The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-10-03
LIKE THE TABLED SWAN.
A Sweet Singer Who Just Sang Once
and Died.

come floating up from the dark hold of
a ship.
Down the street, as if he were in a
great hurry to get somewhere, came
Professor Hale, the man who taught the
children of the rich people uptown how
to sing.
He looked tired and worried as if the
harmony Of the day had tangled all out
of tune. All at once he, too, heard the
voice, and now it was singing:
IT'S then 1 dress up in my best,
And walk out with my Sally;
She is the darling Of my heart,
And she lives down in our alley.
The grave professor seemed suddenly
to forget his hurry. He stopped stock
still.
by jove! What a voice" he ejacu-
lated, as the tone sank to a plaintive,
vibrating minor that thrilled through
the murky atmosphere like a burst of
sunshine. And then he went in pursuit
of the voice.
In a two wheeled huckster's cart,
which had been disabled and deserted,
stood a little girl about 8 years old. She
had ON a red calico dress. 1t was pretty
dirty, but apparently the little girl
thought she was dressed up.
She had washed her face back as far
as her ears, so that he could see that she
was very pretty. Her skin was a clear
olive. Her eyes were big and bright and
brown. Her hair was almost the color
of mahogany and hung in thick, tangled
curls down below her waist.
She wore no stockings, but on her
feet was a pair of blue satin boots, with
tassels at the top, and little pointed heels,
such as the chorus girls in the opera
wear.
She was standing with her head
thrown back, her little hands clasped
tightly across her chest, singing with all
her might. Around her were grouped
about a dozen little gamins of the alley.
who, if not appreciatiye listeners, were
very enthusiastic ones.
When the professor appeared the en-
tertainment stopped and the little singer
looked as shy and as confused as if she
had been caught doing something
naughty.
But the professor did not notice her
confusion. He pushed his way right
through the dirty, sticky little group
aud up to the side of the cart.
"What is your name?;' he asked eager
ly, land where do you liveT'
Shyly twisting her fingers into the
folds of her red skirt, the little girl an
swered, in a confused way:
''My name is Alice Flynn, and I live
down there" nodding her head towarda
basement neal.
who taught you to singY'
"Nobody. / always knowed how"
answered the little one, with a side look
at her companions.
Whom do you live WITH" was the pro-
fessor's next question.
"Gran'ma," answered Alice.
Twill you take me to see your grand
mother?' asked the professor, suddenly.
Instead of answering him Alice looked
at her audience and giggled. Professor
Hale evidently knew how to gain his
point, for, taking a silver coin from his
pocket, he said:
"Ill give you this if you'll take me to
your grandmother. Will you go nowp
''Oh, won't l, justt" exclaimed Alice,
and she scrambled over the wheel Of the
cart. "Come right this way"
The professor gingerly picked his way
down the dirty steps into the dingy
cellar which Alice called home. Sitting
in an old rocking chair, smoking a rank
smelling pipe, was a very old woman.
She was SO nearly blind that she didn't
notice at first that Alice had company.
She heard the footsteps, and began:
81 think it's time ye was a-gettin'
home, you good-for-nothin' little trollop.
An if ye amt brought the price O a sup
O. tay and a bit O. bacon it will be tn
worse for ye."
give brought a gentleman with me-
said Alice. "He wanted to come and
see you, and here's q quarter for your tea
and bacon. He give it to me for bring
in him."
head and looked at the professor with
watery, bloodshot eyes,. The professor
didn't waste any words.
MADAM" he said, ''this little girl has
a wonderful voice. want to take her
home and teach her to sing. Are you
willing that she should go?'
"And what would I be doin' widout
herr" whined the old woman. "And me
wi the rheumatic that bad 1 can't be
putin me foot to the floor"
"Well," said the professor, ''here's a
So bill that I'll give you. And I'll send
you that amount each week if you will
let me have the little girl"
The old woman hesitated a little at
first, thinking that perhaps the profess
sor would increase his offer. But when
she saw that he had no such intention
she accepted eagerly enough. And then
the gentleman took Alice by the hand
and led her away, while the grandmother
sat mumbling over the crisp new green
back, without so much as giving her a
word of farewell.
Alice began to be frightened. She
commenced to cry and kept on crying,
ever when the car stopped and the pro-
fessor led her up to the front of a beau
tiful house looking right off on the park,
She still cried and begged him to let
her go back to her miserable alley and
her wretched old grandmother. She
didn't feel any better when she got in
- IL l.~11 --1 49, 90 A. ~@ck