The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-07-22
LENA'S ROSE LEAVES.

/
Gerald Thornton stopped at the sound
of the wailing cry, and looked to see
from whence it proceeded.
There was q group on tho opposite
side of the road, a couple OF policemen
placing an unconscious old man in {
cab, and by their side girl of nine o.
ten. crying.
A barrel-organ had been removed
from the shoulders of the man, who
had fallen on the pavement in fit.
Gerald Thornton crossed the street
"Will he come round?" he asked.
| al think not" brieay responds one
| of the men; "but I'll take him up to
the hospital" and in a moment the
cab drove away.
"Now she's left quite alone and bad.
ly off," remarked the other policeman.
looking at the little girl, not without
sympathy. II know the two; they've
been on my beat every day for two
years. OLD Matteo has had the care OF
her-been good to her. in his way-for
u long while. She has nobody else."
Gerald looked ut tho lissOme little
figure, the short, scarlet frOck, the
curly dark hair, tumbling about the
delicate. dirty face. flushed with cry
ing.
absolutely nObody?"
The man shook his head.
Gerald turned again towards the
child, looking lonesOmely up and down
the street.
There's Tom. Lena; he'll take your
organ home," said the policeman, nod
ding towards tall, good-natured.
grimy boy, to whom the child COM
menced talking through her sobs-the
end Of which being that Tom shoul-
dered the organ, and staggered of
with its unaccustOmcd weight Lena
running beside him.
| Gerald Thornton strolled after--his
way CHANGED to lie in that direction;
and the policeman walked beside him.
| "Then she has some kind of hOmer'
remarked the former.
| s'She won't have tomorrow. But
perhaps some of the other poor fami-
| fies in the house she lives in will take
care of her; very likely, for she is q
bright little thing"
Just then they passed street, down
which Lena and Tom, with the organ.
disappeared--a fOrlOrn place behind q
news. He found himself plying the
child very much.
He had no expectation of ever seeing
the child again, but he told his landlady
of the incident the next day, and Mrs.
Ellis listened with remarkable atten-
ton.
She had formerly lost little girl
about the age of Lena. She was Deep
| ly compassionate of the little girl waif.
The next evening, to his surprise she
said:
"a have been to the hospital. The
man is dead"
Gerald saw something in her face
which prepared him for what followed.
| al have been to Black street. Mr.
Thornton, and-taken the child!"
And there, sitting mutely by thu
kitchen fire without her short scarle
frOck, her curls smoothly tied bacl
with black ribbon, was Lena.
81 shall bring her up as my own
said the mOtherly woman, giving the
lace ut the child's throat u finishing
touch. 'She shall learn to wash the
dishes. and--play upon the piano."
Sho followed Gerald into the passage
ado you knowp" she said, looking
quite vexed. "she wouldn't come with
out she could bring the organ! Horrit
thing! it's in the attic"
The young man smiled.
"Shc's actually fond of it," contin
ned Mrs. Ellis, '.and l wanted her Il
forget it. But, then, they say the oil
man was very kind to her. She wa
very fond of him, and it is rather ,
good trait in tho child to be fond o
the old organ, after all, isn't itp''
81 think So" said Gerald. '.Dccid
edly."
| Day by day he saw little Madalcna
whose ''lines had fallen into pleasant
llaccs." She learned little household
tasks-tO make herself useful; but also
as Mrs. Ellis had said, she was laugh
music. She went to school, and sOOl
skipped about the house much like 9th
or happy children.
| "She shows great good sense" sait
Mrs. Ellis. "She is docilc and respect
full"
But ut times Gerald detected mel
ancholy beyond the child's years in he
liquid eyes; and once, when she ha'
been rebukcd for carelessness. and sh
was missed, and the household cOnse
quently frightened, Gerald found he
asleep i'm the attic, with her chcel
against the old organ. where she hat
wept herself into fOrgetfulness.
She grew taller and pretticr, unit
one day Gerald went away to Paris
and perhaps forgot her. for five years
lie was a journalist, employed on
leading London newspaper rs thei
. special correspondent in tho Frencl
capital, but by-and-by he came back.
| II is little curious, perhaps, that. a
he found himself nearing his old harnts
he thought great deal of Lena, ant
wondered what she had grown to be
Mrs. Ellis had written him once o
twice while he was in Paris but not Of
, late.
When he came to his old lodgings hi
was much shocked at tho news which
, met him. Mrs. Ellis was not living
the house was occupied by strangers
and the strange servant put q card IL
his hand:
"Madalena Guicoli, Teacher of Music
100. Bernard-st., Bedford square"
Something of the taste and refine
iment of the room into which he wa
shown prepared him for Lena's appear
ance. But when he held her hand an
looked into the pathos of her swee
eyes, his heart beat strangely.
"You had not forgotten mer' d
asked, and by no means idly.
II mo" she said, simply.
/ Suggestive of everything beautiful
and romantic as Lena was, her life AM
habits were so eminently practical tina
Gerald felt strictly forbidden to betra.
ANYTHING of his feelings or enthusiasm