Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-24

ElRdEA9 i:.tio ,,ostor first Pedro was an
italian how with thick, straigh''
dark hair swarthy, olive tace' anu os their
could be merry or mournful OF rogulsn'
owner wished onn;es
l don't know who got the most penh;t ,,h;tc
Beppo, with his little scarlet Dress; droll
collar and peaked cap, performins m dark,
tricks, or Pedro, with his sweet Vo.. much,
lustrous eyes, and polite ahh w.
signora," for every little gilt =, ,r tired
Sometimes Pedro's arms wouio " III dov
of turning the handle OF his organ "a "I ponno
long and he would sing or whisper for p'pp'
to dance. -, ro--v
The tunes he whisted were always merry
ones and YOU could fancy that you heara d
wild bird piping song to its mate, ms WINS
tied music would be so sweet and Varleo'
When he sang, his songs were sweet pa
thetic ones, the soft Italian syilables ripping
ike music from his tongue-songs that wouiu
make your eyes misty with tears, they were
10 sad, and make your heart fill with pity lor
the little fellow who was singing TO strangers
in strange country, instead OF under the oiue
skies of sunny Italy ~
Sometimes Pedro's own eyes would Ill WIN
tears as he sang, but generally he was bright'
happy little fellow.
he didn't spend much time thinking about
his troubles, though he had plenty OF them'
poor boy
His father and mother had sold him to
man who made a business of bringing llttie
musicians from foreign countries and taxing
all their earnings after he had brought them
to this country, where they were completely
in his power.
He was hard, cruel man, who had no pity
for the unfortunate children. He promised
the parents that he would pay them GER
~. o;r oh Id and fold
them great many stories about the easy
hines they would have, playing and singing
in the sunny streets, instead of working hard
for living.
If Pedro's father and mother bad only
known what stern, hard taskmaster Padre
Antonio, as he was called, would make, am
sure they would never have left their oldest
son go away with him; but, unfortunately, they
believed all his stories, 50 one day Pedro,
with a number of other little boys, said good
bye to his home and started on the long yoy-
age to this country.
They soon found out that their new life
was, not all sunshine, as they, had been led
to expect, and some Of them had hard enough
time of it, you may be sure.
Pedro had, on the whole, happier time
than many of his little companions lie was
generally able to earn enough pennies every
day to satisfy his hard master, and SO he
escaped most of the severe beatings which fell
to the lot of others less fortunate
His bright face and Beppo's, funny tricks
brought him many penny, and although his
arms and shoulders ached with the heavy
organ, he was not altogether unhappy.
Between Beppo and his master there exist
ed the warmest affection. The little monkey
was very fortunate in having a master who
he had performed his tricks, and collected his
little hatful of pennies, he would nestle down
in Pedro's arms, and took up proudly in his
face, as much as to say, Didn't do
that nicely, little master?'
Beppo was a great climber, After he had
finished his tricks, he would climb up the
front of the house, jumping lightly from one
window of another, until he reached the nurs-
cry window; and then he would hold out his
hat for the children to put the pennies in.
He would bob his head in a funny little at
tempt to bow for each penny, and sometimes
he would receive bit of candy or cake for
himself.
One day, while he was performing with quite
crowd of children gathered around him, who
had stopped on their way from school to look
at his antics, he saw little girl watching him
from an upper window.
Beppo thought she had penny waiting fol
him; so, to the great amusement of the child
ren, he ran up the front steps, jumped on the
little balcony, and began to climb the win
dow shutter toward the child, who looked hal
frightened and half delighted as she saw hin
coming nearer and nearer to her,
He held out his cap with a polite bow bu
the little girl had no penny, and ran dowr
stairs to, get one, leaving Beppo perched OF
the window sill.
Presently he got tired of waiting for the lit
tie girl to come back again, and looked
around the room to see what there was foi
him to amuse himself with. His sharp, blacl
eyes fell on the dressing case, with its prett,
perfumery bottle and iewelry cases, and h,
could not resist the desire to explore its con
tents.
He leaped in at the window, in spite of tn,
gentle twitch Pedro gave his chain. and grin