The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-06-13
THE TAMBOURINE GIRL.

Karl and Bettine were playing before one
of the houses in Eaton square. karPs hand
organ was a very old-fashioned one, which
his father had brought from Germany; and in
the front of it there were grotesque little fig
ures that moved on wires A pert little
lady, in a red skirt and blue bodice danced
a hornpipe with dashing young soldier in
a scarlet uniform, with white cockade in
his hat and a prim-looking old lady sat in
an arm chair, constantly taking pinches of
snuff from painted box in her hand. Then
there was sprightly little dairy maid, who
tripped up and down with a pail of milk
poised on her head and basket of eggs on
her arm and an old grenadier, in blue
coat and yellow breaches, who came nImbly
up and held out his cooked hat to passers
BY for pennies
1t was a very pretty sight to see them NOV
ing all together; and whenever Karl and
Bettine stopped TO play u crowd of children
were sure to collect around them. But they
put a very few pennies into the old grena-
dier's hat; and when Karl and BettIne
counted their money at night they very rare
ly found enough to get their supper, with
out thinking of having any breakfast or din
ner next day, except what some kind person
at whose house they Jlayed might give them.
Then every week they had to put aside
little money TO pay the rent for the little,
dark, cherries bit of room they had in the
so afraid of being turned out of that that
they very often went without their supper,
when they had gained very little money in
a day, to save that little for their landlord.
Now, foe more then 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 and not penny TO nay
it with. Poor little Bettine's heart was al
most bursting with grief she looked at
Karl, so pale and thin and feeble, and
thought what would become OF him when
they were turned out of their miserable lit
tie room with no shelter and with no one
to care for them in all the great city.
They had always been poor but before
their father and mother died, the poverty
had not been so hard To bear for they did
not feel SO lonely and desolate then, and
their father had been so hopeful and coura
geous, cheering them always with predic-
tions,,of happ er 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 Bet
tine had heard il so often, the great tears be-
gan to roll down her cheeks, and blinded her
eyes so that she could not see her tambour
inc nor the group of childish faces that sur
rounded her She had no recollection of
any home save the dreary little attic where
they stayed at night; she could not remem-
Der the "Vaterland' for which her mother
had wept and pinned her life away; but that
tune always made her sad-made her think
how terrible it was not to have the memory
I q home.
Suddenly the door Of the great house
opened and a richly dressed young lady
came out. She was evidently in haste, for
she did not even glance at the little TAM
BOURNE girl nor at the figures in Karl's won
derful organ, but swept hurriedly down the
steps to the elegant carriage, with glittering
trappings and sleek bay horses that awaited
her.
Bat as she passed, something fell from her
arm at Bettne's feet, dropping with a me-
tallic ring on the pavement. Bettne
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 liveried
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 gathered
around the organ. All the eyes were fixed
intently on the moving figures, and no one
had seen her pick ii up. Here was relief
from all their troubles She knew the
bracelet was valuable; it would pay the rent,
and buy for Karl-poor. sick, patient Karl
the strengthening food, and medicine, and
freedom from care, which he so much need
ed. For one moment a fierce temptation
ragged in poor Bettine's heart; but she
thought of her mother, and put il proudly
back No, she could die of hunger-worse
than that, could see Karl suffer for food and
shelter-but she could not keep what was
not be-s.
Just then a rosy checked maid put her
head out of basement window of the great
house TO see the hand organ. Bettine
stepped toward her with q fast beating
heart.
will you please tell me the name of that
lady who just went away from here, and
where she livesr she asked, timidly.
The girl stared at her in establishment and
said
"Thxt is General Faulkner's daughter, and
she lives out at Norwood. But what would
the likes o. you be afther askin' about her
f0r7'
Bettine didn't stop to answer her, but ran
back to Karl, who had collected all the PEN