The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-07-24
AFTER THE STORM.
clark! what Il THAR.

AFTER THE STORM.
"liarkl what Il that7"
Legion graspcd tho arm Of his friend
M he spoke, and both paused to listen.
From tho low-wnllcl hut before which
they were standing tho sound was re-
pcntcd. Tho speaker looscnod his
grasp with Igh VI relief.
why. blcss you! It's Llta. he said.
"What music tho littlo organ Is making
tonight.
floor little blind girl! How much
comfort she takes with It," remarked
his companion.
"Yos. Whom these miners bought
thnt littlc music box they made good
investment. Listcn!"
Tho music hnd begun again. At
first Il came stealing out with such .
low. plnintivc sound one might easily
have fancied that 1t was only tho night
wind creeping softly around the walls
Of tho little cabin; then II swcllcd into
something louder, deeper and more sol
cmn; but there WAS q subtle, yet indie.
Unable something In Its nature which
caused tho listeners to thrill with cx-
ultntion and grow cold and dread.
II seemed No though > spirit more than
mortal had taken possession " tho lit
Ito instrument. aud through It's deep
voice was breathing out prophecy APP
preaching disaster. Legion fclt o sud-
don breeze against his check, aud mo-
ticcd, with alarm, that . dark storn,-
cloud had arisen In tho west There
had been ono storm since his arrival
from the cast and he dreaded to SEQ
another. A heavy sigh ut his elbow
caused both mon to turn In that dircc-
tion. Lame Joc had come up Noise
lessly behind them and stood leaning
against rock. He. too, was listening,
and wiping m occasional tear from his
eye.
But even NJ they listened the charao
Ter Of tho melody slowly underwent :
complete transformation, and from the
depths Of sorrow and despair Il burst
forth In aglad. cxultAnt strain--a wild.
FREQ food u music. Il was like the tri-
umphant song Of some captive bird
that has beaten long It's weary wings
against the iron bars Of cruel prison
house, but finding itself 1t liberty
again, breaks forth into song. That
was tho end. Legion and Mark Spcn-
Ger passed on. The little girls present
mood seemed 10 them too sacred for In
trusion; but lame Joe stopped for the
goodnight kiss which tho child was
accustomed to bestow upon him. Poor
old Joe! He was very lame. Ono leg
had been left upon the battlefield Of
fredericksburg, and It's substitute was
rudc wooden stump. but such rs II
was. no would gladly have worn II to
sPlintcrs At Lita Cohcn's service. had
the child permitted It In spite Of his
affection Joe Milton was genial old
man, with kind word and helping
hand for everybody; vet hnlf tho miners
In that little camp could have told Of .
timc when there was not more intern.
pcrntc man or harder character than
he. Tint was before the death Of his
wife, tidings Of which had been terri
bio blow.
Lita was comforter then. Il was she
who took him In hand, and pctted aud
tallsed with him until his companions
began 10 notice with wonder that no
was growing into. q very different man;
for sorrow had made the child sympa-
thctic, and her strong influence over
Joc was in great measure due to this
fact When Joha Cohon was killed. by
tho falling Of bowltcr. Lita, little
more than baby then. had bcco.lc IN
adopted child Of tho camp Later.
when an accident shut out forever tho
light from her beautiful eyes she SEEM
Cd suddenly TO havc grown nearer and
dcarcr 10 each ono and tn become tho
object Of especial care; yet, in spite OF
their kindness. there was somc times
when she became sad and lQaesomc
She used then 10 fly for consolation 10
ner dear friend, tho little organ. and
draw from It's bosom . melodious res
ponse 10 her mood.
In strong contrast with tho gray and
faded old woman who was her attend
ant, or the bronzed. wcathcr.hea,cn
men about her, was this child of seven
years. I.ilsc rarc sweet blossom sho
was growing IN in that wild place with
halo Of beauty Mud purity about her
young lifn that commanded almost
alteration from the few rough. yet kind
hearted people.
Nature was kindly too. Tho sun
mover kissed tho soft little checks too
roughly. and It's most scorching ray
only added q brighter tint 10 the long,
fair hair. which hung In waves below
hcr waist tho pride and admiration Of
her friends.
Yet II Was hard, even for stranger,
70 look unmovol upon tho great blue
cycs, 80 pathetic In their blindness, and
know that Lila Cohen could never sec
again.
/ think Lita herself. minded il most
after Warren. tho poet Of tho camp.
had been telling her Of tho ragged
grandeur Of tho country about them.
and described the Singular beauty Of
tho flowers which no brought her day
after day. or when ono Of hcr big. bur-
" friends laid In her hand the picture
Of his childrcn--thc children whom she
had learned To love 40 brothers and sis
tiers. She had known about them NIL .
long time, over since she could remem-
Dor. aud they often sent her friendly
messages and little presents which she
used to sit holding In her hands, .
strange wistfulness In tho big blue
eyes. great ache In tho little tender
heart, at tho thought that she must al
ways feel. but never see. The little
girl cared great deal about all her
friends; but lame joe was her prime
favoritc. perhaps because he was lame.
Ho had grown lamsr than cvcr OF late,
and Was failing very fast, yet nobody
could hear to break the news to her.
She used to sit NJ his side by the hour
listening to him or repeating tho child
ish stories which Warren had read 10
hcr. One day while she was sitting
thus, patting his wrinkled cheek with