Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-09-28
CATARlNA]
A SKETCH

From such surroundings? Yes, per-
haps because of such surroundings.
Genius will flourish anywhere, and
genius has the happy faculty of bend
ing every difficulty to its own advan-
tage. At any rate, though genius It.
self Is apt to be very dubious respect
ing this comforting doctrine | cannot
but think that Princes road made Cata-
rina. Yet, truly, what setting for
such pearl!
Her mother was an Italian, her IA
ther had died while she was still
child, and from that day Catarina was
marked by fate. The mother had
bought greengrOcer's shop in that
very unlOvely Princes road | have re-
ferrcd to, and there, ensconced in that
little fOrtrcSs-it might be truly said
hardly ever quitting guard-she had
begun and carried on through long
years one of those terrible. grim, silent
struggles with poverty, disaster and
death with which London is replcte.
She had survived, she had been always
able just to keep her head above wa
ter, but heaven only knows at the cost
of what hcrOism, Of what Intelligence
and OF what privatlOnS IN that little sea
OF troubles In which her lot was cast!
The older inhabitants Of Princes road
still remember her as n buXOm and
high spirited young woman. speaking
English very badly. but shrcwd enough
withal. But the years had gradually
robbed her Of every trace of her for
mer beauty, and from the first day
knew her she was & prematurely old,
quiet, carcwOrn dame, her face sallow
and withercd. her cheeks drawn and
sunken. her hair dry and dusty. and
il any hint remained to give assurance
to the memory Of her charms it was in
her Italian eye, sad, but deep, lustrous,
blazing up at times with some inward
fire or occasionally revealing the
strange, ycarning, hunted look of
poor child OF the sunny south wearing
out her life in somber cline and
among an alien people.
No: there was another testimony to
Der former beauty-Catarina. She was
about 13 when | saw her first. and
most children are pretty at that age,
but no one with the eye of an artist or
with insight into character could once
gaze upon Catarina's countenanee
without inwardly resolving that that
strange, foreign looking creature was
prcdcStihed to Il career"
Catarina was often to be found in the
shop about that time or in the little
''parlour' that served for everything
at the back. She was generally to be
found there. in fact, for, though she
avoided school and was not a particu-
larly shining light in the paths of learn
ing, the girl was dcvOured with rage
for reading. There she was to be
found as often aS not with n smudge
upon her short nose from having han
died dusty potatoes, perched up or
CrOuchcd down with n novelette,.
story book, book of travel, of ad-
venture. She was extraordinarily pre-
cocious in her understanding of the
world, just as much as she was back
ward in physical development. for she
was small for her age. Even then she
was ambitiOus-sh was more than am
bilious: she was fiery and resolute.
One saw II in the fash of the wonder
full eyes as she glanced up quickly
from her book, seeming In one earnest
dart To look through your own eyes in
to something. possibly the soul, be-
hlndl
She was delightfully."- shy. though con
fidcnt: tImid, though fiery: rapid,
though tender. When she dropped her
eyes, there was n fascination that de-
pended on no mere occurrences. that
must indeed have been something un-
conscious, for II seemed really TO be
due To the lashcs. with their bong and
peculiar fanlIkc sweep.
Catarina had resolved even to be an
actress. by Srrt Of instinct she per-
ccivcd that that was the only avenue
by which she could escape from the
surroundings ~ Princes road. which
at the same time she loathed and ac-
qulesced In with a natural and even
affectionate familiarity.
Catarina would weigh out pound OF
potatoes with Fast Lynne" In her
hand She would haggle over an odd
halfpcnny with the asparagus man,
dreaming-for she was always dream.
ing-Of the most brilliant conquests,
the most lllustrlous situations Of thu
boards"
Catarlna had been six months in "the
profession" BY dint OF what exer-
tions. OF what energy. resolution. had
she carried her point. II WIS heroic,
but of that kind OF herosm which Is
utterly unconscious 10 the doer. Cata-
rina knew a world OF things. and she
had nerves OF steel. She had succeed
ed. And then her chanc. came. Al.
most as one r,esses ball of worsted
TO kitten they had, given Catarlna an
intcrpolated song aN dauce"
She could not sing h ''lhtle bit" for,
though her voice Il a IualIty as
though the sense 4 Pucl had some