Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-12-24

and then rushed breathlessly out There, |
quite up the 'strcet--how could he have |
ran so fast and lar g-was Robbie's little |
scarlet signal flying in the breeze, and the |
short legs playing like drum sticks under |
it. Madge ran with all her strength but
the crowd jostled her, and just before she
reached the street corner, with Robbie but
few steps ahead, she fell violently on
the pavement. She picked horselisup, re-
gardless of pain; but the baby was no
where to be seen, She gazed wildly up
and down all in vain. There were so
many directions, any one of which he
might have taken; and oh the crowded
crossings, the trampling feet of the horses
Madge shook from head TO foot and low
wall of despair forced itself up and died
on her white lips. She ran aimlessly
along, plying every one she met with pit
eous questions Some shook her off with
a frown or a harsh word, others answered
kindly enough ,sbut nobody could help her
At last a newsboy met her, with pack
age of papers under his arm.
"Look a here !" he said. "Was it
mighty little chap, with linky hair and
red streamery
ooh yes, yes" gasped Madge.
"Well, he streaked it up there, reckon"
with jerk of his thumb in the direction
of a broad staircase which opened on the
street just in advance OF where they were
standing.
Madge flashed one grateful glance, and
went up as if ON wings. There was a
wide hall, with doors leading from it on
each side. She raped at the first one
Poor Madge the beating of her heart
was almost as loud as her knock.
"Come in |" said somebody's pleasant
voice; and she threw open the door. A
large, airy room, with softly-tinted light
streaming through the high windows;
some pictures and sketches on the walls;
pieces of unframed canvas, with their
faces turned from curious eyes; an easel,
with a half-finished painting upon it
paint, dishes, brushes, and crayons scat
| tered upon a table. But Madge had no
eyes for all these. p
| !. A tall gentleman, in an artists blouse,
held the little runaway on his knee.
"Oh, Bobolinkp sobbed Madge and
she dropped on her knees, and buried her
face in the little patched frock.
By and by she lifted her head, the tears
still trembling on her long, dark lasheS
Robbies soft arms wreathed about her
neck, and his dewy lips raining repentant
kisses on her cheek.
1t is doubtful if any one-even Madge's
beautiful she was. There was the rippling
brown hair, with its wonderful golden
CLINT; the exquisitely rounded forehead,
through whose transparent skin showed
the delicate tracery of violet veins; the
sensitive, perfect features; the fathomless
dark eyes, bent on her recovered treasure
and, informing and vitalizing all her face,
marvellous expression of love mingled
with sorrow-the childish type of that
which we fancy the face of the Madonna
TO have worn when the prophetic sword
pierced through her soul.
The pair of artist eyes that looked on
caught new inspiration.
And so it happened that with the open
ing of the spring exhibition a picture
hung upon the wall of the Academy. 1t
illustrated no grand theme, mythical OF
historical; it was no marvel of skillfully-
managed lights and shades-only the
simple, unpretending portraiture of two
children.
Yet the love and truth which the artist
had revealed looked from the canvas
straight through all the dissertations o
years and conventionalisms down to tho
very hearts of all, who came to see Sc
the crowd passed by the studied attitudes
and gorgeous coloring of many another
painter, to learn of this one who SPOKE
to the best in every man.
One day a stranger strolled from picture
to picture along the corridor-a lonely
man, who, having left his native land il
his boyhood, came back in his mature ag,
to find himself forgotten and the home
world which he had left swallowed up ir
the inevitable march of years.
Suddenly before the modest canvas ht
stopped as if arrested by an electric shock
Invisible fingers out of the unreturnin!
past were pulling at his heart-strings
Bending the long grass of the sighin.
summer meadows, picking brown nut
through the flaming autumn woods, hi
little dark-eyed sister held his hand one
more Surely it was she-the same, un
changed-who smiled a goodbye through
her tears so long ago.
Stronger and stronger the strange fame,
grew upon him. 1t must be her face; n
mere artist imagination could paint sue
another.
He went away but the picture haunte
his dreams. At last, driven by an impuls
not to be resisted, he sought out tn
painter in his studio, and heard the sler
: der story, which was all lie had to tell {
! his child models.
, "Be quiet, Robbie, darling, Mamma
!; head is so much worse to-day. Sit dow
! in your little chair, and sister will tell yo
! q story"
: "No, moi Robbie don't want a story
: Robbie so hungry |"
Poor little Madge In all this lon,
! week of her mothers illness, her brave
heart had not failed before. Even nov
. she tried to smile and speak cheerfully
, but something in her throat choked he
! and her voice died out in great sob.
: There was heavy step in the passag,
way. Somebody knocked at the door.
, 'It's Mr.. Eastman, for the rent, though
, Madge, and her heart gave a wild thro
of terror.
: Robbie ran to open the door.
, A gentleman stood there-not Mr.. Eas
man-who scanned her with eager, que
Z tioning eyes.
!, aaid.
= "Yes," she answered wonderingly, I"
am Msdge, and this is Robbie. Poor man
= = ma is very sick"
= The sound of his voice aroused Mrl
Carroll from the light slumber in whic
; she had lain. She raised herself upon ht
= arm, and listened with an air of piteol
:. perplexitH as If to some sound very IL
away.
"Where am :" she murmured. "
e thought it was John calling home I'll
q cows from the south pasture"
L The stranger started and came nearer
the bed, gazing intently upon the thi
J worn face, bright with the restless flus
of fever. Their eyes met. Gradually IL
features of the sufferer took on the soft,
= light of returning consciousness. I'll
q two hearts reached, by the omnipotence
y love, over all the changes OF years an
: fortune, and recognized their kinship.
p John"
o "Margaretl" -a...
q That was all and for little while the.
was happy silence, broken by no wor
o Not long afterwards, around their Chris
/ mas fire, happy household gather. II
u mothers cheek has gained almost Il
> bloom and roundness Of its lost yout
l Around the wandering brothers heart a
n bound the sweet persuasions of home az
y love. Madge and Robbie fulfill, with ca,
rs years growth, the sweet promise of the