The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-06-12

man richly attired, accompanied by a.
young and beautiful woman.
"Floretta."
1t was the woman that spoke, and
she sprang forward and grasped the
little songstress by the hand.
Floretta uttered little cry of JOY,
as she looked upward at the kindly
face.
My lady" she said, "how happy
am to see YOU" and she chung closely
to the gorgeous robes of her bene-
factress.
''Maria!"
The cold voice of the man caused
the child to shrink back in terror,
and, she looked at them with wide
inquiring eyes.
"We must not tarry here, daughter
he continued, I'VE have barely time to
reach home and dress before starting
for the ball."
The young woman turned a re-
Pproachful glance toward her father.
Let pleasure wait on mercy" she
said. This is the little girl who used
to bring me flowers for my oratory. /
have not seen her for weeks And she
turned to speak to Floretta. The
mans eyes flashed with scornful
light, but Maria's question interrupted
him.
why have you not been to see me,
Floretta?"
my father has been ill with the
fever for over month, my lady," the
child answered triumphantly, "and |
could not leave him."
"You must go Immediately, daugh-
teri" came the. impatient command.
See, several of our noble friends are
approaching. What will they think of
your speaking with this beggar maid?'
Floretta drew back and her face
blanched as the full import of his curt
stunning speech struck her. The next
moment Maria's arm was drawn within
her fathers and she was being led
| firmly away from the spot.
Not wishing to arouse his ire, Maria
did not seek to prolong the converse
ton, but she called back softly to
Floretta:
Come and see me tomorrow morn
ing"
With tears in her eyes and her entire
| being smarting under the sting of his
cutting words, Floretta watched her
only friend being taken to the canal
where a handsome gondola awaited its
patrician passengers.
AS the craft moved across the la
COON, Maria waved farewell, and the
unhappy child burst into tears.
81 must go home to father she
moaned, "but how can return without
any money; this morning | spent the
last for his medicine"
Sorrowfully she wendell her way tC
| her poor home-a small room on the
upper floor of al building on side
canal. ,
Swiftly she mounted the rickety
stairs, and reaching the top she gently
pushed open a door.
In corner of the room thin, ema
ciated figure clad in white struggled
up from a straw pallet.
''Floretta!" the thin strained voice
articulated gaspingly "Floretta, you
have come back to me. Ali through
| the long hours III have waited and
thought-thought that you would not
would not return.Y6
Father" the child whispered as she
gazed into his pallid countenance, q
have come back without without
any money. sang-but no one needed
me. What shall do?"
The old violin-rnaker's eyes burned
with curious light.
II am tortured with this fever" he
whispered harsh1y. II must have medi
1 cine. There is one last resort. must
part with my old violin, my old Gre
mona"
| Floretta sprang to her feet.
"No, no." she cried excitedly, 'You
must not do that 1t is too precious
and what will you do without it whe1
you get well?"
when am we'll shall not be here
Floretta," the old man replied family
Il shall be far away" and he looked
out of the window to where the stars
sparkled in the heavens. II shall be
there, he said lowly, there, with God
and His saints
A startled cry brust from Floretta's
/ IContinued on page IL