The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-12-27
HULDAH.

Huldah lived in box-so Haze, said
"a funny brown box with a greai
cover. which could be lifted to let the
sunshine through. BY the box she
meant the queer, four-cornered room
away up in an old brown lodging-house
away SO far that your feet would tire
climbing to it over the rickety stairs
by the cover, she meant the oldest BIZ
of sky-light, from over which the wood
en- shutters could be lifted by curious
arrangements, letting the sunshine
through in golden showers.
The room was Huldah's by inheri-
lance. Her mother she had never
known, but her gray-haired old father,
when he died but year before. left her
all his worldly possessions, consisting
of the brown box and its contents.
Hazel was hers by discovery only.
Passing along the dingy street, one
afternoon, at dusk, she met the child
crying bitterly, her golden curls tangled
about her face, her hat lost, and herself
the very picture of despair. Huldah' s
heart was touched, and it was very lone
ly, too. What could she do but take
the waif to her home until morningP
She washed the tear-stained face and
combed out the tangled curis. and then
she brought from its cobwebbed corner
an old guitar, and sung to her admiring
listener The songs that were part Of
her own being-for music was life to
lonely Huldah.
Where did you learn such pretty
wordsr' questioned the eager child.
"Who made them up for youp''
g made them up myself Huldah
answered, smiling because she was APP
preciated. :" lie awake nights and say
them over and over, and when j sleep
hear them sung to me, and catch the
music and remember it, so that when
morning comes can whisper both to
my dear guitar, and il, in turn, whis-
pers them back to me-"
1.-THE music, too; is that yours?-'
Hazers eyes were wide with wonder.
s. Yes, they are both mine; although
can sing much beside that my
father taught me since / was little
child. am fifteen now" she added,
with maidenly dignity, $ but one would
not think me so old because / am so
thin That is because l have to go
without my supper sometimes, when
madame has nothing for me to do
Hazel was touched by the simple
pathos of the story so frankly told. IF
you will take me home tomorrow to
my own. own home, viii give you all
my savings bank she said, with hon.
est tears in her eyes, as she thought of
the many little '.play suppersr she had
so often set, while poor Huldah went
hungry.
Huldah carried Hazel home, and re-
stored her to her rightful owners. She
even cried at parting with her, and at
tempted to demonstrate when Hazers
papa put crisp bill into her thin hand.
but the pleading voice at her side whis-
pered, Take it. do, it's instead of my
savings bank" and Huldah could not
refuse
Such talent as Huldahss could not re-
main forever hidden in the brown box
when there was a friend like Hazel to
plead her cause, and so it was not
strange that one day scented note
was brought to the garret-home, re-
questing Huldah's presence and songs
at coming party to be given in honor
of her favored little Hazel, at the Nord-
hoff Mansian.
From a time-worn chest under the
caves Huldah drew forth a dress-it
had been her mother and arrayinp
herself in its scanty folds, she stood on |
tiptoe before the cracked mirror. Then 1
she screwed her brown hair on the top |
of her head. after the style of the picf-
ure adorning the great clock, tied |
the heavy antique necklace in place,
and put her feet into . quaint old pair /
Of pointed slippers. Would she really
be presentable? How her heart fiut-
tered with glad expectancy, so natural
to any maiden Of fifteen She courtesied
to the odd boxing figure in the glass,
she smiled and brought dimples to her
cheeks In the sweet surprise Of seeing
lace and form under different guise
nom amy heretobefore known.
The door opened and Hazel bounded
into the room, but she stopped abruptly,
her hands with an expression
IF delight: 20, Huldah! how funny
you lookl Are you going to masquef-
Suddenly the light faded ont Of HuI-
1ah'e eyes, and covering her face with
~ hands, ahe burst into tears. I,
= Why, Huldah! what is the matter?I
Didn't you want me to conner and the
,retty lips quiyered- Il
. X9 ycs, HttIe Hazel, wanted you Ii
o come, and / am not going to ! Il
masquerade" and she reached out her 4
m % draw Hazers curly head down
B ker ON. Then she folded the satin Fl
urfEEod dFpW 81 bV-0one daya. and