Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-12-09

by curtain. But Piale heard, and
abruptly changed the subject
You have been neglecting your
voice, fear he said, looking critic
ally into his pupils face, and grieving
10 see what a change trouble had
wrought in 1t. Not that | blame you
in the least; there are times. OF
| course. when even music must go to
the wall Let me hear you"
He made him work for time at
solfeggi, then broke into an impa-
tient exclamation, forgetting every
thing but Ia art Out of practice
shockingly OF of Jractice," he said,
with a portentt ) frown; "try this"
He took &, a copy of Faust"
and played the opening bars of "DiO
Possete." The frown and the impa-
tient ejaculation melted Carlo; he
cared intensely TO please his old mas
ter, and, throwing his whole soul into
the music, and losing his own identity
in that of Valentino, he gave an al
most perfect rendering of the song.
| Suddenly the curtain between the
two rooms was torn back, and
black bearded man, with a swarthy
face and extremely small. dark eyes,
with a restless, irritable look in them,
| FASTENED forward.
"Signor Pale 1 congratulate you!'
he exclaimed; you have produced the
most promising singer of the day!
No wonder you are proud of your pu
pill"
He was evidently carried away by
the excitement of the moment, for his
face, naturally most disagreeabIe, was
Illuminated with the same glow of ar
tistic delight which as the song pro-
ceeded, had softened Piale's rugged
features
For minute an observer would
have noticed that the two listeners
had forgotten everything but their
art while Carlo was still Valentino,
not himself There was a silence;
the old maestro looked triumphantly
happy, the stranger turned his small,
restless eyes on the singer, and Carlo
| gradually awoke TO the recollection
that he was not Valentino going off
to the war and praying for the safety
of his sister, but Anitas brother, with
far greater cause for anxiety, and
with his hopes of assistance from
Piale dashed to the ground.
All az once he came to full con
seriousness of the actual present, and
found the stranger undisguisedly TAX
ing stock of hiIn, looking him over
+, from head 70 DOT with interest and
curiosity. Carlo. unaccustomed to
this sort Of appraising stare, felt the
blood rush to his cheeks. yet it was
no sense of the strangers rudeness
which aroused his strong antipathy.
He looked hastily at the blackboard
ed visitor. looked again, angry with
himself at being so much moved, then
instinctively he recoiled a pace.
1.-THE likeness is extraordinary! ex-
claimed the newcomer, turning to Pi-
ale and startling him from his Happy
reverie.
"Likenessi' calculated the old mu-
stefan, still half in the Clouds. but
dimly porceiying that suhiunary af-
fairs were somehow gone awry
Likeness! Not at all, signor, not at
all; there's not voice like that in
all italy"
81 don't speak of the voice." said
the stranger, impatiently, but the
face is like my wife's-curiously
I like"
/ The old musician looked dismayed;
he was fully awake now, art was for
gotten, and a perilous bit of real life
lay before him In 10 strides Carlo
was beside him, his face flushed, his
eyes full of suppressed anger
Maestro, he painted, what is this?
What is this that you have done to
me?"
Forgive me- said the old man. 81
am not so much to blame as you
think / did indeed invite Signor
Merlino TO hear you sing. but with
the understanding that he should not
appear. You broke faith with me,
signOr'
To be continued