Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-07-13
On the threshold of the room he paus.

I'd.
"You asked me once, Miss Laurence,
ne began, "the story my tlolin told on
the night we met. 1 answered You that
some time you should know. Would 1t
weary you to hear it now?"
She bowed assent and motioned him to
a chair, but he still stood.
81 must go back many years, he said,
"to the time when / was little lad, foot
sore AMI friendless. Nay, not friendless
l had one friend-a poor little piece OF
wood with strings across it but forgot
that it was wood. In my hours OF lone
illness and grief and sadness, | would talk
to it, and then, by idly drawing my bow
across the strings, 1t would answer me.
All no one would have believed it but
myself, but it painted to me the future
it told me all that l might be. II whis-
pered courage-it breathed hope Well,
one day, strolling through the streets,
touching its chords, asking no aims
never begged-a boy older than /, taller,
stronger, boy richly dressed, with gold
chain hanging at his vest, stopped and
Knocked me. / walked on silently. He
followed me, and in an unprepared mo-
| it across his knee, threw it into the filth
and mud of the street.
81 was stunned. The magnitude OF my
loss overwhelmed me. The surging tide
of nv despair closed in about my soul. |
saw neither earth nor sky-naught save
the shattered, voiceless wood. Then he
who had wrought the wanton wicked act,
threw me coin. 1t reused me from my
stupor. | caught it and hurled it back.
Not thus might he pay the debt he owed
to me.
In that moment carriage passed.
Seated within was n beautiful child-a
little girl. She ordered the coachman to
stop. She had seen something of what
had happened. She inquired the cause
of my distress. Then, with II tender pity
in her eyes, and voice like music, she
put her purse into my hands and babe me
use its contents as l would.
| "'Some day, she said when you are n
great musician, you shall repay me. Who
knows? you may play ut my wedding"
The girls head was bowed now. Her
bosom rose and fell. Two sparkling tears
glimmered on the lashes which swept her
cheek. Like dream it all came back to
her like vision she saw the boyish face
uplifted to hers through mist of tears.
Herr Seiberg strobe to her side. He put
his hand within his coat and drew some
thing forth. Instinctively she knew it to
be the little purse.
at has never left me, he said hoarse-
Ily. 81 owe all that am to you. The
gulf between us is as wide now M then.
l have never hoped to cross it. lou are
the heiress of rich man. /, too, have
wealth, but that cannot wipe out the spot:
Let me tell you, though, what l did.
| L.. M L
violin. The man who sold it to me hao
kindly face, and when paid him for Il
I asked of him favor.
=" THE money with which purchased
this was lent me, said. | would like
oh, so very much to keep this SAINT
gold. Will you lay it aside for three
months, when may redeem it? LIDO no
know that can, but l will save ever.
penny that earn, if you will but do TIM
for me-
"The man smiled and consented"
"He marked the gold in my sight, ant
laid it away. Within the time ! la'
gained possession of it. 1t is here, Mis-
Laurence.
at seems n triiiing sum now to both o
us, but remember that it has made me nj
that am. Yet its payment does not pa.
my debt. You said perhaps might pla.
at your wedding. Command me, and
obey, even though thus forswear m.
second debt to the boy who, in my man
hood, causes me the deepest misery m
life has known
He paused, and held outstretched to
ward her the open purse. His face wa
like marble (; his eyes shone with won
derful fire.
"Of what are you speaking q she ask
ed gently. "Whom am to marry?"
Last night he told me you were hi
betrothed.
"He? Who? ?"
Fairfax Farley"
at is not true. He has wished it SO
but l did not know my own heart an,
asked that he should wait. know tina
, it can never be. Carl, You spoke of
gulf between us. Is it one that love vii
not bridge?"
The next night Fairfax Farley and Her
Seiberg met.
"You have decided?' asked the former
, at is impossible" Carl replied "bu
since you have kindly asked me to play /,
, your wedding, may ask You to dance a
mine? ?"
r "Ah, You are betrothed then?'
eyes"
/ "And to whom?"
"Mss Laurence" tho young musician
answered, proudly.
Two little words-n name soon to 81
merged into another identity but thei
momentary utterance had cancelled hi
two-fold debt-redeemed his boyhood'
vow.