Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1874-03-05

, their accustomed converse tOgetner,
and then the golden head began to
droop, and Carl went away to his pal
let in the wee attic, while Dame Mar,
gerv Piled, for hours, her needle, by
tn, "bronze" taper, and Irma's slum-
Der was lulled by the good angel that
covered the lot of the gentle madche'
with dreams of the sunlit slopes OF
her other life, that had gone away too
far for her little hands to reach. But
the hand Of God had touched her
life. and there was something impress
IDLY sweet in the guardianship Of the
warden angel, that watched over her
always, even as a mother love.
The dingy little room where Carl
and Irma painted all the day, was in
a fashionable street, and on the other
silc was great toy and fancy shop,
where children gathered in knots to
gaze on the wonderful things displayed
there, in the thousand articles ofchild-
ish admiration, ,and,here the hurdy-gur-
dy minstrels congregated with their
monkeys ,on pleas ant days, but Garland
Irma had no time for the melodies OF
the harp and hurdy-gurdy, but must
bend their weary heads above the tab
lets of porcelain and marble, with the
bright clusters Of moss and flowers
they had painted there. That part
Of the city they called home
was known as "Die Schwalben,' be-
cause it was so quiet, and the fields
stretched away so fragrant and green,
that the swallows were not afrighted
by the city din, and so built there,
unmolested, their tiny homes, and
reared their young. Herr Hansci
called his little task people, Carl and
Irma, 1.-THE swallows" Us also did the
blind organist, whose house ran back
till his windows could overlook the
little room, where the swallows could
be daily seen, and lrma had once de
scribed to him the various designs on
the tablets, and he had remembered
them all, and could place his hands
on the flowers and tell her the pan
zies, rosesand lilies apart. lie seem
ed to take Il strange interest and pleas
ure in the Flau' de Lys, and would
question her each dav about the pro-
gre~s Of the painting. He would ask
her to reach a tablet to him, that he
might feel the flowers, and he was
always litJlc brighter after this, for
the sad old man WAS born in bonny
France, but had removed to Baden,
on the Rhine, in his youth, and had
been an organist in the churches till
stricken with mortal blindness, and
then the church to which he had been
so faithful had given him a liberal
stipend, sufficient support for himself
and wife, who was Il cripple and never
left her chair without tie aid Of IA
triue, the waiting woman, and the
heavy staff. Irma had never seen
the blind man except at the little
window, that was 30 close TO her
that She could reach forth her hand
in eeet.ug. he had told her Of his
crippled wife, and a great deal about
his life, and lima felt much pity tor
the blind musician, who could not see
the blue Of the summer heavens, the
slime Of the myriad stars. or the sway
ing ofthc Nor.elaud pines that were so
many in the city garden, and she IN
wardly compared her life 10 his, and
a new contcutment gave q brighter
coloring to her cherries lot. Carl
had known Monsieur Nessineau a
long time, and through him had OBJ
tanned the situation Of tablet painter
with Herr Hausci, AID he, in turn,
had recommended tie talent Of little
eolden-headed Irma 10 the master,
who had never ceased to congratulate
himself ON his good fortune in thus
securing her services in his art.
Monsieur Ncssineau cnquired very
minutely Of the two Bohemian work
ers the wages they were receiving
from Herr Hansci, and uttered an
ejaculation Of surpri-e and contempt
at the miserable sum ne paid Tor the
work that was invaluable to him, and
secured to himself an Income that a
Duke would not despise He NUT
tered something about 1t may not a.
WAYS be so," but the swallows did not
understand his Frcuci, and so toiled
ON, never hoping, never trusting that
any other life would ccme to them
than the one they daily led in the
iitile dark room that overlooked the
Rhine, the grand to- shop and the
noisy street.
"irma! Carl" The swallows heard
the voice of their blind friend calling
to them from the little window, and
he delivered a message from Madame
Ne,sineau for them TO come to tea
with her the following day. The
musicians voice had a pleasant ring
when he gave this invitation to tie
swallows. They had never been ask
ed to any house in Baden before, and