. for BeppO was fragile
and gentle and the stick that only en-
ragged her and made her obstinate. had
On the contrary, made Beppo III for
days.
Yet, If Maddalena had not kept her
$s about her they would have been
in trouble much more often then they
were. IL was Beppo who would forget
on the warm hillside the sickness Of his
last beating and the chill OF his empty
stomach, making tunes for Madd9S ma
10 dance to. while the goats invaded
the vineyard or the dews and night
found them far afield
IL WIS kppu NDlle the summer lasltu.
and the children could forget the beat
ings I'm the comfort Of the sun on their
half clad bodies. But harder when II
was winter. sharp and bright. and
there We're more children real chill
dren of the house. than the house could
hold. and Beppo's starvation and max
odness told upon him, So that he cough
ed and grew hollow-eyed. while Mad
dalena was only exhilarated by the
clear ~ and the unwinking sunlight.
Maddalena was always the little
mother. ready with compassion and
comfort for her Beppo when they wan
dered apart from the other children.
who looked at them askance because
they were orphsns and had to bear the
blame and the blows
She was very much stronger than the
boy. and their positions were quite re-
versed. she bearing the heavy burdens
and taking the rough roads: he ac-
cepting this state OF things. as though
he were the eirl and she the bow. No
one but Maddalena knew as the boy
himself did the aches and the WEAKNESS
rhat made him lean on his friend as a |
sick child on the bosom OF its mother.
But thcre was neither sickness nor |
chill 'n the air the day Antonio came 1
that way.
NJ the world had got into Reppo's nut
Ing and Maddalena's dancing The lit |
tie lean. golden brown girl I'm her rag
sed rrock Of brown and orange and |
scarf Y was gay as a hummlng bird
lightly AS one she poised and f'oated
,nd swaved over the burnt grasses. and
ianced faster and IA ster as Beppo. with
Eyes OF rapture. made wilder music
suddenly the pipe fell from his lips,
ma tho dancer came TO earth
'RraVa, bravissima," from the lips OF
stranger had sufficed 10 break the
'peIl.
The newcomer was a bearded. dark
elbow of middle axe with a wide mouth |
md smile OF extreme enjoyment that
ell on the children with a suffusing
riendiness. He was extravagantly
rcssed with a profusion Of bright col |
RS and a hat hung with ribbons. The
hidren thought him very fine, and
a2ed Hr him opcn-mouthed
Il nm sorry" he said making a bow
n Maddalena 80 have interrupied the !
~norina's delicious per orrnance. See
ere ne took from his breeches pock-
hanuful of small coins and scat
'red them Tts p tribute 20 beauty
nd Genius: bnt gold ~ should be gold
rd gems. II Antonio Romano could ! Z
~ follow the prOmptings .of his hear, " I
He seated himself on the grass hv .
cppo. with the manner OF one coming
rttically to the theatre
Dance now. NV beauty" he said. | ,
1a nee again. and let me delight nv ,
~ with vour grace. And You Signor
lrst Violin, will you not tune up :
pain?"
Bv degrees he won the confidence of J
70 shy children. and Maddalena dane J
for him untiringly. and afterward
ent through the acrobatic perform
lce copied from what she had seen at c
travelling circus a
"Ah!' he cried. and again "Ah," with a
'eD br6aths OF satisfaction And ~
ST. having applauded vigorously. he g
gged them 10 lead him TO their moth I
= I'm the cottages below q
All" said Maddalena "I have no h
other, nor has Beppo. None cares for n
/. except the mother Of God SO we
We each other and make pets OF the N
ats" =.
She started suddenly. and springiny =.
* looked distractediy about the hill
ie. ..
They have wandered again." she :,
ed. "and tonight there will be beat =,
Is and no supper for thee, Beppo. and !, :,
: me. Alas, ID is my fault, and NJ is "
~ last night that he beat thee. and u
'rved thee. caro-"
she ran 10 Beppo and caught his head Va
her breast ms might n mother. quite CT
needing the presence Of the CAV ht
anger who was the cause OF their ye
nsgression.
iut Antonio Romano swore an oath or
ich the recording angel might welI
q out hi
Per BaCco.' he cried who is she ad
= monster that beats and starves
therless babes? And thou. Flower ",
the Air dost thou also go hungry as
" as rhv -player?' p
laddaleua nodded entsgeticaiiv. -
smile broke over the strangers OK H.
ssive facc ht
Come away NV children" he said
ID let the goats wander home un- -,
ded az evening. Come: we have ~
m for both in the great caravan he -
there. We 90 20 Palermo. where &c ~,
Sienorina shah dance in The square ~
the Sienor shah pipe to her -, ~
. spread his hands cut above their II 81,
ds. 'pr'
,ome. little ones" he said: my ~
i wife shall feed aud clothe Won. II %
"a Antonio is ever harsh or cruel 49,,
, Won. NAV 'he little ones he gave to -
ven forget him" ""'
= took \ hand or each. and tho rbu
,. fascinated went away with hin, ',.,,
own below the hiii.idp I'M the sh.d. rh'
or the woods. the oxen that drew rr.
great yellow -Hnd -eearlrt ,ataynp, -,
al. q. II