Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-07-28
UOLLIE'S HAND.ORGAN.

Dollie's uncle, who was 4 sea-captain.
brought home hand-organ from Italy
on one of his voyages. 1t had belonged
to passenger who had died on the way
Q4his country, and as Uncle George
..lsssew nothing of his relations. if he
had any, the organ. which was all he
possessed with the exception of the
clothes which he had on. was left on his
hands. At first he thought he would
sell it or give it away to one of the see
ond-hand dealers in such merchandise
which crowd the city. Then he con-
cluded to take it home with him, as it
might amuse his brothers S children. who
lived on the old farm in the country. 1t
wa an old organ with sweet, plaintive
ring in its melody, and it played a
great variety of pleasing airs.
He was right in thinking the chill
dren would be pleased with it. There
were three of them. and they were all
wild over it. He gave it to Dollie, who
was his favorite, but. of course, VIII
and Nell enjoyed it Just as much as
she did; and, rs for that matter, so did
all the children in the neighborhood.
1t was rare that an organ-grinder
had ever straycd so far out into
the country. and when such a
thing did happen, it had always
been gala day to the younger populii-
ton OF the town. and even the older folk
were interested in the musician, if not
always in the music. The moment the
sound of his organ was heard in the
street out trooped the children after him
as after the pied piper of Hamelintown.
and they followed him through lane and
cross-road everywhere. So to own a
hand-organ seemed like owning bit of
fairy land. Nell, who was hardly more
than baby, was lulled to sleep every
night to its music, and Dollie and Will
both used to cry when, on its first arriv-
al, they were obliged to go to school
and leave it.
Sometimes Mrs. Evans, the mother of
the children. would declare that she
should 60 distracted with the sound of
1t, for it was never silent from morning
until night, unless Nell, who was too
little to 60 to school. and just large
enough to grind it, We're asleep and tho
Others at school. And, strange to say,
though of course it was not always quite
so enchanting as ahen it was novelty,
1t never ceased to be delight. The
children resorted to its music as conso-
lation in all their trials. Even Rob, the
wise old house-dog. used to lie down
by its side and listen gravely to 1T is
better to laugh than b. sighing;;" the
kitten would mount it and Try with all
her might to get her mischievous, furry
paws into the inside to feel where the
sound came from: and the birds who
came around the door soon grew to
recognize its voice, and answered it
gleefully. But the parrot which Uncle
George brought home on former voy-
age scolded at it and about it continu-
ally. "Polly wants quiet" she would
screech. keep still, keep STILL" forty
times in day.
Good-natured Uncle George was de-
lighted at the success of his gift. He
remained at home a few months on
account of ill-heath, and the noise the
children made with it must have been
rather tedious to him, but he bore it
like a martyr, and when he first went
away he wrote home that he actually
missed the noise of the old organ almost
as much as he did that of Dolie herself.
Three years passed away, and great
misfortune came to the happy family.
Mr.. Evans died after long illness; the
farm, which was heavily mortgagcd.
passed into the hands Of strangers: and
dear, kind Uncle George came home
no more from sea- His ship was
wrecked and all on board per-
ished-so the newspaper said which
was sent to Mrs. Evans. after two Years
OF suspense. Dolly was eleven wears
old now. grave. womanlv, but beautj-
full little girl. with large dark ewes and
an exquisitely fair complexion. Viii
was sturdy boy of nine, iolly in soite
Of the adversity. and Nell was a bright.