Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-01-22
The Little TanbOarilG Girl.

one of the houses in the square. Karl's
hand-organ was very old fashioned
one, which his father had brought from
Germany and in the front of it there
were grotesque little figures that moved
on wires. A pert little lady, in red
skirt and blue bodice, danced a horn
pipe with dashing young soldier in a
scarlet uniform, with white cockade
on his hat and prim looking old lady
sat i'll her arm chair, constantly taking
pinohes of snuff from painted box in
her hand. Then there was a sprightly
little dairymaid, who tripped up and
down with pail of milk poised on her
head, and basket Of eggs on her arm
and an old grenadier, in blue coat and
yellow breeches, who came nimbly up,
and held out his cooked hat to passers
by for pennies.
1t was very pretty sight to see them
moving all together, and whenever Karl
and Bettine stopped to playa crowd of
children were sure to collect around
them. But they put very few pennies
into the old grenadier's hat, and when
Ksffan Bettine counted their money
at night they rarely found enough to get
their supper, without thinking of having
any breakfast or dinner next day, ex-
cept what some kind person at whose
house they played might give them.
Then, every week they had to put aside
some money to pay the rent for the lit
tie, dark, cheerless bit of room they
had in the very dirtiest part of the city,
and they were SO afraid of being turned
out of that that they very often went
without their supper, when they had
gained very little money in day, to
save that little for their landlord.
Now, for more than a week, Karl had
been i'll ; this was the first day he had
been out, and they had been obliged to
spend all the money they had for food,
and the rent was due ON the next day,
anu not penny to pay it with | Poor
little Bettine's heart was almost burst
ing with grief, as she looked at Karl, 80
pale and thin, and thought what would
become of him when they were turned
out of their miserable little room, with
no shelter and with no one to care for
them in oil the great city.
They had always been poor; but be-
fore their father and mother died the
poverty had not been so hard to bear,
for they did not feel so lonely and desc
late then, and their father had been SO
hopeful and courageous, cheering them
always with predictions Of happier
times.
All at once Karl began to play Home,
sweet home" The organ was very old
and out of tune; but for all that the air
was very sweet and touching, and, though
Bettine had heard it SO often, the great
tears began to roll down her cheeks, and
blinded her eyes so she could not see
her tambourine nor the group of childish
faces that surrounded her. She mad no
recollection of any home, save the dreary
little attic where they stayed at night;
she could not remember the "Vater-
land " for which her mother had wept
and pined her life away; but that tune
always made her sad-made her think
how terrible it was to have not even the
memory of a h me.
Suddenly the door of the great house
opened, and richly dressed young lady
came out. She was evidently in haste,
for she did not even glance at the little
tambourine girl, nor at the figures in
Karl's wonderful organ, but swept hur.
riedly down the steps, to the elegant
carriage, with glittering trappings and
sleek bay horses, that awaited her.
But, as she passed, something fell
from her arm, at Bettine's feet, drop.
ping with metallic ring on the pave.
ment. Bettine stopped and picked il
up--a gold bracelet, set around with
stones that glittered and flashed in the
sunshine SO that they almost blinded
her eyes. She turned quickly to look
for the lady, but already the livered
coachman had sprung to his seat, and
the carriage was whirling down the
street far out Of reach of her voice.
Then she glanced at the group gath
cred around the organ. All the eyes
were fixed intently on the moving fig
ures, and no one had seen her pick Il
up Here was relief from all theil