ndkerchiefs, Salome
carried under her arm a roll of music and an instruction-book; and,
when she reached the outskirts of the town, turned away from the main
street and stopped at the door of a small comfortless-looking house
that stood without enclosure on the common.

Two swart, black-eyed children were playing mumble-peg with a broken
knife, in one corner of the room; a third, with tears still on its
lashes, had just sobbed itself to sleep on a strip of faded carpet
stretched before the smouldering embers on the hearth; while the
fourth, a feeble infant only six months old, was wailing in the arms
of its mother,--a thin, sickly woman, with consumption's red autograph
written on her hollow cheeks, where the skin clung to the bones as if
resisting the chill grasp of death. As she slowly rocked herself,
striving to hush the cry of the child, her dry, husky cough formed a
melancholy chorus, which seemed to annoy a man who sat before the
small table covered with materials for copying music. His cadaverous,
sallow complexion, and keen, restless eyes, bespoke Italian origin;
and, although engaged in filling some blank sheets with musical notes,
he occasionally took up a violin that lay across his knees, and, after
playing a few bars, laid aside the bow and resumed the pen. Now and
then he glanced at his wife and child with a scowling brow; but, as
his eyes fell on their emaciated faces, something like a sigh seemed
to heave his chest.

When Salome's knock arrested his attention he rose and advanced to the
half-open door, saying, impatiently,--

"Well, miss, have you brought me any money?"

"Good morning, Mr. Barilli. Here are the ten dollars that I promised,
but I wish you to understand that in future I shall not advance one
cent of my tuition-money. When the month ends you will receive your
wages, but not one day earlier."

"I beg pardon, miss; but, indeed, you see--"

He did not conclude the sentence, but waved his hand towards the two
in the rocking-chair and proceeded to count the money placed in his
palm.

"Yes, I see that you are very destitute, but charity begins at home,
and I have to work hard for the wages that you have demanded before
they are due. Good morning, madam; I hope you feel better to-day.
Come, Mr. Barilli, I have no time to waste in loitering. Are you ready
for my lesson?"

"Quite ready, miss. Commence."

For three-quarters of an hour he listened to her exercises, which he
accompanied wit