The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-01-01

OF Byzanuum. with ooth arms open TO the
human raccl
Here am suddenly interrupted by stu
more numerous and shnll chirpingn. /
look around me. My window Il surround
Ell with sparrOws. who pilfer the crumbs Of
bread that, IN my meditation. have alb
sentmindediy scattered upon the roof
At this sight a ray Of light crosses my
sad heart. / deceived myself just now
when complained Of having nothing 70
give. Thanks 20 me, the aparrcws Of the
quarter will have their New Years pres
cntsl
Noon-some one raps az my door. A
poor girl enters aud addresses me by name.
/ do not recognize her at first sight, but
she looks at me and smiles Oh, IL Is Pau
lettel II Is almost year since have seen
her, and Paulette Is no longer ~ same. The
other day she was a child; today she Is al
most n young lady.
Paulette IL lean, pale and poorly clad
but still there Il the same eye wide open
and looking straight before her; the same
mouth smiling az each word, ~ II 20 solicit
your friendship; the same voice, a little
timid and yet caressing. paulette Is not
pretty; she Is even called homely. find
her charming.
Perhaps II Is not a. all because Of what
she Is, but because Of myself paulette
appears TO me through one Of my best
recollections.
IL was the evening Of a public holiday.
The Examinations ran their cordons Of FIRE
up and down our monuments A thousand
streamers fioated IN the night wind The
fireworks had just displayed their figures
Of flame IN the middle of the Champs de
Mars All at once ono Of those inexplica-
BILE panics that strike multitudes with mad
ness fell upon the crowded lines Of people.
They shout, they push, the weaker STUN.
BILE and the gwaying crowd brushes them
under its convulsive feet Escaped by mir
acle from the jam. | am going farther
away when the cries OF a child almost per
ishing draw me back. re-enteT that hui
man chaos. and after unheard Of efforts
rescue paulette at the peril Of my life.
That was two years ago. Since then / had
seen the little girl only at long intervals
and had almost forgotten her, but Paul
cite has the memory Of all good hearts
She comes, at the beginning Of the new
year, 90 offer wishes for my happiness She
brings me. be 'des. violet plant in bloom
she, herself, put il in the earth and tended
| tit is gift that belongs entirely TO her
/ for she has gained the mastery over IL b.
!
The violet has grown in coarse vase
and Paulette. who is a maker Of pasteboarl
boxes has covered IL with vanished pape
set of with arabesques. The decoration
might be in better taste, but they SAVIOR o
her kind good will.
This unexpected present, the modest blusl
on the cheek of the little girl and her STAN
mered compliment dissipate, like a ray o
sunlight, the kind Of mist that was envelop
I ing my heart; my thoughts pass abrupt.
from the leaden tints OF the evening to tn
moro rosy tints Of the morning. / max
paulette sit down. and ! question her gayly
The little girl responds at first in mono
syllables, but soon the roles are reversed
and il is / who interrupt with short word
Of exclamation her long disclosures. TIL
poor child leads a hard life An orphai
for many years, she has remained, with he
brother aud sister, In the charge Of an oil
grandmother who has brought them up Of
misery, as she Is accustomed to put II
However, Paulette assists her now in tn
making Of boxes, her little sister Perrine
beginning to sew, and Henri is apprentice
ia a printing house. All would 20 wei
were it not for the stopping and loss O
work; were it not for clothes that wea
out; were IL not for appettes that gro'
keen; were It not for winter, which obliRe
them TO buy their sunshinel Paulette con
pia.ne that the candle burns out too quickl
and that the wool costs too much.
The chimney Of their garret IS so larR