The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-09-08
AFTER MANY DAYS.


Only broken violin There it la
in the mud, a worthless piece of Woo
rudely snapped in twain, with fe
loose fragments of strings, sound les
voiceless; yet beside it, as reverently a
though bending over a something hu
.:.: -. 2.:iv liia dieawitl : ;s i.:i;S.:
burst of grief, as for some dearly-love
friend, knelt little lad of some THU
teen summers.
Out from the mud, with tender
caressing touch he lifted up the sha1
tered remnants, his tears falling tn
while thick and fast, his slight fran
convulsed with the sobs which wolll
not be depressed.
He made no cutlery, but his face wa
white with the anguish of despair. H
had lost his all-the friend to whom h
poured out all his woes; the compan
ion who, until now, never had faile'
him, his second, better nobler self.
Not many PAGES distant on the side
walk stood the perpetrator of the out
rage, a sort of underlined remorse gnaw
ing within his breast. From mer'
bravado he had wrenched from thu
hands Of the little musician his instru
ment and broken it across his knee
throwing the pieces in the mud.
Realizing dimly that he had commit
I'D towards and bully's act, he took
from his pocket a small coin and tossed
it toward the boy.
''Take that" he cried, 'and stop youl
whimpering. you've got no business
to play your music in the public streets.
You're q beggar and nuisance"
But in an instant, with flashing eyes
and head thrown proudly back, the lit
tie street Arab had flung the money
back.
"You think you can pay me thus p
he replied, in frenzied tones. 1T is I
who owe you debt | yet will live to
wipe out"
They stood one instant looking steadi-
ly into each others eyes-one the SEN
Tor of the other by some three or four
years, tall and powerful, clad in broad
cloth and fine linen-one little, shrink
ing lad, his ragged clothes despatched
with mud of the streets.
At this moment an open carriage
rolled by, but the little girl seated with
in it had, with her quick eyes, discover
ed something amiss.
She had seen the disdainful return of
the rejected coin; she had heard the
boys words; she had marked the traces
Of passionate grief upon his face;
and, with a hasty command to the
coachman to stop, she called him to
her.
"What are you about to do, Miss Sell
MAJ" questioned the lady with her,
her governess.
Nothing naughty, dear Miss Irwin, !"
she replied. WThis poor boy-see, his
violin Is broken. / am so sorry for
him."
The lad had slowly approached the
carriage, in obedience to her command;
but there was no light in his face, no
eagerness in his step.
How did this happen ?" asked the
little girl.
Carl looked up. Was this an angel
who spoke to him? He had never
seen anyone half 90 lovely. Her hair
floated about her shoulders in shower
Of gold, and resting on it was white
hat, with q long white plume dropping
far down behind; her eyes were like
two purple pansies; on her cheek WAS
the flush Of the sunrise; her lips were
IS red as the carnation, though they
quivered with her unspoken sympa
thy.
The he;;. held up the broken pieces c!
his violin.
It was my ALL he said. II shall
starye now, but am glad Of that, fol
did not love it only that it brought
me bread. Iloved til loved it be
cause it talked to me, and with it wa.
never lonely
But can you not buy another?"
Il have no money, miss. / can new
er make enough, since this has gone
! had hoped one day to buy something
better than this, but now the day viii
never comet"
A shade Of thoughtfulness crept ovel
the sweet, fair face. In the little
gloved hand she held a tiny purse, ane
within it three bright, glittering gold
pieces shone. They were TO purchase
coveted doll, her fond fathers birth
day gift.
She turned hastily to her governess
Please, Miss Irwin, do you thint
papa would be, dlspleased il / do no
buy my dolls No, mol know h,
would not"
So n. AN. y