Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-08-21
Lugi's Lady
In White.
By LULU JOHNSON.
Copyrighted. 1905. by Associated
Literary Press

sesesssssessss
Luigi. 1t is true. was an organ grind
er. but be II understood that the fra.
terpity of street musicians, as well as
its lower aud middle classes. has its
nristocracy.
Luigi was not one of those swarthy
sons of Italy who laboriously drag q
street piano over the hot asphalt of the
city's byways. Much less did he be-
long to the lesser lights who. with a
wheezy melodeoD. hubble In corners
and mechanically grind out I'm the
Sweet BY and BY" or the "NIiserere''
from III Trovatore." The first Luigi
scorned, the latter he despised. for was
he not the proprietor Of horse out.
fit?
Every morning except Sunday he
drove into the suburbs. his wagon gay
with red and gold. on which was
swung one OF the largest and best of
the mechanical pianos. There was a
lad to turn the wheel, and all Luigi had
to do was to lead the white mule and
collect coins which showered upon the
outfit. For Lugis white teeth flashed
beneath muStache as black and fiow-
Ing as any that ever graced the lips of
his brigand ancestors. and Lugis smile
made him many friends. even among
the householders.
AS for the servants, many n rural
policeman glowered upon him and en-
We'd his cOnquests. for Luigi. I'm his
smart Neapolitan costume. was good
to look upon. His red sash with its
gilded stiletto. his RULED shirt and
rakish hat were all in Keeping with
the swarthy complexion and flushing
eyes.
To be sure. the stiletto was but n
toy. hilt and scabbard without n
blade, I'm Difference to the absurd
prejudice OF the police. who knew
nothing OF n more businesslike weapon
sheathed In the collar of I.ugi's velvet
coat, and his clothing had been OBJ
tanned from theatrical costumer. but
he cut most romantic and pictur-
esque figure.
Sundays. when the law forbade his
plying his trade, Luigi sought the Ital.
Ian quarter In eminently correct Amer.
lean dress. His top hat and yellow
gloves were the establishment OF the
half naked "bambinos" playing on the
dirty sidewalks.
Their mothers turned mute I'm his
august presence as he picked his way
fastidiously toward the tenement
owned by Gaetano Camera. Presently
he would emerge. proudly escortlng
Paulina OF the house OF Camera. than
whom there was no prettier girl I'm all
Little Italy.
For more than year Luigi had
wooed Paulina. but her father had iu-
sisted that his son-in-law should be a
property owner A year must eiapse.
figured the thrifty Camera. ere Luigi
might hope to wed
And on his part Luigi did not tell
them Of the good luck that had be-
fallen him In the winter before. when
servant I'm one OF the great houses
,nered him tips on the stock market
hat she had wheedled from the butler.
Great coups had been planned over
he dinner served by this particular
outler. as the rich forget thnt their
servants are human beings. and much
'aluable Information had been drop
bed. Luigi profted by the tips. but he
lad not told the Cameras. 1t was
pleasant TO spend the Sunday after
Moons with Paulina. but. then. too.
here was the Lady In White. and be-
,ause or her Luigi was silent.
He told no one OF the drea ms that
burned In his busy brain. None guess
ID the high hopes that he nursed. But
tnce early spring he had hurried the
'iano cart along his route until he had
'ome to the great house on the Hill
he found only the gardener
the lawn or Clipping the
'lants; then Luigi led away the mule.
ilent and morose. Oftener there were
GOLDEN days with a flash OF white
trough the trees. and she came-his
-ady In White.
Tall and fair she was. with eyes
more sweetly blue than the summer
kies OF his beloved Italy and hair
hat shone like FURNISHED gold. She
eaned across the hedge and questioned
i'm as to his life. and Luigi told her
ll-and more. for to hold her interest
e drew upon vivid ina gination for |
vendetta and an earlier career as a |
rigand.
he loved to see her eyes grow round |
Eith wonder at his adventures. AMI. !
Ike modern Othelio. he wooed her
nth his tales. AS the summer pro-
ressed he cav her more and more
ften. and sometimes there was a
hole hour during which little Pietro
ouid rest his weary arms and the
heel OF the piano moved not.
Or course II would not do to let
aulina know Of the Lady In White.
Dr. Camera had declared that when
ugi had made enough money they
'ouid go Into business together. Ital-
In fathers had their own ideas of
onor too. Once married to PauIina.
Is piano sold. Luigi would no longer
ee the obliging serving maid. she of
lie tips
But II he could swell his fortune to
ich respectable proportions that he
ouid be no mean match even for thet
ady In White. what might not hap
en-? They would go to Italy. where
ith few hundred lire he could pur.
iase a patent of nobility and live
Apply ever after.
80 he spent his SUNDAYS discreetly
ith Paulina and hewaned the hard
OK that made the dollars so scarce
ever did he tell her Of the Lady In
mite nor OF the maid TO whom bel
ad to make eloquent love In order
lat he might coax from her the tins
lAt were 10 win TIA u-ifo e III