The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-10-30

ance 10 poor woman that hasn't had
mouthful to eat since yesterday morning."
The speaker was a woman not younger
than 25 nor older than As, but it would
have been difficult to make anything like
an accurate guess at the age of the IN
kempt and bedraggled creature that stood
before the little group whining out her pc
tition for aims which seemed to have so IN
grained itself into her speech that it would
have been difficult to have imagined her
giving forth anything beyond that dismal
hypocritical monotone.
Her face, that once might have been fair
and girlish, was coarse in feature, and al
most devoid of any expression save that Of
stupid, callous mendicancy. Her eyes,
that still retained something of that deep
blue of the midsummer sky, were blesred
and watery and half shaded with swollen
and infiamed lids that still showed deep
silky fringe of golden lashes.
Beneath the tattered and soiled mop Of
lace which she wore over her head and
shoulders, after the manner of a mantilla,
two or three little faded yellow curls were
peeping out in strange contrast with the
furrOwed and weather beaten forehead,
over which they seemed inclined to stray
A SAD PICTURE.
Her dress was soiled and tattered, her
small shoes were discolored and broken in
many places, and her hands were hidden in
the ragged mantle of dirty lace which they
held in place upon her head and shoulders.
She waited, staring stupidity at the trio for
a reply, and as none seemed inclined to
give one remarked las if TO excuse himself
for giving nothingl that he thought shs
was more thirsty than hungry after all.
Like enough yer right" she remarked
carelessly, turning away as if TO quit the
store, but when half way around she heSi-
tated and cast longing look at a huge,
old fashioned grand piano of Continental
make, which had just been tuned and put
in order in the stOreroom before which she
stood.
She looked intently at the piano for near
ly minute, while her back was turned to
the group, and then facing about toward
them, with a softened look in her face and
a curious, nervous huskiness in her voice,
she remarked:
''Pd like to play on that piano il nobody
objects"
Nobody did object, and, in fact, all were
anxious to see how this tattered and
bedraggled creature would perform at the
piano.
They were not long in doubt. As the
woman seated herself at the piano the dirty
mop of lace fell from her shoulders and re-
leased tangled mass of faded yellow hair,
which still rippled and flashed in the sun
light as it streamed over her shoulders and
down her back.
Her hands. which were now seen for the
first time, were small and daintily formed,
and except that they were not quite free
from CRIME, and that the nails were far
from being tidily kept they would have
readily passed for those of high bred girl
of 20 who had always lived life Of ease and
luxury. These trif1es surprised the gentle
men; but though they wondered at the
change wrought by the fall of the old wrap
they were lost in amaZement as the dainty
but grimy little fingers struck the first two
or three chords with a touch firm, master
full and yet delicate
Then the little fingers wandered swiftly
about among the keys az if in search Of
theme, and then with infinite pathos
breathing through every note came the
plaintive aria from Ell Trovatore," "Ah,
have sighed to rest me-"
CLASSIC MUSIC.
Not a sound passed the motionless but
slightly parted lips. hut the coarse. hard
lines in the discolored face seemed softened
as if by some miraculous TRANSPORTATION,
the watery mists seemed to pass from the
azure tinted eyes, and as the notes rang
out theme of immeGsurable melancholy
those kindling eyes seemed speaking every
thought in Manrico's despgiring wall
Who shall say that any stricken lover
ever more earnestly sighed for that dream
less sleep of his last dark and narrow bed
than did this poor wretch. 80 long. 50 far
and so irrevOcablv divorced from home,
from love from faich. from father. mother,
brothers or sisters. from the reverence due
TO her sex and from all char could he
desirable, and whose insepaTable compan-
ions were shame and hunger and thirst
Forgetful of all around her. she driftcd
from the operate To the classical. PLAYING
from memory in the most
brilliant style selections from Mozart.
Beethoven and Chopin. Suddenly some
thing seemed to call her back 20 herself.
and stopping as suddenly as she had com
menced she gathered her rags about her
and prepared 10 90. A small collection
was made for her from the little crowd
that had been attracted by her playing.
and as this was handed to her she thrust
IL into her pocket with the same osllous
air with which she had first asked for aims
The evanescent reflection OF pure and
happy past fiickered and went out Of the
faded, weather beaten face as suddenly as
It had come there. and in a minute more a
blear eyed and bedrgggled woman was
drifting out upon the street 70 beg from
door TO door and all too anxious 20 drown
the food Of memories that she bad heed
lessly awakened as she struck the first
chord on that piano.-New Orleans Times
Democrat.