Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-06-09
The OuEST.


speak English, or who had little money
often came here, and, If economical or
shftless, very likely remained. The more
ambitious and energetic soon went in
search of better quarters
Pietro was the name given by one of
these new arrivals, and though the cloth
ing he wore was evidently coarser than
what he was accustomed to, yet 1t was
so much better than his surroundings
that the other dodgers looked at him as
kance. The morning after he came the
proprietor went to him.
"What is your busness?" he asked
abruptly.
Pietro did not even look toward him.
They were standing by the door. and the
eager restless eyes were scanning the
people in the street
II paid you my lodging last night for
week, was the cold answer.
Yes, ! know-a," with less aggressive
ness In the voice. but | help my county
men to make start. If you ha1d-organ
man, have hand-organ to rent; If you
grind knife or sell fruit or work-a by
day, | have grlndstone and push cart.
and | know where hire you out. help
my countrymen."
Thank you, but I do not need your
assistance"
The proprietor frowned angrily, his
small black eyes studying his ledger with
open suspicion. Pietro's fingers were
long and white and there were no I'M
washed accumulations upon his neck and
face and behind the ears as was the
case with all the other dodgers: and he
talked pure American, better than he
himself who had been in the country
ten years
Gotta more money to pay?" he de-
| manded.
1--WE will see at the end of the week"
was the absent reply.
Pietro's thoughts were so evidently
preoccupied with the street that the pro-
| prietor turned away. his face darkening
Well" he snarled back, you BETA
be careful. The police court be close by,
and they watch sharp"
! That evening a reporter was walking
along the sidewalk, his eyes open for
local color. Opposite the lodging house
| he suddenly paused. The low, warming
cry Of violin was floating out, falling
| now almost into silence, as though in
| despair. and then rising, rising entreat-
| ingly, imperously, sweeping all before
| it, until ones very soul demanded to be
released to go in answer. 1t was not the
work of an amateur, or of an ordinarily
good player but of a master. such as
may be heard at rare intervals uptown
but never on Eliza beth street The re-
porter listened until the last note died
away in a low sob, then went into the
lodging house. But the player was sit
| ting at an open window i'm an upper
All through the night the sobbing wall
and the imperious entreaty fingered in
the reporters brain, at his desk in the
Park Row office, in his own lodging
house. and finally entering into his
dreams, and always as of something half
remembered And the next day, while
gathering news at the clubs. in the emf
grant office, al the police stations the
notes still hoated tantalzngly in his
thoughts But it was not until he went
to the grand opera in the evening that
he remembered. 1t was a little Italian
love song. and had been played in thai
very theatre two winters before.
| a few evenings later he was again or
Elizabeth street, and once more he hearC
the wailing sobs and imperious entreaty
but this time several blocks lower down
The player was sitting on a box behnC
a bootblack's stand, his head bent low
over the violin. but his eager. restles.
eyes studying the people that were pass.
ing or gathering about him. Again the
reporter tried to interview him. and
again he was repulsed.
| After that, whenever he went to the
Italian quarter in the evening, the violir
was sure to be playing the same eX.
quisite love song, but always at a diff
ferent part of the street. And no mat
ter how important his engagement OIL
limited his time, the reporter paused to
listen to the master hand, until the mu-
One day he went to the manager of
an opera.
Look here" he said, there's a fell
low down on Elizabeth street who car
play better than any one in your employ
II may be worth your while to see him.
The next evening Pietro played on
corner where there was a great deal o.
passing The two listened until the las
low note had died away. and then sough
him, on the managers face was an ex
preston of establishment
Where do you play?" he demanded
I'm open windows, on the sidewalk
like this"
But, great Scott! you cannot earl
/ much?"
II do not ask anything"
We'll them an eagerness coming in
to his voice which he did not attempt t.
conceal, Il will give you fifty dollars
week to come and play for me-
Pietro shook his head.
II left thousand liras- two hundre,
dollars-to come here" he answered.
e He rose from the box upon which h.
= had been sitting, tucked his violin unde
+ his arm and was moving away, but tn
managers hand was upon his shoulder
! Wait a minute" he said earnestly
II want to have little talk, Come il
here And you Also" to the reporter.
They were at the entrance of an up
y stairs restaurant, and after a moment
drawn in At the table the manage
+ gave him his card
That is my name" he said, Now
;, want you to play for me. and you cal
make your own price
Pietro glanced at the card his eye
. Frightening a little when he saw tn
name as though in recognition.
Yes he haid, II know of you Yol
brought Caruso to America. He has toll
me about 1t. You are a good manage
I to work for"
"What?" with wonder in his eyes
, you know Caruso, and playing here OF
Elizabeth street? l do not understand
But you will name a price? No?" at tn,
utter refusal on the others face "Thei
at least you will tell me why? Believ,
, me, | am your friend. l am the frienC
of any man who can play like you do
Is there no assistance | can give?"
For moment Pietros eyes remained
cold; then he threw out his arms, sud
denly, passionately, letting them fall up
on the table. The two men looked a
each other. 1t was like the last sob
bling notes of the love song
Yes he said drearily. there IL n,
reason why 1 should not tell. | hav,
tried and failed, and now it does no
, matter. 1t was only that l did not like
notoriety-but even that does not matter
now. In my own country l loved a CIR
named Francesca. We were betrothed
but | did not dare tell her people. fol
she was noble and l was not, and l hat
no money. | loved music and wen
away and studied and in time began L
earn money, and at last made a great