The Western advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1872-1874, 1874-08-01
girl declined filtration with that fascinat

|
was a chill resort, where "boarders''
were boxed in small rooms, fed sparingly
and solemnly, and told the price of every
article of food while it was between their
teeth, by that severe widow, Mrs Stump,
who surveyed her victims from the head
of the long table. Here, again, people
were negative to Virginia.
Not many rccreations were there for
her. She seldom saw a play or heard
music; a city's wealth or resources rolled
round her, and she stood like Tantalus,
unable to command them. Sometimes
she slipped into the free seats at st.
Paul's and watched the pomp of religion
II the rector ever saw her after service,
he gave her patronizing nod. There
was nothing for her, she told herself again
and again, but to stand in that store, pay
her earnings to the boarding house
keeper, and keep the trcad-mill going till
she died.
Often this unhelped child grew des.
pcrate, and when she came home of
nights she threw herself upon the floor
and beat her tired, bursting head against
the wall. 1t was foolishncss, to be sure,
but the foolishness of human being in
mental agony was what drew out the
tcndcrest compassion from One who
once sojourned on the earth
"1f l had some one!" cried Virginia,
"just somebody! A friend!"
1t did not strike her to say lover
Lovers she might have found among
the youths who frequented Mrs. Stumps,
and looked upon Virginia with some
favor. But in none of these could she
6nd her friend: Many young girls have
passed through such experience in a big,
| SfHr osoh ko1~
which chance threw them, or, worst OF
all, have been goadcd by maddening
heartache down the dark road of ruin.
She sometimes pushed up her sleeves
and looked at the pink, soft arms they
held. She was SO young to be all for
saken and lost in the big world! She
wondered, bitterly, why she had been
created al all! The gift of life comes to
so many of us wrong side out. We pull
it this way and that; but we shall find
the design, the beauty and the glory of it
if we're patient Some are to find the
meaning of life in love; some in splendid
work, and happy few in heroic deeds
reserved to them, which will echo down
| the centuries.
Never mind, Dcaric- down in-th MUD!
just pull away. You're sure to come
out dry and hsgh if you keep a good
heart and stiff lip.
One night, as Virginia leaned against
tie window, looking at the heavy sky,
she heard violin. The sound was faint
but, as she listened, it grew till it filled
! all her sense of hearing 1t talked to
her like an angel. Her heart swelled.
She leaned toward the darkness from
which it spoke--strained after it. Its
sweetness, its pathos, it's compass cannot
be described. She took no thought of
the hand upon it. She loved that violin.
Through hours she listened, leaning over
the window-sill, feeling the city's breath
in her face, but the breath Of Heaven in
her heart. She thought about it all next
evening. Night by night it talked to her,
neglected her she was restless and fret
ted. When it did it's best she paid it dis
tant tribute by clapping her hands and
whispering in ecstacy, "Oh, you darling
old fiddle! I do love you! You've got Il
soul! wish it was a pcrson!" she often
added: 81 wish it could be friend to
me. The man at the bow is some Or
chestra-man, of course; like those fat
! fellows who go into beer-saloons. But I
love his fiddle sol"
Suddenly the music stopped. She lis
tened night after night, but all the hours
| were silent
"Just like everything take to loving!"
cried Virginia, passionately. "Why
couldn't that woman's supply of Goldfish
have been cut off instead? I can live
without Goldfish, but what shat do with
out my music-soul?"
II think shall die!'' walled Virginia,
in woman's intense undertone, as she
dragged through the dusk one evening.
II kWo1o shall die if somebody don't
comfort me pretty soon! Oh, I'd like to
steal baby! Why isn't some founding
dropped into my lap? l shall forget all
the pretty ways my own brother Jamie
had before he died, and shall just num-
my, like Miss Blum! Oh, wish a baby'd
be lost, and I'd find it!'
Midsummer-night, you know, is night
1t being midsummer night, therefore, at
baby
1t was quaint, pretty child, dressed
! in clothing of foreign cut. Ono little
shoe was on one little foot, but the other
| little shoe was clutched in fat hands
| Frightened, but brave, was this baby
| crying and quivcring, but looking
straight ahead and hopping its face with
| its petticoats.
"What is it, dear?" asked Virginia,
STOPPING to the little head.
Papa!" said the child, bursting into a
wall; "vo ist er?''
"She's so frightened! Are you ]ost?"
! "Papa!'
| Come with me-" begged the girl win
ming on the convulscd face and getting.
power over her waif. you'll come with
me, won't you?' She led it along
"What's your name?".
| "Wooese"
! "Louise, is it? All, she's so tired!
Come up on my shoulder, pet; I'll carry
you"
She got Louise into her arms and fit
ted like: a thief She knew that to re-
port kef find at once to the police would
be to have the child taken from her and
placed in the station-house. She would
wait and send message. So she flew
past Mrs. Stump, who admitted her to a
dark hall, ana darted upstairs. "a r ;.
Nirginia opened the: shutters, threw
\ her hat from her, and sat down in rock
ing chair smuggling the child. The child
had large blue eyes, curly blonde hair,
and: an unmistakable German face. She
held Virginia's neck with confidence and
watched all Virginia's motions with. dis
cerning eyes. ...
Louise!" cried the girl; and here. she
stopped to squeeze and kiss the child's
breath half away. "Oh, it's been SO
long since jamie went out of his sisters
arms. oh. you bonnie dafling! Do you
understand me when Italk?"
Louise shook her head and then nod
ded it. She was learning two languages