The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-06-12
Continued from page So
cREMoNA.

white lips, and she clasped her trem-
bling hands.
Father, father" she moaned, you
must not die, you must not leave me
here alone
The old man, who had suddenly fall
en- back upon the pallet, sat upright.
mo, must not die" he said firmly.
"You are all have, and / must live for
you. Give me the violin" -
With her imagination, the prey to
numberless fears, Floretta obeyed, and
as she placed the instrument tenderfy
in his extended hands, he pressed 1t
fervently to his breast.
Farewell, old violin, companion of
happy times" he sobbed in a broken
voice, farewell, farewell, forever" He
handed it back to her.
Take it to Signor Antonelli; he will
pay you well. Take it, Floretta," and
the broken voice could hardly finish
the sentence. He turned his head
away, as though the thought of part
ing with the instrument were death
itself. ~
Goodbye, father" whispered Floret-
ia, and she walked towards the door.
"Floretta!" her father called, and
turning she saw the sick man with
wide extended arms.
"Floretta," he repeated, give me the
violin once more, let me caress it be-
fore you go"
She fastened to his side and placed
it in his palsied hands. Tears coursed
down his furrowed cheeks as he grasp.
ed the bow, and sweet melody filled
the room. 1t was an evening hymn to
the Virgin, and blessing herself, Flor
eta sank upon her knees. The moon
light streaming in through the window
fell aslant his pallid face and white
hair, his eyes were upturned devotion.
ally, and his sparse frame swayed as
his arm swept the quivering strings.
Floretta's eyes were fixed upon the
weird scene with unaccountable at.
traction.
''Take it, take it, quickly" he
gasped, 81 burn with fever"
Thoroughly alarmed. Floretta be-
sought him to allow her to remain,
but he waved her away frantically,
and hardly knowing what she did,
she sped from the house.
In few moments she had made her
way through the noisy, jostling crowd
to the far side of the Plaza, holding
the old Cremona securely under her
arm.
She was Obliged to cross the lagoon
to reach the home of Signor Antonelli,
and for the first time she realized that
she would have to engage a gOndola.
She had no money, and even If she
possessed it in abundance it would
be almost impossible to hire one, as
all the boats were being used by the
merrymakers.
Disheartened, Floretta turned to go,
and as she did so, she spied small
gondola moored near by, the former
occupants of which had doubtless
joined the jewellers.
A cry of joy burst from the child's
lips. Il will take this and 60 myself,
she whispered. Il shall return it be
fore it is missed.
She sprang into it, and in her excite
ment placed the violin on one side OF
the boat, where she could see it con.
stantly.
She cast of the rope and grasped
the oar in her frail hands. 1t was so
heavy that it was only with great
difficulty that she could manage it,
Almost Immediately the current seized
the gondola, and bore it away from
the Plaza
Floretta soon found that she was too
weak to manipulate the oar, and terror
filled her throbbing heart. Several
large gondolas flied with hilarious peo
pie glided swiftly by and the slight