Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1894-07-20

S"S WV SAsS Va
their life up to the care and atten-
tion of the poor sick-dcserve the
name indeed.
The poor fiddler vas almost heart
broken. Every penny each week was
spent In II ediclnes and better food
tor the invalid, but nothing but
change OF scene and a warm climate
could benefit her. He had not the
means to send her even out OF. Lon
don.
The child chung round him in at
fectlon mingled with fear. but he was
often afraid to look upon he.
sEather. dear father. are o angry
with your little Heien?" she asked
one day as he sat modify with his
face bur ed in his hands.
He sprang 20 his feet and clasped
her in his arms and asked her to for.
give him if he had seemed unkind.
After that he was always cheerful
when in her presence, for he saw
that IL made her unhappy to see him
sad.
Sometimes the fading girl would
ask to be carried to the window to
see the sun-the winter sun, like a
huge ball of hlo0d-sink down be.
hind the housetops.
Occasionally some of the neighbors,
who had known her, came to see her,
but she was So changed that very
few could recognize her.
And, little by little, the hideous
disease advanced, sappinR up slowly
but surely its helpless victims
strength. At times it made her face
appear bloodless, like the face of a
corpse. At Others oh, cruel mock.
cry! it painted the cheeks like the
blush Of a rose-it added fire to her
eyes and lustre to her skin, thus rails
ing false hopes in the breast of the
poor father, who saw her change from
day to day.
One morning the fiddler was in.
formed that some q was waiting to
see him at the foot of the stairs. He
Immediately hu ried down and found
an old gentleman pacing upand down,
and mumbling all the while to him.
sell.
"You play the fiddle at the
Theater?:" he abruptly asked the i'd
dler, when he appea,ed.
"Yes, sir Will YOU come in. It"
81 intend to give a party to night
and had engaged + to give us a
tune on the fiddle. Unfortunately.
he is indisposed and will not be able
to appear. Will you Gomez"
~ am engaged at the theater
and"
"Until what houl?:" asked the Wis
itor, impatiently.
"Aboat III o'clock. 1 could come
any time after that, il it is not too
late"
The visitor thought Tor 4 moment
or two. then he suddenly said, at the
same time tn listing a card into the
tiddIer's hand:
"To.night at 1880 1 shall expect
you. Do not disappoint me and you
will not reg. ct it,"
That evening when the fiddle.
went in to see his daughter before
leaving for the theater she did not
recognize him, and the poor man
hurried away with a heavy load at
his heart.
1t was close upon midnight when
he reached the address indicated on
the card, and as he was led into the
room by the host, With his instru-
ment under his arm, there was a
murmur of voices.
. He paused for u moment to screw
up a string, when he mad reached The
piano, and then raising his head,
looked round the loom at the large
and fashionable audience. Dressed
in a sombre black suit, and his hair
hanging down over his forehead,
made his face stand out paler than
usual.
He pushed the hair back from his
eyes. settled his chin upon the fiddle,
then drew the bow &C. oss the strings.
A murmur of applause e. eeted him,
but 1T died away as he commenced to
play.
He sermed to waver on the strings
for q moment as II undecided what to
play, then unconsciously he closed
his eyes and fell into a reverie, and
as he did so played. The notes
thrilled through the room, soft and
sweet for a while, then they changed
into the saddest notes you ever heard
full of plaintive regret. The how
seemed to be charmed-the instru-
ment to speak-to speak to the heart.
for many In the room wept
For q moment after he ceased to
play there was . profound silence.
Every one seemed to be speechless,
awed by what they had heard. All
at once tho spell was broken by cries
''Bravo' and by loud clapplng.
The fiddler scarce heard the sp-
plause. He bowed swkwsrdly to tho
audience-but he only saw Z pale
little form lying upon . bed and
nothing else.
He played again aud again, but
although each piece Wss enthusi.
ssticaliy;rsestvsd, none took @ well.