The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-24

To Luigi Carullrs restaurant in the
italian quarter Of San Francisco one
day came young Julian Palmer. look
ing for a Job in Luigi's Justly famous
orchestra. Carullrs was a haven Ct
lovers of real music as well as for
those who delight in savory raviolo
and succulent, spicy sphagheti,
cooked as only a true Milanese I'M
derstands.
Julian's thin cheeks had tho pallor
of illness and undernourishment but
unhappy eyes, looked at Luigi with
out duplication. The shrewd old
italian guessed correctly that the boy
hadn't eaten recently and that he
had spent the night on a park bench.
Hmm" he rumbled. You play
him. good jazz, helm? Tumpty-tid-
dly-bang?"
The young mans nostrils quiv-
cred; = touch Of disappointment
clouded his face IT am . musician"
he said haughtily and turned away,
higher under his thin. shabbily clad
arm. Hungry, cold. destitute but
still possessed of his violin!
Luigi seized him by the shoulders
and all but embraced him. IT to am
musician" he cried. In my place nc
with the jazz monkey business. You
stay here. play tho songs Of Milan,
for an old man, helm? You can play,
feel that" And Julian could! And
he stayed. In year he was leading
Luigis orchestra. His fase lost the
| otvA hr
! as though they had looked upon grief
too long to ever be free OF Its shadow
and his blonde hair was prematurely
gray At the temples. a touch of dis
tinction that emphasized the chiseled
quality Of his features and the pride
that not even the severest Of fate's
blows had humbled
\ Part Of this Ill fortune shrewd old
Luigi soon discovered but the sor
row which he fel tctnvinced lay at
his leaders heart he could only
surmise, for Julian never talked
about himself.
A jolly old cove was Carulli. with
rumble and . laugh that set the
polished Tuscany plates to jingling
on his sleeves. a heart as big as his
stomach, which was saying much.
He loved good eating and good music
and he learned to lLve Julian. He re-
spected his leaders silence concern
ing the grief which Luigi instantly
guessed had to do with tickle woman.
back to the lads face some Of the
happiness which Is youths birthright.
Came a night In spring; a miser-
able evening. punctuated by the
melancholy blare Of innumerable
foghorns from the Bay. The palpable
mist settled down into every crevasse
and chung to tho faces and the hair of
| those who were forced to venture
out and seemed to reach its cold fin
gers into the very recesses Of the
heart. A few strangers found their
way to Carullfs. among others a
party from the Lilac Lane company,
playing at one Of the theatres. One
Of them. q striking young girl, caught
Luigi's attention. Perhaps It was the
stared at him with III disguised
toned one of tho men. She was
Lydia Phillips. young dancer
whose quaint speciality was fea-
ture Of Lilac Lane. She was dark.
lovely girl rather quiet. From the
moment she stared at Julian she
grew eve nmore quiet. Then Luigi
forgot her; Julian was playing solo.
When everyone had gone Luigi
came back to close his doors. Then he
heard the waltz. Julian was playing
alone. evidently lost In some power
full preoccupation of his twn. He
played as he never played before. a
haunting waltz that flowed from his
strings like tho voice Of romance
itself, a wistful romance that had
been laid away in the lavender of
memory and the salt Of tears. PoigR-
antly sweet. timed to that ancient
rhythm which is the pulse of the
heart itself. It flooded the silent,