Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-10-22
NUMBER 43.


youfs iof uff W rtSTp W. t'a' ~ ttA's
10 stay with US for while"
II was night In the gay city Of Paris.
and the grand opera house was all ablafs
with thousand lights.
Up aud down through the gilded foyer
gay couples were walking. and a. they
walked they talked ~ the young girl who
was to sing that night
"They say she l. very BEAUTIFUL said
one. ''and that she sings like all the birds
In the forest"
''shes young" said another. "only IS,
the balls Say. And vet she has studied
under all the masters. and they pro
nOunoed her wonderful"
am sure you have guessed by this
time that the singer was no other than
our little girl - the alley. Alice Flynn.
II was a daring thing 30 bring her out In
the gay capital before all the critics, but
Professor Hale wAs a man who dared
lie proved that when ne frs, took charge
of Alice.
At lat IL was time for her to appear.
She came forward almost a. timidly as
she first entered the great house on fif.
ty-ninth street In New York.
The hundreds of people, the dazzling
lights. the sudden burst % applause and
the hush of expectation which followed
II were all ~ confusing that Alice was
bcwilderci.
Her first impulse was to turn and run.
but then she remembered what Professor
Hale hAd said 10 her;
II am looking forward 90 the greatest
triumph of my life tonight You must
no, disappoint me-"
lie was standing In the hies now,
brrathlessly watching her. and Alice aid
30 herself. desperately. II must not fail"
And she did not. Her voice trembled
a little at first. and the people begAn 10
look at each other significantly.
And then hut who could describe
that -ongi When she ceased the great
audience at silent and In tears.
Then from thousand lips came the
Bravo, bravol Call her hack Encosl
encoref'
When Alice came forward the second
time she found her-elf confronted by a
barricade % ro-s.-. which her cnthusiAs-
tic audience hal p,led In front % the
foo,lightN
She never knew wha, made her DO Il.
She hadn thought ~ The old song for
years Ilui it came % her now. and
without any assistance from the orches-
ira she sang:
% az the days that, n TIE ~ess.
id.afy i5vs blt zoe lay.
anl that's t.l- day t4al curnes brtutu
6Atgriay aBl GoodAy
The air wa. still quivering with the
homely paiho- of her pathetic minor
key when from the pt there came
startled cry of "Firel The wings are on
trc'"
Of course there was ntampcde. Some
one spnng from the right u the stage
and seiIcd Alice's arm.
Come ihi. way. There's solid wall
of fire on the other side. IL started in
the green room and creIs around 10 the
stage"
"But Mr. Hale /. there. aid Alice.
fearfully.
"weli. he'll have 20 stay there. then
said the man. "for nobody can get at
him now" lie still attempted 10 drag
Alice away.
"But some one mus, get At him. I
will not 40 and leave him here"
II tell you IL il madness. cried the
man. Its SURE death 10 10 near that
side"
"Thsn I'll stay and die with him. sAid
Alice. firmly.
Then. with a presence of mind that
was wonderful. she ran 60 the dressing
nom. -eiKed a long woolen cloak, on
which she crsptied the contents u the
silver ice pitcher. and wrapping herself
In IL. she plunged straight through the
wall of Ore.
Mr. Hale was not where she thought
She ran about through ,he stihing smoke,
but could not find him. The man who
tired to hold her back stood In the center
Of the stage. dazcd
Some one ran up and SEIZED him by the
shoulders. asking In a frightened voice:
"where l. shei Where 4. Alicef'
II was Professor Hale. lie had escaped
from the other side.
Dumb with asioni.hment and terror.
the man pointed toward the flies, which
were now a mas. of fame.
"why did you let her 80 In therey'
"She thought you were there aud she
went 90 save YOU, was the answer.
The professor. before the other could
prevent him. sprang In after her.
An instant later he dragged her out on
the stage Streams of water begAn to
play over the flames, and soon the two
men were able % make their way out 10
the street. carrying Alice between them.
In spite Of the long cloak the fire had
dealt cruelty with her. For several min
utes she showed no sign u life. Then
she opened her eyes and made an effort
to lift her head.
The professor rai-ed her tcnderly up
In his arms. She looked into his eyes
ploadingly for moment and then mist
seemed 90 gather. She lifted her right
hand with pathetic little gesture and
family. tremulously, but sweet and plain.
tive a. ever came the strain:
-ABd shs i've do-n In our siSr-