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


and blue as her eyes. She wheedled
her mother, was kind to her doll, took
great care of her frock and her little
red shoes and her fiddle, but most OF
all loved, when she went to sleep, to
hear the Angel of Music"
While the old man told this story,
Raoul looked at Christlne's blue eyes
and golden hair; and Christine
thought that Lotto was very lucky to
hear the Angel of Music when she
went to sleep. The Angel OF Music
played part in all Daddy Daaes
tales; and he maintained that every
great musician, every great artist re.
ceived visit from the Angel at least
once in his life. Sometimes the An.
gel leans over their cradle, as hap.
pened to Lotto. and that is how there
are little prodigies who play the lid.
die at. six better than men at fifty,
which, you must admit, is very won.
derful. Sometimes. the Angel comes
much later. because the children are
naughty and won't learn their lessons
times, he does not come at all. be.
cause the children have bad heart
or bad conscience.
None one ever sees the Angel: but
he Is heard by those who are meant
to hear him. He often comes when
they least expect him. when they are
sad and disheartened. Then their
ears suddenly perceive celestial har.
monies, divine voice, which they re-
member all their lives. Persons who
are visited by the Angel culver with
thrill unknown to the rest of man.
kind. And they cannot touch an In.
strument, or open their mouths to
sing, without producing sounds that
put all other human sounds to shame.
Then people who do not know that
the Angel has visited those persons
say that they have genius.
Little Christine asked her father il
he had heard the Angel of Music. But
Daddy Daae shook his head sadly;
and then his eyes lit up, as he said:
you will hear him one day, my
child! When l am in heaven, l will
send him to you!"
Daddy was beginning to cough at
that time.
Three years later, Raoul and Chris.
tine met again at Perros. Professor
Valerius was dead. but his widow re.
manned in France with Daddy Daae |
and his daughter. who continued to
81 ho iD1i I'd, iv,
their dream of harmony their kind
patroness. who seemed henceforth to
live on music alone. The young man,
as he now was, had come to Perros
on the chance of finding them and
went straight to the house in which I
they used to stay. He first saw the
old man; and then Christine entered.
carrying the tea.tray. She flushed at
the sight of Raoul. who went up to
her and kissed her. She asked him
few questions. performed her duties
as hostess prettily, took up the tray
again and left the room. Then she
ran into the garden and took refuge
on bench, prey to feelings that
stirred her young heart for the first
time. Raoul followed her and they
talked till the evening, very shyly.
They were quite changed, cautious as
two diplomatists, and told each other
things that had nothing to do with
their budding sentiments. When they
took leave of each other by the road.
size. Raoul, pressing kiss on Chris.
tines trembling hand. "a!
"Maaemoiselie, | shall never forget
you,"
And he went away regretting h1s
words, for he knew that Christine
could not be the wife of the Viconte
lie Chagny.
AS for Christine, she tried not to
hink of him and devoted herself
wholly to her art. She made won.
lerful progress and those who heard
Ter prophesied that she would be the
greatest singer in the world. Mean
while, the father died; and, suddenly,
The seemed to have lost, with him.
Ter voice. her soul and her genius.
She retained just, but only just.
enough of this to enter the conserva-
ORE, where she did not distinguish
lerself at all. attending the classes
Without enthusiasm and taking prize
My to please old Mamma Valerius.
With when she continued to live.
(To be continued!
n1 l. hot