The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-22
A HAND-ORGAN ROMANCE.
lie Was Fifty-onc and His Woman Was
Feeble and Fat.


Feeble and Fat.
As Judith was tending her baby one
Saturday afternoon she heard the
strains of hand-organ. which was
being pla we'd with something unusual
in the way of graceful manipulation of
the handle. looking out. she saw near
the window a short spare Italian turn
ing the handle of the instrument. and
a woman. taller and much Stouter than
the man. sta nd motionless at his sides
Judith was interested in the looks OF
the pair. The mans skin was brown
ish-reC color. his hair and mustache and
stu bile Of bear I'd were of the same tint,
and SO were his clothes. The womans
skin'was,of about the same color. but
her hair was Jet black She had on a
BACKED trimmed hat. tied under her
chin with ribbons: around the crown
projected the naked quils of some badly
worniostrich feathers. She held an old
black umbrella in her hand. The man
and woman had bright, CHEEKY faces,
and constantly Deamed on each other
with a loving expression. Judith's
heart was touched. ana she sent out
her little girl with a bit of,silver. The
man ano woman bowed profoundly.
the man splaved some more and was
bewing himself away when Judith
went to the door and asked the pair if
they weretnot tired and if they would
not like to come in and rest and have a
cup of tea. The maa said: I've lika
vera moche rest-tank YOU" and the
two approached with a courtly air The
'hand-orgaG was deposited in a conven-
lent place. but the man was in a certain
agitation. for he had observed that
Judith had already begun preparing
the tea aud he had an important fact to
communicate. He rushed in a little
precipitately and said to Judith: You
'-scusa me: me. lika de milk in tea
Imr yooman. she no lil<a de milk in tea
He was chivalrously sfrais that his
'wife's tea would be spoiled for her
Judith had observed the mans devo-
ltion TO his wife and was touched by il.
lHe futtercd' bout and over her like a
small hen with one big chicken. The
two Italians came into the house and
Judith offered the woman a little low
rocking-ch which she herself had
been sitting in, and to the man she
gave 4 straight higher chair. The man
ibeamed and SMILED again. You scusa
me, he said, apologetically; my VOC
man. she no sit in so low chair" He
gave her his own chair, lifting her up
|tenderly from the other. and as she /
,cumbrouslv settled her portlv frame in !
10 II he soothed and patted her. "Zis !
NmY woman, he said proudly. ME /
Ifeefty-one years old: my woman. she /
Ifeefty" The two looked lovingly at
each other 1t was apparent that the .
woman could speak no English. but
the man certainly did very well. /
- And have you any children" /
Judith asked We have four-so .
Enanv," said the man. holding up the .
Fingers Of one hand. ''all dead in ltalv!-' .
Tears filled his eyes; the woman OWNED |
what he had said. and her eyes filed |
with tears, too. THAT ,Iudith's did .
inlso those who know her do not need +
ito be told.l But presently the old
flowers were eraciously smiling again.
q nd by this time their tea was trea6y:
s. nd when the organ grinder had seen
ithat hlswife's cup was to her taste. and
that she was drinking it with relish. he
drank too. They were very rolite. but
mot at all cringing or servile. Judith
had had few visitors Of late who had
better manners
They finished their tea. and. with
many thanks from the man. and bows
and smiles from the woman. they went
lout' still beaming lovingly on each
,other. I've tank You, vera. vera
|moche. said the organ grinder. with
(1remble IN his voice: and before they
had got half way down the walk. turn
ifng and seeing Judith and her children
IN the window. they stopped: the man
Set down his organ on the ground and
pulled off his hat. and both he and the
woman bowed low To the window and
smiled and smiled. Then he shouldered
the organ again. and with his back
bent under It's load and still beamiur
;hnectionately no at his stout PARTNER
a. ms side, who hesmed down upon
nun, they were gone out on the dusty
'road.-N. y. Recorder
Hiclls-'Di YOU hear a bout Rrssh's
death? He died quite suddenly" ,
" lcks-'It was like him He ol,,-o