Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-01-11

after me with my hat aud stick
Through the muddy streets, with the
Irish girl clinging to my arm to keef
pace with me, went. Through tht
muddy streets and up creaking stair
to poor lodging in the neighborhoot
OF OF Bar Ba5bica9. l stopped for momen'
and then creeping softly into misera
bly, furnished room saw the beautiful
woman whom I had loved, whom I still
loved with the strength of an homes
man. She was sitting up in great oil
chair. In a little bed under the WIN
dow was child, looking with wild
plaintive eyes-a child SO like he
mother that it needed no word to tel
me the relationship.
Only year after Alice's marriag,
the old city tradesman, her father, hal
died, and left his savings to her anC
her husband, for he had wrought hi.
own way, and he little knew or carec
for such relations as he had knowr
when he was q penniless boy working
for bread and lodgings in q Londo1
bakehouse. That money had been tht
ruin of Richard, who, with q few
pounds, had sailed for Australia-ther
in the height Of the gold fever-whenct
he was to send . letter, or better still
to come home within two years with 8
second fortune No word had reached
her since, though that was three year.
ago.
She died. have tried in vain t
discover her relations. When called
the fourth day the hired nurse wa.
weeping, and the poor, faithful Irisl
servant was dropping vail over tht
little girl as she hid her face in tht
honest creatures lap. What was I te
do? Those who might have claimed
the precious gift had not taken it.
thought of how my own life might bt
made more radiant by this child, the
child of her who should have been my
wife, and therefore mine by the love
bore her mother. I held out my hand
as she sprang up to greet ME, and, with
led her away, her soft, chubby fist,
clasping my finger.
For fifteen years or more her in
fiuence-the influence of one I can love
as though she we're my own child-in
deed has blest me. The old hall, yes,
even the dark cloak room, 90 gloomy al
other times, became radiant within her,
quiet and gentle a. she was, and hei
voice made such music that the echoes
seemed to sing responses to her happy,
childish songs.
The quiet currents of our lives have
run on since, and here is my little
daughter grown into q woman, so like
her mother sometimes in the turn Of
her face and certain glance of the eve,
that begin to wonder that I have sc
seldom noticed the resemblance.
Did I say she used to sing very
sweetly about the old plaoes I had
taught her, for I had knack with
both the flute and violin, and had been
q tolerable musician in my time. One
day-it wanted but q week to mid-sum.
mer-I was sitting in my own room,
making up my accounts for the next
board meeting, when I heard the full,
mellow notes on the stairs:
"The wind that blows,
And he ,s.s s6ss loves .saa,or."
"Where did you. learn that song.
Allie Z" said, laughing. %
A bright blush mantled to her fore
head.
"I heard-a-a gentleman sing it at
Mrs. Powers the other evening"
"A gentleman What, was there q
party there, child2 I thought Mr..
Power was to be alone"
Yes, but Mr.. Power brought gen.
tleman with him."
Hn16 ar uo,,n~QN
"Young."
"What was his name7"
II don't know. I think it was Al
Ian. Oh, he sang so we'll! I wish you
had been there, dadda; you know you
promised to fetch me home"
.' Yes, but Mullinger came for you,
didn't he2''
"The gentleman-Mr.A Allan, I mean
came with us and wanted to see YOU. -
I was uneasy, and yet what was to be
done: In the disturbance of my spirits
took up my hat and went out. AL
most without any purpose, turned TO-
ward Lower Thames street and into
Monument yard, where an old acquaint.
ance was sitting, smoking the pipe oi
peace in his bower. He was not alone,
however, for standing with his back
against the door-jam, was gaunt, Wild
figure, poorly dressed in a coarse Hol
land coat and shirt all open, where q
ragged, reddish beard, streaked with
gray, hung down upon his breast. he
had a Tag and two or three small
cages in his hands, and, AZ he made
way for me to enter, put bird that he
had held perched upon his finger into
one of them. "Iu Just take q turn
round while you speak to your friend, y
he said in deep, breathless kind oi
voice, as he went out.
"Yes, that is q strange character. >
said my friend, knocking the ashes on,
Of his pipe. II see your trying to take
stock Of him, but you won't find il
easy. One of the best bird-fanciers in
London, he is. He's been half over the
world almost And how's pretty missy
Law, now, if 1 didn't promise he,
another bird, and that chaps got the
very thing I want. If he'd only come
back I'd send it to her with my love
bless her bright eyes,"
We hadn't long to wait. The strange
figure of the bird -fancier came befort
the door, and my friend bargained
with him for the purchase of the little
songster that had perched on his hand
''But he won't do that for the youne
lady unless I introduce him to her and
show her how to coax him, " he said
II must carry him home for YOU"
I bade my friend good evening and
went back again feeling more oomfor
table in my mind. The bird -fancie1
strobe after me.
i When we reached our hall he looked
up curiously ct the old porch, and, q.
thought, seemed to hang back little
There was little brass plate under tht
bell-handle, with the name of the hal
engraved upon it in church text. HI
looked at it and then looked at me.
"You haven't a relative by the name
of Allan, perhaps2"
"None to my knowledge," an
swered. "Where does he live e.
"Ah, that's more than I can tell you
He was more like dying than living
when first made his acquaintance
but he had youth and health on hls
!: side, and SO nursed him through; bu
you don't know him, I see-and-yet-
now long may you have lived here p
: Above forty years."
''Ah, then, 1 was mistaken; it can't
be: So this is the young lady 2" h<
said quickly, as Alice, who had come
down to let us in, now stood in tht
hall. 1t was strange that he should
look at her with such intensity ; his eye.
fastened on her with a questioning ex
preston, as of one who had long been
seeking. It took only a few minute.
; to teach Alice how to coax her pretty