The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-12-31

how been dissolved into II. the volume
Of sound In singing was altogether too
feeble. The audience laughed. laughed
even at the beautiful Italian eyes, SIM
ply because they were -'new"-until
Catarina began to dance. They had
taught her steps for fortnight. but in
her excitement she had forgotten them.
She fell back upon the steps her mother
had taught her and upon her genius.
Her dancing spoke, it sang, it laughed.
1t teased-yes, like the very kitten with
the worsted-it fascinated, it struck
fireworks, 1t brought down the house
in thunderclap of sudden, impetuous,
astonished applause.
l met her going home one night short
ly afterward. She had slipped away
and was actually trudging or, rather,
stepping 1t, like a fairy on foot Per
haps she liked the wclK; perhaps 1t was
the habit Of the old days when a half
penny loomed vast as a sovereign.
She was beautifully dressed, though
outwardly enveloped In q coarse cloak.
1t came on to rain, and I suggested
we should take a hanson. She con-
sented with the air-in her 1t was no
affectation-of q princess, giving me
her dainty little hand. On the way
down Bayswater road she alternately
laughed and cried for joy, and her
whole pleasure was that she would be
able to make the mater a countess.
''The mater, you know, suffers, al
though she never complains. She has
indigestion"
Poor mater! I thought of that long
campaign Of suffering. Of privation.
even doubtless at times Of starvat.cn.
and Catarina knew 1t. We came near
Princes road
'Tell him to stopr' Catarina cried
| suddenly. Then with the confidence
| of old acquaintance:
| 81 can't bear to tell any one my adj
| dress Is In Princes road. I abhor It..
But the mater b positively loath to
leave it"
"Catarina," 1 said, mo one, hope
Judges you BY
She started up as II she had been
struck by a whip, her eyes in the moon
light glaring like those of a tiger.
throwing luster upon the pallid, beau
tiful countenanee.
The sudden glance recalled to my
mind the picture Of the mater" maim-
ed and bruised from the terrible battle
Of life, with her broken English. gar
nished with the hideous slang Of
Princes road, which she had piously
accepted as the English vernacular.
"Catarina." I pursued firmly. mo
one. hope. Judges you by Princes
road.
She setsed my hand. The tears gush.
ed to ~ eyes. Il thought you were
going T. aay something else. II you
had. by Jove. I'd e. gone Tor your
i We walked On Il 1dlepee tn We cazne
to the little greengrocer's shop. / was
about to bid Catarina good night. bu,
she said: Come In for minute aEi
talk to the mater. She sits up waiting
for me always. And II you tell her
danced well she could listen to you tell
ing it a hundred times.
We entered through the darkness ol
the shop. A pale light shone. however
through the crack In the parlor door
Catarina, q little surprised that the
/ mater had not opened to greet her
called out, mater. mater, matery' a.
she entered the room.
There the mater sat In the old arm
chair. In front OF her on the table wa.
little painting representing herself a
young girl Of about Catarina's age
Beside the painting was Catarina's lat
est photograph. A newspaper was still
in her hand. Her face was smoothet
Of wrinkles in its last repose. In tn
, pale light Of the lamp 1t had an ex
preston almost OF joy.-Blaek AM
| White