The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1894-12-20

the street lamp was singing with all her
small might. And such voice! 1t made
him think of the ''herald angels" about
whom she sang, or, better still, of RATHER
inc.
He waited until the carol was ended,
and then raising the sash called out in
persuasive tone, Little ones, will you
come here and as the children hesitated
he added: Don't be afraid. I only want
to speak to you a moment" And a little
later Tony and his sister were standing
before the old man in the great wide hall.
II want to tell you how much I have
enjoyed the anthem that you have been
singing out there in the cold and to ask
you if you won't come tomorrow and sing
it for me again. I used to have little girl
like you" touching Katbie's hair softly
as he spoke, "who sang it every Christmas
day.
Ibid she?'' Kathie asked, looking up at
the grim old man with genuine interest
in her big blue eyes. "Why, that's just
what my mamma used to do when she was
little girl, isn't it, Tony9'
Tony, who unlike his sister, disliked to
speak of what he termed family fairs"
before strangers, simply nodded and was
about to say that they would be very glad
to come in the morning when their host
of five minutes, leaning eagerly forward,
exclaimed in a hoarse voice: Your moth
er, children? Who is she? Who are your"
Half frightened by the change that had
come over the old mans face, Tony an
swered wonderingly, 1--WE are mammals
children, Kathie and Tony, and mamma
is Mrs. Anthony Girvin." The sudden
ness of the discovery was too great to be
borne calmly, and the old man trembled
like palsied person as he rang the bell
for a servant. "Tell John,' he said when
the domestic appeared, Ito have the car
rage ready Immediately. Then, turning
to the puzzled children, he said in a voice
that he tried in vain to steady: Little
ones, your mother was the little girl who
used to sing for me years ago. Will you
take me to her, for want to go tonight"
It was years before that his daughter
Katherine had come up behind him one
evening, and putting her arms about his
neck told him with an unwonted shyness
that she had that day promised to be An
thony Girvin's wife, and he enraged that
his idol should be willing to marry poor
musician, who, though good and talented,
was guilty of being in moderate circum-
stances-he, the fond, affectionate father
had broken from the soft embrace and
commanded her-yes, he had used that
very word-to break her promise or to
leave his house forever. And how proud
~ she had lowered above him in her tall
beauty as she utterly refused to comply
with his commands, because-and the
words were CALLING to the father-because
she loved Anthony Girvin more than the
whole world. ''Then show your devotion
to this pauper and go!'' he had shouted,
little dreaming that he would be so
promptly obeyed, for, with a slight bend
ing of the beautiful head, she had gone
from the room, and when with a half
formed fear he went to find her note on
her dressing table told him that ''her de-
votion to this pauper' was proved, for she
had left her fathers house forever" The
tOrturing remOrse that followed almost
drove him insane and when he was con-
WINGED that all search for his daughters
whereabouts was vain he had settled down
to an almost entirely secluded life, which
was in its very nature living death.
Tony always persists that they owe their
present happy life to Kathie's fondness for
discussing family matters, but Kathie her
self and Kathie's idolizing grandfather lay
1t all to the old Christmas carol.
-EFkAs-