The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1906-08-02
q most afduous program for Miss
Rartholdi to follow.

q most afduous program for Miss
hartholdi to follow.
Just as the future looked most
bright, there came a letter to her
teacher that dashed Marie's hopes in
an instant. Rumors of great treach-
cry on the part of Miss Norton's bus
mess advisor threatened utter financial
ruin. Marie grasped the situation, and
said: "There is just n step for me
to take! / must go back to her.
Please don't say a word, Miss Barthol-
di, or / might be weak and easily
tempted. MY beautiful lady! Just
think, where should Anita and / have
been without her! It's my turn now,
and l can teach music, and pay her
back a little of all we owe her!"
Poor child, music lessons! How lit
tie she realizes what that means!"
Miss Bartholdi was wise enough to
make only mental comments, and
and waited for the first outburst OF
excitement to be over, then, taking
the girl'shand in hers said: Il have
something in my mind that may work
out all right for you. Just be patient
one more day, and | will report II
there is a ray of encouragement"
Only the previous day while she was
giving Marie her lesson, two gentle
men stood close to the portiere and
listened from their safe hiding place
to the bird-like freshness of the voice.
One of the audience reported most en-
Enthusiastically to Miss Bartholdi, later
in the afternoon: "You should have
seer my friend! Why, Miss Bartholdi,
he just could not wait for her to fin
ish, but whispered, Tell me her name,'
and, when l talked with him after you
had left the studio he said: Niccoli?
Niccoli? My mother had a brother
who went to America somewhere
that's her family name; but it's just
a coincidence probably!' And Signor
Monaldi turned to Marie's teacher with
a very wise expression, and murmured
as a final word, at may be a good
plan to have the young lady meet
Signor Buonetti!"
What wonder that the words had
been constantly in her mind; and
acting upon the adage that two heads
are better than one, a conference with
him resulted in an invitation for them
to escort Marie to the studio OF Sig.
nor Buonetti.
When the latter heard the name OF
Marie's father, Giovanni Niccoli, ne
took her hands in his, and said: you
are my own cousin, the only one left
of my family; and 1 must not let such
a sweet girl slip away away from
Italy, the land of the prima donna!
Now, Miss Bartholdi, will you cable
Miss Norton, at my expense, that her
ward has found an Italian cousin over
here, and ask her to take passage IN
the next steamer, with Anita and any
papers she, has in regard to the tWo!'
Signor Monaldi could scarcely re-
strain himself, but made a great eff
fort to be calm until they had left
the studio far behind, when he said:
THAT man, Miss Bartholdi, is i'm
mensely rich! He has only n hob
by; he is a great collector OF val
liable paintings and gems" Then,
turning to Marie, he added, with true
Italian warmth of feeling, Nov, Miss,
your art can be made perfect; the fu-
ture looks rosy!"
Upon receipt Of the cable, Margaret
Norton and Anita felt as if their good
fairies we're helping them out of thei1
troubles, and the delicate face OF
Marie's sister, with its pink flush OF
delight, reminded one of he dainty
arbutus, as they took passage upon
the great ocean steamer that looked
like a palace to one of the travellers.
What followed seemed, indeed, like
a chapter from real fairyland. Miss
Bartholdi removed to another apart
ment; and Margaret, Marie, and Anita
set UP a modest establishment which
promised to be permanent. At the
first moment, however, that Signor
Buonetti saw Marie's beautiful lady,
he appreciated the fact that she was
a rare gen., and his heart went out
to her even as Margarets found Marie.
When in course of time Marie realized
that through her had come the great
est happiness her beautiful lady had
ever imagined, the. latter said: You
have always talked about bread cast
upon the waters, but l never supposed
it would be returned away over here
in Italy! Think what has come to me
because of this Italian cousin OF
Of yours!"
Marie's wedding gift, earned from a
first appearance before a critical musi-
cal audience, was a Kings Daughter
cross, set with pearls, while inscribed
on the other side the dates 189S-l9O5,
following the letters M. B. L. which
stood not only for Marie's Beauti-
full Lady, but Marie's Bright Light,
significant of the day when her own
cross slipped from her jacket, reflect
ing it's CLEAN upon the gray wall, and
sent it's abiding light deeper still into
the heart of this daughter of the King
The Christian Register.
BURIED AVENUE OF SPHINxES.