The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-04-10
HELENORE.

She came to our door one dreary
November day in the pouring rain and
begged to be taken into our service.
She belonged to a miserable French
Canadian family that had lived in the
civ for many years; but shiftless and
degraded as they were, it was evident
from the young girls account that they
CONSIDERED her the black sheep among
them: and her mother, always harsh
with her. for some reason had recently
grew more so, until that morning, after
an unusual cruel beating, Helenore-
she said her name was Helenore Bal
deau-had fled from under hex hands,
and shaking off the dust of her native
ally, wandered, she neither knew nor
cared whittier, till hunger and fatigue
led her to seek a shelter with as.
Her plain and somewhat heavy
face was SWOLLEN and red with weeping,
and there was a Look of pleading in her
great soft black eyes that was difficult
to resist.
ooh, if you would but try mel" she
said. II can do a great many things;
and I care only for some bread to eat
and a place to sleep, and, with a shud-
der, ito be hurt no more"
I held the door open and looked at
her with compassion stirring my heart.
Poor child! She seemed so young and
yet so ~forlorn, standing there in her
dripping garments. She could not have
been more than fifteen or SIXTEEN years
old, and she looked up into my face
with such an expression of gentle con-
fdence that I felt it would be cruel to
wholly disappoint.
| And then she asked so little-"only
q place to sleep and bread to eat and to
be hurt no more" The tears came to
my eyes as her simple words required,
tome, and yielding to a sudden impulse,
TOOK her in, fed her, and made her as
comfortable as possible, meanwhile
tuning it over and over in my mind
what should do with her.
At dinner-time / held a consultation
with Jack, the nominal head of our
family; say nominal advisedly, for he
insisted that I defer to him only as a
matter of form, after having fully de-
termined in my own mind upon any
course Of action.
ethis as it may, he generally con-
nrms my decision, thus making assur-
ance doubly sure; so this time, after
looking over my Every latest" as he
called her he promised TO go to her
mother and negotiate, If he could, for
Helenore's services.
as q result of that interview, he
,oand out for a certainty that Madame
Iaiaeau was a horrible old vixen; but
sus readily agreed to let her daughter
.sualn In our employ if, after a suitable
MA, we SO desired.
"1en Jack came home at night, he
~una us all together in the sitting
S.s;n l was sewing, and Helenore was
m~ang lear me, playing with little Ned,
WI rnree-year-o old boy.
well Helenore, said he, lightly, 81
49,. seen your mother, and you can
4 WIN US II you are a good girl"
na que turned toward him with alook Of
vulnerable gratitude and tried in vain
sIs speaK then, with one swift movement
ins 'Irew herself at my feet, and fasten-
? ner great eyes upon mine with an
ms g,eSsion l shall never forget, she
Fmss me sign Of the cross uponsher
khs y and breast. We saw her do
uha. a,1erward on several occasions
Ma deeply moved, and it was as ex-
wSSslye and touching as characteristics.
kna soon became much attached to
itlo Aer q wild ways furnished us no
bass; amnsement. One of her favorite
Rms ucs was to sit with baby in the back
ANA aua play on her music" as she
lalsa1 =. This was an invention of
rmsres own, and was only one of
saa,. grotesque but poetic fancies. 1t
solI 2 large sheet of thick, stout pa
Nam a Il up into a huge trumpet shape
hv fs snis queer instrument she would
6eslaan hours, bringing out the most
Ieh shh but withal, musical tones.
Efnsa, ne neighbors far and near soon
elem . marvel at and to desiezase as
aenore's music.
~'''naes quito an audience would