The Savannah tribune. [volume] (Savannah [Ga.]) 1876-1960, 1888-02-25


into a storm of sobs
Rose Marie moved swiftly to her
mothers side, and laid a hand on her
shoulder.
Don't. mamma" she said tremu-
lousy. ''You shall not go to any hospi-
tai or asylum while can work. love
Karl and he loves me, and if he is alive
he will find me. All, mamma, do you
want to make me bad daughter that
would desert helpless mother2 Then,
indeed, the good Lord would not listen
to my prayer. We must do our duty
and trust God for the rest. Is it not So
madame2" to Mrs. Ross.
1t was a simple faith, but it sustained
Rose Marie during the weeks that fol-
lowed--weary weeks when slowly, but
surely, the blurred vision grew more and
more indistinct, There was an emf
nent oculist in the city, a good, humane
man and an old friend of mine. l in
terested him in the case, and he ex-
amined her eyes, but refused to give a
final verdict until his return from
Shreveport, where he was going the
next day.
One fine morning | had taken Rose
Marie and her child to one of the city
squares where fine band was playing.
She loved music passionately, and in
her darkened life it seemed to speak to
her as no human voice could do They
were playing the "Soldaten Lieder,"
and as l looked at her, l saw that her
hands were clasped together, and the
tears were rolling down her white
cheeks.
''He used to play it." she murmured,
"my Karl, alb, he played so beauti-
fully"
did not notice that little Henri, in
playing about, had slipped through the
gate of the square into the street. Sud
denly heard confused cries. "Ah, the
little boy. He will be killed p and look
ing up, my heart stood still as saw the
little fellow almost under the wheels of
press of wagons going and coming.
But at that moment l saw one of the
cornet players dash down his instru-
ment, leap over the barrier and snatch
Henri from his perilous situation and
bear him aloft in his arms. had been
too much terrified to utter a sound dur
ing this drama, and Rose Marie, sitting
by my side, was utterly unconscious Of
her child's danger.
''What is the noise about2 Why has
the music stopped suddenly" she
asked; but did not answer, for I saw
Henri's rescuer, with the child in his
arms, looking around the square, the
little boy pointing to us and talking.
AS he approached, saw tall, hand
some, soldlcrly young fellow with yell
low hair and smiling blue eyes. l rose
from my seat as he came up.
81 bring your little boy safe, mad
anne" he SAID to me with a bow.
There was loud cry. At the sound
of his voice Rose Marie had sprung to
her feet and, with outstretched arms,
blindly staggered forward. heard an
answering cry.
my Rose Marie! my wifel my be-
lovedw and then I understood that
Karl was before me.
1 will pass over that meeting, and the
one at the house with the repcntant old
mother. Karl had made a home at the
West, and frightened at his wife's
silence, was then on his way to France
for her. None of his letters Of inquiry
to his old neighbors had been ans wered,
and he began to fear her death. He
said to me:
81 knew she was true to me, but | did
not think she lived. All, it was with
heavy heart when my old comrade,
Franz Myers, persuaded me to join his
band for to-day, that l played And it
was my own boy 1 saved! Strangel
stranger
All this happened more than ten years
ago, but the rest Of the story is short.
Rose Marie recovered her sight, and I
spent a week last summer with her and
her husband at their pleasant Western
home. The old mother died year ago,
tenderly cared for by her good, dutiful
daughter. Henri is a fine, tall boy who