Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-09-18
s'SNEET BELLS TANGLED"

we'll known in the printing line; but, as
the song says,
"when rey began, they'd meat in the PAM
and before they were fairly on their
legs, so to speak, Mac Neil went and
married "a lass without a tocher."
Shell had yearned over this extrava-
gance himself; and going down one
day with his partner to the old place
where they had learned their trade,
hearing from the press-room the old
sweet, familiar voice singing the old
sweet, familiar tunes, Shiel's heart
throbbed to the measure, and he said
to Mac Neil, with q big blush on his
broad cheeks, that he supposed his
partner had forgotten little Jenny
Burke, but he, for one, would never for
get her while the world went round,
and he was going to see her that very
day. Whereupon Mac Neil began to
redden too, and led the way so readily
to the particular press that the young
English girl was feeding, and Jenny
met his approach in such a shy, trem-
bling, glad confusion, poor Shiel felt his
heart suddenly faint within him, and
stole away, after minute or two, to be
alone with a singular pang Of desola-
ton that had swept over him. When
Mac Neil joined him, Shiel was himself
again, but there was something in his
face that led Mae Neil to ask him what
was the matter Had he lost any
thing?
"No-yes," stammered poor Shiel;
then added, piteously: "Why didn't
you tell me, Mac, that you had kept on
with Jenny? [ thought 1t was a bar
gain we shouldn't think of marrying
till the business was we'll started"
so it was, ShieI, said Mac; but
you know what sweet voice she's got.
Deuce take me, if it didn't haunt me
night and day. You don't know what
it Is to have a musical ear, and there's
no harm in being cheered by song or
two"
flush, man !" broke in Shiel. "Do
you love each othor"
I'm afraid so, Shiel."
Then the sooner she's out of that
nasty press-room the better"
If you'd board with us, Shiel, be-
lieve we could save money by going to
housekeeping: and think how nice it
would be to have snug ingle-side OF
our own y
Shiel WINGED little from this p-opo-
sal, but couldn't find courage to reject
it; so they took rooms near their place
of business, and for the the first twelve
month or SO Macs fiddle was we'll
known in the neighborhood. The boys
dropped in for chorus three nights
out of four, and all went merry as a
marriage bell, till the feeble pipe Of an
infant was added to the refrain, which
suddenly subdued all other music in its
vicinity, to the immense delight Of
Shiel, who, not being able to raise
note himself, was somewhat tired of
the meiOdeOus conceits Of others. He
did not know that the child's squeak
was slngularly low and sweet, and as it
gained volume it also acquired melody.
Shiel was disappointed to find the little
girl the exact reproduction of her papa,
but could not believe that the fates had
Willed she should share his weakness
for music. He declared it was the
monkey that amused her, whereas the
baby's soul was given over to the hurdy
gurdy.
Now take this premature and strik-
ing proclivity as a misfortune. Infant
prOgidies are always more or less of a
nuisance, and little Miss jeans precocity
grew to an alarming extent as the years
Went By. The firm of Shiel & Mac
Neil fourished. Jenny saved the pen
MES, and the only extravagances were
in behalf of little Miss Jean, whose
waxen face could only be coaxed into a
glow by the aid of some sort Of melody.
And the older she grew, the wider her
taste expanded, SO that after while a
new piano was man@Uvred and engl-
neered up the stairs, and almost filled
Jenny's little parlor. Many familiar
knicknack had to 60 to the wall or be
tucked out of sight to make room for
this mountain of mahogany.
"It's burnin' shame" said one Of the
boys, 6 to give up the dear old fiddle fol
the jingin' Of them ivory puppets
Every new piece of Miss jeans sets q
fellows teeth on edge. One can't have
any more fun at Macs; he's hung up his
fiddle and his bow; and for nv part I'm
sick to death of the infant phenome
non."
So were the rest of the cronies-they
fell off one by one, and IN few wears
none were left but Shiel; he, poor fel
low, sat night after night with his heat
up against the wall, the music going il
one ear and out ofthe other, till Lit seem
ed to him he had become simply sor
of hollow melancholy tube for the ac
commOdation of echoes.
What could Mac do, who had alon,
kept pace with his daughter, and ap
preciated to the full her remarkabl'
proficiency-what could he do but Ion!
for larger, fuller, prouder scope TO
her? The ceilings were low in thei
humble floor; the acoustic propertie
were entirely wanting in that crampet
but coy vicinity. Alas! alas! the mes
was all too small for its full-fedged in
mates, and the neighborhood was no