Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-02-06
ballads became hers at the hearing OF

Once she had one blessed AFTERNOON tG
herself But visitors we're making the
house On the hill merry. She shrunk back
to the street, alone-alOne.
may say that on this occasion Mandy
was desperate girl. She pulled her rid
iculous hat over her eyes, and trod the
pavements, wretched. But in front of an
open church inspiration entered her. She
walked in, feeling like the monarch of all
she surveyed. She meant to do or die.
A mild pastor was placidly scratching
sermons in his study. She appeared before
him, requesting to try the organ. Being
deep in his '4thly, my beloved brethren, "
if she had asked for slice of his ear, he
would have replied just as he did, without
looking up, Certainly, my dear sir, to be
sure ~
Then the desperate girl felt about the
universe for blower, whom she found in
the person of one Billy Smith, who had
handled the pump on occasion, and who,
in consideration of the only square of cur
rency she could offer in the world, struck
bargain and followed her aloft.
MANDY had never before touched an
organ. She laid reverent hands on it, read
all the stops, pulled them out and pushed
them back TREMENDOUSLY. But the spirit OF
it got into her. She rejoiced in its scope.
She made brilliant combinations, forgot
herself, and sung with joy and power in
the midst of thunder.
She crept down from the loft about dusk,
with shining eyes, and face rich as sun
set. Afterwards she divided her pilgrima-
ges between Miss Aurora's instrument,
which first gave her gladness, and the
organ, which gave her more gladness.
The man, OF child who has a gift of God,
gets dignity thereby which his fellows
must respect. Mrs. Jinks ceased to hurl
fiery darts at her thrall's hands. Those
hands were learning a beautiful strength
which would draw her out of Mrs. Jinks'
atmosphere. Therefore Mrs. Jinks shrunk
from bullying to whining. 'She knowed
Mandy didn't care nothin' about their
family. 'Peared like she cared more for
the Miss Roarer than she did for them that
had done SO much for her. 'Peared like
she didn't care for nobody but that Miss
Roarer Mrs. Jinks couldn't see nothing
in that Miss Roarer so much better than
other folks!'
But MANDY could.
Why Miss Aurora took such violent fan
cy to this child was problem to her house
hold. They thought at first it was char
ity. But she could have given her gown
and tract, told her to keep her nails clean
and say her prayers, and have been &C
counted righteous above the average.
Aurora had heart set finely to tender
ness. 1t cherished the child. And some
thing in the child commanded her love-
She had Mandy with her on all occasions,
taught her pretty ways and tricks of dress,
and planneda better life for her.
Aurora had her own outlook. After
certain morning mails, she always ran to
meet her pupil, dimpling, her hand over a
big envelope in her girdle.
'Amyp with Aurora, Mandy was
child-woman Amy, a slender, dark, intense
creature, showing her best to this magnet,
who drew her best.) See, dea r know
who's in San Francisco :"
Captain Kingsley in low, close
whisper.
Hush And he's horrid old fellow,
isn't he 3? No use to his country-isn't
handsome at all, and isn't going to take
somebody way out there to live by the Pa
cific some day =
At which stage of contemplating Captain
worthlessness, Aurora would
fall to pinching her junior forit, or pulling
an ear, hiding her dimpling face in the
child's neck.
One night they finished their practice
together while a winter storm shook the
place.
You shall not go home > said Aurora.
Come up stairs: 1 shall keep you with me
my very own ROOM
There, in dressing-gown Of voluminous
whiteness, she brushed her misty hair, and
watched MANDY with absent, smiling,
purple eyes. Thinking of Captain Kings
ley, perhaps. Of the near approach OF New
Years day, and the two-fold life waiting
for her on the other side of that day. Miss
Aurora's hair was like that vapor beaten
up by cascades. 1t was very bewitching,
and her personal strong point.
MANDY, not knowing what the new year
held for her, sat also silent. loving the
beautiful woman. In the first stage of
'Mandy's growth toward this friend, she
had loved fiercely and despairingly. She
used to ascend to the Jinks' attic with
triangular piece of glass in her hand
Then she said her prayers and contempla=
ted her visage by turns. Il love her
love her! Oh, dear God, how love her.
Is she like You? She tells me You're the
best of anybody, but | can't see You, and
can see her. Oh, bless her! Please bless
her, and make her love me more Make
me get pretty so FL be fit for her to love
Then turning from her devotions, and
taking observations in the glass; hate
nv nose! Its mean nose-it turns up
Oh, please make my nose turn down and
get slender. Her'n don't look this away
And make me get good hate the Judge
she loved him before l ever had her,
hate Captain Kingsley. He's going to
marry her all to himself. Oh God, please
do something with me; l can't be like the
others. All the other have some one else,
but I've only just got her 4! Here, like
dissolving view, would appear suddenly to
'Mandy's eye the home life she had once
seen through a plate-glass window. In
the heart of a luxurious room, father
lifted his arch. beautiful daughters face
between his handle and kissed it. 'Mandy's
heart tainted under the cold sky. She
knew such things were not for her. There
fore she pleaded in agony: God, please
make her love me most, for I've only just