The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-06-13
THUNDER-STRUCk.
ABeautifulStOry

ABeautifulS history
Wonderful is the power of music! In all
alteration of mind, from the oloen times
when the harp Of David could soothe the
gloomy mind of Saul, and charm away the
titfnl despondency of q king, down to mod
ern DAYS. when medical science has enobled
music by making it . soothing aud medica
agent in our establishments for the insane
harmony has been the FIRST to wind its way
to the beclouded intellect and crushed heart
and has been the blessed pioneeer of return
ing light and reason.
As Robert hunmed little light Frelcl
air. Ella listened for while unconcernedly
then the restless wandering eyes grew NOR,
steady, and the slightly inclined head, ant
the nervously working fingers, unconscious
ly clutohing and twining in empty air, tolt
OF its impression upon her. Gradually anc
carefully noting the effect of his experiment
Robert changed to a low, plaintive measure
the twisting fingers stopped their motion
the fair round cheek flushed aud psed th-
breath grew deeper, and the soft eyes mois
tened, and at last she flung herself upon his
shoulder, convulsively sobbing.
Robert was satisfied. "She has feeling
taste, taste. and sensiblity,' he SAID men
tally, "The Doctor was right. The casket
ia locked and the key may be lost, but am
.r,a tba s.cred contents are still safe within"
Long after Auntie Howe had carried the
lizzie one of TO he'd, Mr.. Middleton sat
on the porch, deep in thought, silently re-
calling all be had ever read or heard of
mental pathology.
HAS any attempt been made to teach
her y he sad at last, abruptly. turning to
his hostess, who sat in the doorway behind
him knitting by moonlight
Teach Who? Baby Ella p asked the
good woman, surprised at the question.
Laws, no; l guess she couldn't learn 10th.
ing. Do you suppose she could p
at might be tried" said Robert. Has
she ever been sent to school?
ITO school? Gracious, no - said Mrs.
Howe. 81 suppose the other children would
kind of pick at her, and tease her, would MT
they? If had any older child to send with
her to take care of her, l might: but l
wouldn't have her leased and put upon, for
nothing in the world"
NO, indeed, of course not, said Robert
but | think she might learn something from
Just being with other children of her own
age Now she had no companion but her
dog this must be bad for her. Would you
like 20 trust her with me?
what at school, MIR. Middleton ?n
"Yes, we can try it. | will take her with
me-thst is, if you think she will 60"
"Oh laws, yes, she will go, no doubt, on
it; but won't she trouble you-s gentleman
so TO be bothered with the care of such a
baby? 1t does not seem right somehow"
"Oh. it will be quite an amusemet to me.
I would like TO try it, and, if you are willing
| will take her with me tomorrow"
"Oh, am willing enough" said Mrs.
Howe, upon whom DR.. Mayne's recommen-
dstion and Roberts own gentle manners
had made great impression. "Bu, | will
tell you what, Mr. Middleton, you had bet
ter take old Max with you and then, if you
are tired of her, she troubles you any,
you just put her hand upon his collar, and
you say home 2 to him, and he will bring
her home as safe as 3 Waterman"
The next day Mr.. Middleton and Baby
Ella, hand in hand, and followed by Max,
wa ked quietly to school. Fearing the mum
bsrs and noise of his pupils might alarm or
sgi tate the hitherto little compsnionless
child, Robert took her first into his own
desk, where, seated with her upon his knee,
he waited for her to become accustomed to
the sights and sounds around her; bu, he
scoA iouau pACtaoSloh ~hS ChA41Cli
needless, for her sunny eyes roved over the
many new and strange faces, ell regarding
her with curiosity, without betreying the
slightest emotion OF any kind.
When this fact became apparent to him,
Robert, being about to call up class to re
cite, led Baby Ella to a seat occupied BY lit
tie girls. placing her among them, where
she would be full in his own view; but he
had scarcely regained his desk ere the child
quietly rising, crossed the room silently,
and stood by his side again. This expert
ment was repeated two or three times, with
a like result and at last he suffered her to
remain. She stood silent content and quiet,
her little all across his lap. Only once,
when her eye fell upon Max, who lay in the
sunshine In the open door, with his eyes
fixed upon her, and his patient nose black
with flies, she startled the whole school by
exolalming aloud, in her sweet tones, "good
Max! good doL pretty puppy" At which
all the scholars Uttered; and the faithful dog
half rising on his fore paws, responded to
the call by humping on the floor with his
huge tail until the dust rose but finding no
further demand for his services, he quietly
subsidized to his rest, his flies and his sun
shine again.
Two or three times in the course of the
day that strange heaviDess crept over her,
and Robert learned to know the premontory
signs-the worn, weary look, the changing
color, the deepened breathing. And as the
soft syelids fell he would lift her to seat
beside him, where, with her head upon his
lap, she would sleep for FIVE or six minutes
and awake refreshed and smiling.
st recess he took her out into the open
air; and when they had shared the lunch of
frui. and cake which Auntie Howe's care
had provided, he sung or talked to her, or
called some of the other children round
him. he tried to e. her wandering eyes and
wsken the slumbering mind.
And this, which was the experience of
one day, was the experience of msny. Dur
ing the whole Of that long summer they
might be met, hand in hsnd-the young
man and the little, he pless, beautiful child
in their quiet walks to and from school.
Little Ella mad found new friend, aud
Robert had found a new object of interest,
and they were thus mutually benefited.
Elias progress, however, if indeed she
made any, was infinitely small. Some
times Robert would hstter himself that
there WAS al advance, that the weak, wander
ing eyes were becoming more fixed and
steady, the slow and imperfect utterance
more plain; and then the next hour he
would feel 1t was his nope, not his judge
mens which had told him so; and thus sum
mer faded into autumn, and autumn had
passed into winter
1t had been settled, between Robert and |
Mrs. Howe, early in the season, that Ella |
should not attend school through the winter. !
They had agreed that her progress in learn
ing would not warrant the risk of exposing |
so delicate child to the rigors of one of
our New England winters but still, from |
day TO day her removal from school had
been postponed, for Ella had learned to de-
pend upon it, and her brother" as Robert
had taught her to call him, felt that much
as he should miss her, she would miss him
still more and he shrunk from inflicsing a
~, tho l;ttIa nopf!a lOvipO