The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-23
LOLA's F0UR-LEAVED GLOVER.
BY ELLA GUERNSEY.

| passers-by on Clinton street, who found
it hard to- keepltheir footing upon the
smooth. icy sidewalks.
Lola Maurice. this drear, dark winter
| day, knew not where to look for bread
for her mother and self. The coal was
! low, the flour barrel empty, and she
had used the last bit of butter for her
mothers dry toast, and there was no
money to get more
Only yesterday lowering & Bro, had
1 given her warming that her services
| were no longer needed at their trade
| palace, and real poverty stared her in
| the face. For herself she did not care,
but her nervous, delicate mother was so
| i'll fitted to endure hardships; how could
| she tell her OF her discharge, and their
empty larder.
''Why, Lola, You have let the room
| get so chilly-and what a poor break
| fast!' said Mrs. Maurice. a fretful-look-
| ing invalid OF 40 years of age, who
| entered the room wrapped in a scarlet
| shawl.
| The tears came into Lola's brown
eyes as she gently answered her moth
| er's complainings and told her of her
| troubles.
.'Oh, Lola" moaned the lady, what
will become of us? And only think
this time last winter we were at the best
hotel in New Orleans. If your poor
father had only lived, we should not
now be so poor" And Mrs. Maurice
went back to the little dark bedroom
| and headache.
Lola did indeed remember that win
| ter at New Orleans. One year ago to-
| day her grave, handsome father kissed
her good-morning, babe black nanny
not to allow any one to disturb the late
| slumber of his delicate, fanciful wife;
in less than an hour he was brought
back, the brown eyes closed, the heart
stiiled; the loving father was forever at
| rest.
Lola comforted the grief-stricken wife
As best she could upon their sad journey
tn lay the husband and father in the
family resting-place in their eastern
home; and when it proved To be true
that Mr. Maurice had left nothing save
small house in a western town, Lola
| br;tyely left their elegant New Hamp-
shire home and went to work in the
''trade palace" to earn their daily
bread and brighten up their queer little
house
Bijou sang in vain in his tiny cage his
sweetest notes; his mistress continued
her sad reyery. The day wore on; l, 2
O'Clock came. No dinner was eaten;
there was little to cook, and Mrs. Maui
rice was too i'll to eat A storm of snow
was falling fast and furious, dark clouds
had gathered. Lola went to a little
stand of flowers that bravely held up
their heads in spite of the gloom.
Bloom on, you treasures; you cannot
know the sorrows of human hearts.
Yet l feel as if you. comforted me. :"
And she parted the sprays of luxuriant
heliotrope. 'sOh-ohr' she exclaimed
| in an excited tone.
Mrs Maurice heard her, and came
| into the room. just see here. MANI
ma Three four-leaved cloversi Old
| nurse Elsie used to tell me that to find
| them brought good lIck-the dear little
| shamrocks! | mean TO accept them as
! harbingers of better times. and she
| kissed the talisman. Now for my
| wish, mamma; first, that | may get
work; second, that you may get Well
| third, that, well. | shall leave the good
| fairies to bring the third. Cheer up,
! mamsie dear And Lola tried to af-
| feet gayety she did not feel.
| At 3 Lola WAS startled by a summons
| to the door. 1t proved to be servant
! from the great lady of the town, MRS
| Glendale. who had admired Lola taste
| in floral arrangements at the last falr-
| Would she come and oversee the dec
orations for large dinner-party next
| dayP'
She hastily donned waterproof and
| r.ubbers, and was soon at work, fash
| Joining baskets, wreaths, crosses. and
| bon.,iiets of the bright flowers and smi-
lax She sang gayly at her task, foi
she dearly loved the beauties. After
| her work was finished Mrs. Glendale
paid her literally, then said, Miss
| Maurice, an old gentleman wishes t
hear YOU sing, and, before she could
| collect her thoughts, she was seated. Al
the grand piano, and a stately old gen
tleman bending over her.
At first, the voice was faint and weak
but she thought of father and how
he loved to hear his ''song- Bird ther
she sang earnestly and simply .Annit
Laurie" .'Auld Robin Gray, ane
.'Auld Lang Syne.
.:Could you teach my little grand
daughters to sing like that? | wan
them to learn the simple, old-fashionet
songs as we'll as the modern music
Could YOU 90 home with us to New Or
leans?"
.sOh. sir, / cannot leave my mother
Father is dead, and / am all she has
Last winter we were in New Orleans
Father died there.
Yes, Miss Lola, / knew your father
| helped carry him to your hotel whel
he died. have lost wife and daughte
since then, from that dreaded scourge
yellow fever. Be to my orphan grand
daughters an elder sister. / will Sc
your mother tomorrow.
Lola ran home to tell her mother tb
great news, and found that lady dresse'
and greatly excited.
| s.Only think, Lola, the postmal
brought us letter from an old friend
who SAYS he owes US something. ant
has sent us check for $500! / am s.
Il glad YOU do not need to go back +
Levering7s. And here is recall iron
there, saying your discharge was mis-
take. =
q Eyes I am glad not to go there again
and now let me tell you my good news
and shall we gop"
Yes, of course we shall 60; remem
| her the family well, = said Mrs. Maurice
when she had heard the story.
Mr.. De Litre called next morning
: and completed the arrangements. LoI
and her mother went with the De Litr
i. | family to their southern home. Lol
did prove to be the light of his dark
ened house, but was not allowed 70 rt