The Helena independent., 1894-12-24

His wife picks it up and wipes it with
her shawl. She speaks In a grooming
| tone.
Marla-There there. dear, She don't
/ know. She don't understand. Madam,
My husband IL a musician, He is not a
| beggar He works hard for a living.
Try IL and see-all weathers.
Maria Holt raises herself with dig
nifty and with n trembling fOreilnger
points at her husbands eyes.
L.ady-Blind?
Maria mods silently
Lady (Overcomel-Oh. beg your par
don, oh. you poor people, | beg your
pardon with all my heart,
The Street Musician blowing with n
fine graccl-Madam. you have II from
mine.
Lady-Tell me how it came about
this great misfortune. DO you mind
telling me? | viii try not To hurt your
feelings so stupidity again.
Henry Holt drawing himself erecO-
Yes. ma'am, ! will tell you VI hap
pened thirty years ago, but IL don't
needs thirty words to tell IT, Seems to
mo, ma'am fsmilinEl IL you'll excuse
me. you're the one that don't see Of us
two,
The street musician lifts his purple
fingers 10 his siEhtless eyes and then,
with n superb gesture, points In silence
to faded decoration pinned upon his
shrunkeu breast IT rs the badge Of
the Grand Army Of the Republic
The crowd about the group has slow
~ Increased. Silver begins 10 fall into
the strcet-player's cap. There Is a gap
among the women az the show window.
Maria Holt looks through this gap.
Her wan eyes raise themselves to the
crmine opera cloak with instructive
feminine attention. she giaHcrs at the
pink ana silver room The blind mans
pale face turns bllnkly In the same di-
rection. To him alone of all the people
before the window It's luxurious display
appeals without Irousing interest The
dummy la ermino and the dummy Ia
chiffon regard him scOrnfully
The First Woman In the Crowd-It'
! "a hand organ. | guess. Isn't there O
| monkey d0te on monkeys.
Second Wumau-It Isn't monkey
! It's only % little man with tiutc. Lett
move on to the millinery window.
First Woman-Wait I've got Ter
cents
Second Woman-I'vp spent every cen
I've got In the world on that ostricl
plume and nay iet trlmmIn's. I've go
a. borrow Of you To gel home ! Zee
kind 0t ashamed tyo-seems 50 mean
! Lots move along and they'll think WI
ildn't sro him
Lady-Dld you lngo your oyoslEht II
| IIwuy Holt tchoorily playing Yauka
! DJodlc-lFiuishcs the strain cousci y
uuusly before he spcaksi-Excusr m,
iuJ'gm u seems 20 bc silver that's com
ing In. ! know lt by the note It strikes
] want 10 earn what / take. ! don
beg, ! nm a musician I used 10 pla.
in bands I've always been fond q
/ music. Yes, ma'am. ] lost my eyes d
the war, one NJ 'rm.
Maria Holt other followed. com
hyc rp.trs TIM was when We was Hrs
married s1 { know, I wa2 young thcI
"a slip of girl. II came dreadful har
on ~.
, Lady-Is he quito hlind2
Henry am quito blind. one Cy
don't look II. they say. Some folks tha
+ don't know anything, I got "A piece ,
3 n she'll az Antirtnm
Iady-Rut the United StpDas dneg n,
leave ms blind soldiers to bc-plhy "a
, the strcots-on public sympathy-for
. | living what Is your prnsion1
) Henry GmilinTl i don't rot the per
sion for serious disability. What ] s.,
[ | iugt about pays our rrnt n don
: ! rlothr nor feed ug don't grt "a blin
, | man's pension But wc got along SOM
| tm0s quito we'll II depends gomo T.
: whethDT my wife can rct "a job, mn
then there's IA" weather 7 alnI
strong na ! was before The war. ! don
p stand bad weather. 7 hpvc the pnnt
| monlJ-and that's expensive There
- hitch about my pension. you srr.
e used 10 think 10 would como round Rt
I We've given up botheriHg. haven't "
MARIA?
/, Maria tnpathctically)-Ye Il on