The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-08-03

| now listen, G2Grl9, 1t takes two to
make a bargain, and you and | are
the two Why, child, what should /
do in this lonely house without
young girl to keep me company? Who
would brush my hair every night, and
tell me how Molly and that polly
Fritz recite their lessons, while
laugh away my bites? Who, dear, but
Just you? It's our little secret; and.
when Anita is discharged from the
hospital, she shall come here, and
you and l Will teach her all we know"
The magic wand was again waved
and peace restored. Marie proved
most tractable and found a sympa-
thetic audience when she confded to
her beautiful lady that she just hated
geometry, and did not see the use of
proving one line was longer than the
other when her own eyes told her
an argument that Miss Norton had Of
ten heard.
In the midst OF discouragements
several red-letter days stood out prom
inently-when Marie began French
and Italian; the April morning that
Anita left the hospital, able to walk
like other people; and the sweet June
day when her beautiful lady was the
first to congratulate her upon gradual
/ ing the third in her class and to tell
her that it was decided that she was to
go to Italy in September with Miss
| Bartholdi.
But you-oh, do so want to learn
to sing! But how can leave Anita
AL you?" The young girl put her
arms around Miss Norton in spite Of
the warning mot to crush her lace"
and said such pretty words to her. it
would have been perplexing to deter
mine which cheeks were the brighter.
Marie felt as if Under some wizard S
spell when she found herself one Dc
tOber morning in the presence of Sig
nor Monaldi, the famous teacher, who
saw great possibilities in the sweet
voice from over the sea, and arranged
most arduous program for Miss
Bartholdi to follow.
Just as the future looked most
bright, there came letter to her
teacher that dashed Maries 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 one step for me
to take! 1 must go back to her.
Please don't say a word, Miss Barthol-
di, or I might be weak and easily
tempted My beautiful lady! Just
think, where should Anita and I 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 l will report if
there is 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
seen my friend! Why, Miss BarthOldi,
ho iI5ct o0,,Id NOT ,uoit for bor IN fin
ish, but whispered, Tell me her name,
and, when | talked with him after you
had left the studio he said: Niccoli?
Niccoli? My mother had 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 final word, ut may be 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, he
took her hands in his, and said: "You
are my own cousin, the only one left
of my family; and l 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
L. L