Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-01-24

| had ou1 W BUG tOllbnluei, anu tuut W q
for her to play the liveliest pieces she knew
Her customers were honest laboring people
who usually preferred cheerful music.
The blind girl thanked her with her voic,
trembling with pleasure. Asking her not t.
let her brother know anything about it, "a
least at first, she added.
"Ohl he shall not find it out, rest assured
Of that she replied.
The next evening she came and led the CIR
| down. Directly at the foot of the stairway
was door leading into the restaurant The
room was filed with noisy. carousing men.
| 1t was easy to read the character of the place
in their faces
| The hostess managed TO have some one con
tinually to furnish music, to make her place
attractive. Sometimes 1t was a wandering
violinist, or street singer, this time it was
the blind girl. In n corner of the room stood
| piano. to which she guided her. Like a
star with it's pure light shining in wilder
ness, was the innocent maiden in that crowd
of uncultured, vicious men,
Some Of them looked at her in surprise and
with timidity, and listened for while atten-
lively to her playing. But soon they took no
further notice of her. The blind girl could
hear the hum of the voices around her; but
did not notice what was passing among them,
so busily was she engaged in her performance
and so anxious TO satisfy the landlady with
her efforts. She selected the brightest and
most cheerful airs, and played INCREASINGLY
for more than an hour. When she was com
pletely exhausted her employer asked her to
stop, handing her the promised money, and
led her through the throng OF boisterous men
to the foot OF the stairs, from whence she
usually assembled alone.
How happy she felt. At last she was able
to tighten her brothers burden-to do some
thing toward repaying him for hls great and
numerous sacrifices. In feverish excitement
she groped her way up the long flights of
steps. Convulsively and tightly her lit lie
aching fingers clasped the coin, which seemed
to propel II current of electricity through her
every vein, so hot was the blood stream that
coursed from her quickly beating heart She
had to stop to catch her breath at the door OF
her little room. allow much money excites
one" she said to herself, almost frightened at
the new and peculiar feeling which she felt
over Der frssearnings; but still 1t was only
for her brother, and the thought Of giving
him pleasure that animated her
The second evening passed like the first
The soft, sweet, ripping notes seemed to fall
from the tips Of her flying fingers and the
like the frightened, disconnected song Of a
bird in a stormy forest. Again she received
payment for her exortion; which, inexperi-
enced In the ways of tho world as she was,
seemed fortune to her.
inen came the third and eventful evening
She had been at the piano longer than
usual. and was just turning TO leave when she
felt strong arm thrown around her, and the
coarse voice of "A drunken man sounded close
10 her ear
"Give mo kiss, little treasure"
Almost paralyzed with terror, she sprang
up and attempted to tear herself from the
horrible embrace, but the arm only closed
more tightly around her.
"1old her fast, Thomas
"Let her CO." roared tho boisterous crowd
"Helpi Helpl" she cried at the top of her
voice, and with an almost superhumnn effort
she tore herself from the fiend and staggered
through tho crowd, her poor sghtess eyes
rolling in her fright and her hands held out
before her toward the entrance.
Attracted by the disturbance, the landlady
hastened TO the spot. COMPROMISING the
situation at n glance, she grasped the girl,
who, in her fright trembled like AN aspen
leaf, and hurried her through the door to the
foot of the stairs, which she began TO climb,
stumbling ut every step, so full of terror was
she
In the restaurant the crowd tried TO re-
strain the frenzied man who was attempting
TO follow her A fearful struggle ensued in
which the demon WIS victorious Throwing
the crowd right and left in his madness, like
straws in gust Of wind, he plunged through
the door Not seeing the blind girl, he
beloved Hike an enraged beast. Then at.
/ trocted by her stumbling footsteps he caught
| sight OF her on tho first landing. Bind with
passion, and crazed with intoxication, he
| spraEg after her, mounting three or -four
steps Mt u time, He caught her, and drew
her roughly in to his arms.
"Rudofl! Rudolfll" she shrieked, and the
terrible cry sounded through the building
/ from the ground to the roof A noise wa,
heard above, some one was bounding--amost
tumblng-d tho flights of steps.
"Maisw cried an anxious, apprehensivt
voice, and hand, thrust from rSply
shoulder, clutched the throat Of the ASA ,.unt
In wise like grip-a howl of rage from tn,
cowardly wretch, mighty blow from 6
clenched fist between the flaming eyes. TIL,
senseless motonless body of tho maiden fel
to the steps between the struggling men
Rudolf sprang quickly to one side, and til,
was locked in an embrace of iron Then 6
severe struggle, n smothered groaning, pow
erful crushing blow-a shrielS-a death groar
Ia rattle in the throat and n food of blood
and hfeless corpse rolled down the steps
Then all was quiet Rudolf had taken th,
life Of a fellow man-but he realized it not
his eager, anxious glance sought first tn,
pale, lifeless face of his sister. He bent ovel
her, touched her bloodless cheels-felt fol
the beating OF her heart which hnt
stilled its throbbmgs. Oh, Godl Wa
she deadi Everything grew black befor,
him, and he would have fallen but for III,
aid OF a friendly hand which caught him ~
his body swayed toward the edge of tho stair
case. dead dcadw he muttered; but sum
moning all his strength, lie tenderly lifted tn,
body and bore 1t into the room near by, an,
laid her carefully upon sofa Quickly pro
curing water he moisteued her face, listenin,
sreathessly for the slightest indication o
respiration. A twitching, "a painful twitch
ing around the mouth-then a breath and /
half uttered sigh
"Marie," he said, softly, his heart fllin,
with joy.
A smile passes over the face
"Rudolf,' She whispered, extending he
hands searchingly in the direction of hi
( voice.
thank Godl she lives she livesl" he cried
sinking on his knees besds the sofa the grea
strong figure bowed, and tears of joy roi.s
down his cheeks Trans slated from the Ger
man of W. N. Harbsn
Clubman and Cabby-
The other night cab OF rather a dilnpi
dated ana disSipated appearance, which was
more or less attached to the cab horse ly