Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-02-23

hS luc OelllIS Quiz.
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 a peasant
who lived there with his family dig
ing the earth during the week and
singing in the choir on Sundays. This
peasant had a little daughter to whom
he taught the musical alphabet be-
fore she knew how to read. Daae's
father was great musician, perhaps
without knowing it. Not 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-
rivals. 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 ecstasy or sang to his play
ing. One day, at LJimby fair, Pro-
fessor Valerius heard them and took
them to Gothenburg. He maintained
that the father was the first violinist
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 inconsistencies. He
never went out of doors in Paris, but
lived in sort of dream which he
kept up with his violin. For hours at
a time, he remained locked up in his
bedroom with his daughter, fiddling
and singing. very, very softly Some
times Mamma Valerius would come
and listen behind the door, wipe away
a tear and go downstairs again on
tiptoe, 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 a far-away corner OF Brit.
tany, where the sea was of the same
color as in his own country. Often
he would play his saddest tunes on
the beach and pretend that the sea
stopped its roaring to listen to them.
And then he induced Mamma Valerius
to indulge queer whim of his. At
the time of the "pardons." or Breton
the village festival and
dances, he went off with his fiddle.
as in the old days. and was allowed
to take his daughter with him for
week. They gave the smallest ham,
let's music to last them for year and
slept at night In barn. refusing a
bed at the inn. lying close together
on the straw, as when they were SO
poor In Sweden. At the same time
they were very neatly dressed, made
no collection, refused the halfpence
offered them; and the people around
could not understand the conduct OF |
this rustic fiddler, who tramped the |
roads with that pretty child who sang
ike an angel from heaven. They fol-
owed them from village to village.
One day. little boy. who was out
With his governess. made her take a
onger walk than he intended, for he
could not tear himself from the little
girl whose pure, sweet voice seemed
% bind him to her. They came to
he shore of an inlet which Is still
'alled Trestraou. but which now. l
believe, harbors a casino or some
hing of the sort. At that time there
vas nothing but sky and sea and q
stretch of golden beach. Only. there
vas also a high wind, which blew
3hristine's scarf out to sea. Chris
inc gave cry and put out her arms.
tut the scarf was already far on the
waves. Then she heard voice say:
Its all right, I'll go and fetch your
cart out of the sea-"
And she saw little boy running
asst, in spite of the outcries and the
Indignant protests Of worthy lady
n black. The little boy ran into the
ca, dressed as he was, and brought
er back her scarf. Boy and scarf
7ere both soaked through. The lady
n black made great fuss. but Chris
Inc laughed merrily and kissed the
tile hoy, who was none other than
he Vicomte Raoul de Chagny, stay.
lg at Lannion with his aunt.
During the season they saw each
Their and played together almost
very day. At the aunt's request, Sec
nded by Professor Valerius. Daae
onsented to give the young viscount
ome violin lessons. In this way
.aoul learned to love the same airs
nat had charmed Christmas child
God. They also botn had the same
aim and dreamy little cast Of mind.
hey delighted in stories. in old
reton legends; and their favorite
port was to go and ask for them at
lie cottage-doors, like beggars:
"Ma'am :" or, Kind gentle
ian have you a little story
, tell us, please" :
And II soldon, haDDened that thew