Richland beacon., 1888-04-21
YOU a good round sum for such work as
that"
Rose Marie smiled sadly.
'She offered me S15 and l accepted

you good found sum Ior SUCH "oiA Cd
that"
Rose Marie smiled sadly.
"She offered me Sl5 and accepted
it,"
Fifteen dollars. Mrs. Ross threw
up her hands in surprise. "Do you
mean to tell me a rich woman like her,
who knows the value of such work, and
can we'll afford to pay it, has offered you
the pitiful sum of Sl5 for what is worth
25Ol Don't take il.
81 have promised" Rose Marie said,
in her quiet voice. "Besides, We are
strangers hero, and our work must be
known before we can command prices.
Fifteen dollars will keep us long time,
We eat SO little"
"Mrs. L. had come here to give
you some work, but of course, under the
circumstances, you cannot take it."
"No, madame, not nova distressed
look came to her face-''but may get
better soon. / may hear of Karl. If
he knew, all, if he only knew! But he
thinks of me as so wicked, never having
written to him."
"And here I am. a poor, worthless
log, weighing thee down." cried the
poor old woman passionately. "Ah,
good ladies, persuade her to let me go
to some charitable asylum. There are
so many in this city. 1t is too much on
her, and she owes me no duty, none. 1
was bad to her and her husband when I
was strong and well, aad I separated
them, sinner that / am" beating her
breast violently. "She will not desert
me, and she is breaking her heart. All,
yes, day by day she is pale and thinner,
and l say to myself, You wicked wo-
man who have done this, why do you not
die"" She burst into storm of sobs.
Rose Marie moved swiftly to her
mothers side and laid q hand on her
shoulder.
Don't, mamma" she said tremulous-
ly. "You shall not GO to any hospital
or asylum while / can work. love
Karl and he loves me, and if lie is alive
he will find me. All, mamma, do you
want to make me bad daughter that
would desert helpless motherl 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,
mauam0. 10 MIS-. hOSS.
1t was 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 eminent
oculist in the city, good, humane man
an old friend Of mine. l interested him
! in the case. and he examined her ",ves
/ but reiused to give n final verdict uii
I his return from Shreveport, where he
Wa going tie next day.
bring her back i'll three weeks, when
/ return" said DR.. R. 81 will de-
all can, and hardly think it is hope
less cnse. Meantime, she must be bull
up. Exercise, fresh air, good food anC
quiet mind, if possible. will be excel
lent preliminary treatment"
/ think Mrs. Ross and l both fell il
love with our beautiful, stately protege
she was SO patient, and even cheerful
in spite of her misfortune. As for th'
mother, 1 feared sometimes in her out
bursts of passionate remorse she woult
dash out her brains against the wall.
"Ah," she would cry, "if Karl would
only come, I would fall before him and
kiss the ground under his feet"
One fine morning 1 had taken Rost
Marie and her child to one of the cit,
squares, where fine band was playing
She loved music passionately, and in he
darkened life it seemed to speak to he
as no human voice could do. They wer
playing the "Soldaten Lieder," and as
looked at her, 1 saw that her hand
were clasped together, and the tear
were rolling down her white cheeks.
"He used to play it," she murmured
"my Karl, ah, he played SO beautiful
ly." , .
1 did not notice that little Henri, i
playing about, had slipped throug
the gate of the square into the street
Suddenly heard confused cries. "Ah
the little boy. He will be killed :" an
looking up, my healt stood still as sa'
the little fellow almost under the whet
of press of wagons going and coming.
But at that moment saw one of th
cornet players dash down his instr
, ment, leap over the barrier, and snatc
Henri from his perilous situation, an
bear him aloft in his arms. 1 had bee
, too much terrified to utter sound du
: ing this drama, and Rose Marie, sittin
| by my side, was utterly unconscious ,
| her child's danger.
1 "What is the noise aboutl Why b,
the music stopped SO suddenly" 81
I asked; but did not answer, for l 81
4 Henri's rescuer, with the child in h
arms, looking around the square, Il
, little boy pointing to us and talking. 1
he approached l saw tall, handsom
, solderly young fellow with yellow ha
3 and smiling blue eyes. rose from n
3 seat rs he came up.
II bring your little boy safe, m
: DAME" he said to me with bow.
}, There was loud cry. At the sour
9 of his voice Rose Marie had sprung
her feet and with outstreched arr
1 blindly staggered forward. 1 heard
a answering cry.
e "My Hose Marie! my wife! My
lovedi" and then l understood that HI
;. was before me.
s will pass over that meeting and t
t one at the house with the repentant G
4 woman. Karl had made home at t
" West, and frightened at his wife's silent
J. was then on his way to France for III
None of his letters of inquiry to his q
e neighbors had been answered, and
|. began to fear her death. He said
me:
). ~ know she was true to me, but l d
/ not think she lived. All, it was with
l. heavy heart when my old comrat
n Franz Myers, persuaded me join
N band for to-day, thatI played. And
was my own boy thatH saved. Stranl
3, stranca."