River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1872-11-15

idea what he means; but she likes to
hear him talk. Her head is getting so
far away that she is afraid OF losing it
altogether; everything is getting far
away. They go up some steps, and
every one they pass turns to look at
the ragged, white-faced child and the
tall, handsome man. Some know him
and say, when he has passed:
"Just like Casual, just like him."
Tot feels weak going up the steps,
but she says nothing. She begins to
doubt whether it is not all dream.
She has dreamt Of policemen before
often; but never of gentleman talk.
ing to her. They walked some distance
along passage, one side of which is
all doors, and at last they stop at one
of them. My lord takes kew from his
pocket, places it in hole in the door,
gives little turn and push, and it
opens.
4" Here we are, Tot only four steps,
and you may look at the inside till you
are weary"
A bright light comes from the open
door. Tot goes in and stands motion
less, as though suddenly turned to
stone rigidly staring, her eyes wide
open, faint flush on her cheek, and
her chin dropped. Oh what a won
derful place So big and so bright
Brighter even, she thinks than the sun
itself All the people are there, too
she can see their dresses of red and
blue, and gold and silver. And
"You may sit down, Tot" says my
lord. He looks in her face, and sees
there intense wonder and awe. MY
lord, thereat, is surprised and pleased,
yet troubled withal. But ne says gal.
ly:
Accustomed as you probably are,
Tot, to wooden chairs, on first touch.
ing one of these you may find its re-
sistence to your frame impact but fee
BILE, and fear it will not support you.
But don't be afraid, Tot; you will
find it will all come right in the end"
Tot is very weak, and the flush in
her face has quickly died out, but Won
der and the awe are still there. She
sits down, or falls rather, on a chair
Oh !! how pleasant it is. If the other
people are sitting on chairs like that
how happy they must be And she
can see in every direction. The place
is round, and up higher there is cir
Gle of lamps. But a very thin circle,
not nearly enough to make it so light
and Tot believes the people who are
all of them so clean, must give out light
themselves. So she looks at my lord
but his clothes are black, so they can
not shine but she is not sure about
his hair; she almost fancies she can
see light coming from it. There is
big thing at one side of the place, made
of pipes, and she would like to know
what it is. But she is not quite sure
that she could speak if she tried there
is numbness coming over her, not
bringing any pain with it though, not
a bit. The chair is very comfortable,
and Tot is in state of the most perfect
rest; never before has she been so en-
tirely free from hunger and cold. w,
wonder and awe at the vast place, too,
decrease by degrees, till she is simply
happy. My lord talks to her; what
about she knows not-education, Sec
ular, UNCONVENTIONAL, mutual obliga.
ton, class legislation-she never heard
such words before. But he wants no
answers, only to talk, and perhaps my
lord has never before had so satisfac-
tory an audience.
Soon all the place, except near the
big thing with the pipes, is full of peo-
pie, and then Suddenly great sound
fills the air Loud now, and again
soft. Changing, and changing and
changing
The big thing with the pipes is get
ting farther and farther away, all the
place is getting bigger, the circle of
lights above is miles high, but Tot does
not mind now; it seems perfectly ma
tural /; it is not quite so ight as it was,
but she is very happy.
The great sound ceases as suddenly
as it began, and my lord lays his hand
on Tots shoulder and says gravely.
"Not word now, Tot, an you love
me-" But there is no fear or her speak
ing.
Suddenly again a new sound comes
through the air, made up all thesounds
there can be, Tot thinks. Sad at first,
it swells and falls in notes deep and
low; bright soon, it leaps from sound to
sound in notes sharp and clear. And
every change, every swell and every fall,
notes deep and low, sharp and clear,
all join together is one g.eat joyful
noise that fills Tots starved little body
and soul with ecstasy. Oh that it
would never stop. Tot can hardly
make out the lambs now, they are miles
and miles away; she can hardly see
the big thing with the pipes, and the
people have turned into distant mist
OF red and blue, and gold and silver.
She looks up at my lord. He is close
to her So close that if she could move
her hand, she could touch him She
is very glad of that: She does not