Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-09-11
turned away from the station by the

newcomers.
A month later, ragged, worn and
hungry, he was wandering about the
streets of Melbourne. For weeks he
kept body and soul together by beg
cling and doing what work he could
find. Winter was coming, June
merged into July and the southern
cold set in. Barefooted and clothed
in rags, Tom was trying to sell papers.
AS night approached the air grew
sharp and biting.
The stars came out clear and beau
tiful. Suddenly through the cold,
crisp air rocket shot upward. Tom
rubbed his eyes. A flood of recollec-
tions overpowered him. He sprang
forward in the direction Of the great
trail of light, but soon he stopped. II
guess it must have been Dream" he
said to himself as the jumbled mem
cries of the past confused him.
Again the sky was lightened, and
some passerby remarked to friend:
'Those crazy Americans celebrat-
ing the Fourth of July"
"The Fourth of July" murmured
Tom and started eagerly up again.
Swiftly now his bare feet bore him
toward the light of the fireworks. By
and by he stood before great brown
building with marble steps and heard
the sound of music. A woman's voice
foated out on the night air, voice
that thrilled Tom to his soul-he could
not tell why. It seemed to the little
wanderer as if an angel were singing.
With trembling steps he crawled up
the great stairway and sat on the
doorstep listening.
Again the voice broke the stiffness,
this time with the glorious notes of
''The Star Spangled." Tom drew his
hand over his eyes. 1t all came back
to him-that Fourth of July night on
the ship SO long ago.
The verse ended, but the piano
played on as though some one were to
go on with the second verse Then a
strange thing happened. A sweet,
piercing boyish voice swelled on the
night air, and floating through an
open window reached the ears of the
happy gathering within. Never, they
thought in their establishment, had
they heard SO sweet a boyish tenor.
The butler. after the unexpected voice
had stopped, opened the door to ask
the silver voiced chorister in and al
most stumbled over a bundle of rags
crouched up in the corner, sobbing. 1t
was Tom.
"Come in, little chap" said he.
"P'raps you'd like to ave somethin'
to eat.''
Bashfully Tom walked into the
great lighted hall and into the great
dining room, where table was laden
down with good things, but his gaze
roved over these and rested on the
face of a beautiful woman, who with
others of the party was crowding ca
gerly forward to see the boy who had
sung SO wonderfully. For a moment
Tom looked into her eyes, but there
was no sign of recognition in them
only interest. He said again:
ct guess I must IA dreamed it ALL"
and turned YEARLY away.
dreamed what, little boy?'' asked
the beautiful woman, bending over
him.
ssI don't know -quite-but when I
heard the music a-comin' through the
winder," Toms voice was low and
thoughtful, cit seemed to me that
some time I'd been on big ship off
on the ocean; that while they wuz a
sendin' up fireworks had stood long
side of beautiful lady and''-
The STOPPING woman dropped to
her knees and grasped Tom by the
shoulders. Her eyes were fastened
eagerly on his face; her bosom was
heaving. The others stood around in
wonder.
"You stood by beautiful woman"
said the lady, "and-and-what! Go
on!'' There were tears in her eyes.
Tom was frightened. "Taint nothin',
ma'am- I didn't mean nothin'-I
guess must "a dreamed it. I didn't
mean to make you feel bad.n
AGO! Go on! You haven't made me
feel bad. Go on!"
"Well, [ stood by beautiful lady,
and she looked like you, only her hair
wasn't gray, and-and sang''-Tom's
voice trembled now, and his eyes
shifted from the woman's face and
looked off over into memory-tand
sang that song with her. I can see it
all SO plain! She had'er hand on nv
head. I think she wuz my mother.
think 500