Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-02-08

read Christmas note over and over
again, smelling Its perfume, recalling
the sweet pictures Of his childhood,
and spent the rest Of that tedious
night journey in feverish dreams that
began and ended with Christine Daae.
Day was breaking when he alighted at
Lannion. He hurried TO the diligence
for Perros-Guirec. He WA the only
passenger. He questioned the driver
! and learned that, on the evening OF
the previous day, young lady who
looked like n Partisan had gone to
Perros and put up at the inn known
as the Setting Sun.
The nearer he drew to her, the
more fondly he remembered the story
of the little Swedish singer. Most Of
the details are still unknown to the
public.
There was once. in little market
town not far from Upsala. q peasant
who lived there with his family, dig
ing the earth during the week and
singing in the choir on Sundays. This
peasant had little daughter to whom
he taught the musical alphabet be-
fore she knew how to read. Daae's
father was q great musician, perhaps
without knowing II. Not q fiddler
throughout the length and breadth OF
Scandinavia played as he did. His
reputation was widespread and he was
always invited to set the couples
dancing at weddings and other fes-
tivals. His wife died when Christine
was entering upon her sixth year.
Then the father, who cared only for
his daughter and his music, sold his
patch Of ground and went to Upsala
In search Of fame and fortune. He
found nothing but poverty.
He returned to the country, wander
ing from fair to fair. stunning his
Scandinavian melodies, while his
child, who never left his side, listened
to him IN esctasy or sang to his play
ing. One day, at Ljimby fair, Pro
lessor Valerius heard them and took
them to Gothenburg, He maintained
that the father was the first Yionntst
in the world and that the daughter
had the making Of great artist. Her
education and instruction were pro
vided for. She made rapid progress
and charmed everybody with her pref
tiness. her grace Of manner and her |
genuine eagerness to please.
When Valerius and his wife went
to settle in France, they took Daae
and Christine with them. Mamma. /
Valerius treated Christine as her |
daughter AS for Daae. he began to ,
pine away with hbmesickness He
never went out OF doors In Paris. but /
lived In q sort Of dream which he
kept up with his violin. For hours at
q time, he remained locked up in his
bedroom with his daughter, fiddhng
and singing, very, very softly. Some
times Mamma Valerius would come
and listen behind the door. wipe away
q tear and 90 downstairs again on
tirtoe. signing for her Scandinavian
skies.
Daae seemed not to recover his
strength until the summer. when the
whole family went to stay at Perros-
Guirec, in far-away corner OF Brit
Eany, where the sea was Of the same
color as in his own country. Often
he would play his saddest tunes on
me beach and pretend that, the sea
stopped its roaring to listen to them.
And then he induced Mamma Nalerius
% indulge q queer within OF his. At
he time OF the .'pardons,' or Breton
the village festival and
iances, he went on with his fiddle,
Is In the old days, and was allowed
3 take his daughter with him for
week. They gave the smallest ham,
ets music to last them for year and
Ilept at night In q barn, refusing
led at tho INN, lying close together
IN the straw, az when they were 20
'oor 81 Sweden. At the same time
hey were very neatly dressed. made
% collection. refused the halfpenee
ifered them; and the people around
ouid not understand the conduct OF
his rustic fiddler, who tranped the
Dads with that pretty child who sang
Ike an angel from heaven. They fol-
rived them from village to village Il
One day. q little boy, who was out
'lth bis governess. made her take q
niger walk than be Intended, for he
Duid not tear himself from the little
ri whose pure. sweet voice seemed
, bind him 70 her. Ihey came 10
- shore Of an inlet which ID stiil /
allod Trestraou, but which now. 1 i
sleeve. hafb0rB q casino o. some
Iins q fhs nort Ar that tine there
as nothing but shy and sea and ,
lfeleh o. golden Deaeh. only. there
a. also high wind. whioh blew
scarf o0s to see. chrib.
~ ssve 4 cry and pvt out her hfnih.
If tie neArt WIS alfe1g ar o1 rs 8
nVss. I6sn nno ns1r1 5 x6les 1aSs I
slt'1 an rishk RI % nAa fstch yosr I
AZ ont 81 ~ reo c
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