The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-01-26

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xxx one winter morning that
he had been found dead
at his writing table, the
young folk felt as if they had lost a
friend.
He was about to write letter at the
time of his death to his pretty niece
Fay. He had got no farther than
the first three lines of this letter, but
she, the child of his love and care,
had been last in the good old mans
thoughts.
With the worthy master at his shop
in the High Street lived his widowed
sister, Fay's mother, whose husband
was Lane, and Mark Innes, the or
phaned boy of another sister, who had
left her only child to her brothers
care.
Everyone expected that the two
children would benefit alike by the
fortune the old instrument maker had
left. Everybody was shocked, there
fore, when it become known that he
had willed the principal part of his
property to lazy, selfish Mark, and
left to poor Fay fiddle, which had
really been hers all along.
She had just turned ten at this
time, and was pale and very sedate
little person. She was also a born
musician, and it had been the wish of
the old mans heart that she should
excel on the violin. Her uncle had
the best of masters for his little niece,
and the instrument she used was one
of his own make; once day, at least,
he would most solmenly charge her
''never to lose sight of that fiddle.
While she had that" he declared,
"his little girl would have fortune
at her fingers ends"
To Mrs. Lane was left handsome
yearly allowance, ON condition that
she should take charge of the boy
Mark, and bring him up as her own.
In few weeks time business mat
ters were all put straight, and the
three began the new life together in
pretty house off the High Street.
Fay's mother was highly educated
woman and taught her little daugh
ter herself; Mark, who was SLOUGH
ing lad of twelve, attended college in
the neighborhood.
level with her mothers chamber, and
it was Marks peculiar pleasure to get
in there and worry her. 1t was i'm
possible, you see, for this lazy and
selfish boy to understand the high
and diligent purpose of his cousins
daily life, SO he made laugh of vir-
tues he could not practice. Had Mrs.
Lane known of these habits of his,
she would have certainly interposed,
but Fay was forbearing little soul,
and never forgot the peculiar position
her mother held toward this boy,
whose presence supplied the greater
part of her income. 1t was only when
he laid ruthless hands upon the fiddle
that Fay lost control of herself Not
that he meant any actual harm to the
instrument, which had become part
of the girls life. but he loved to see
the wild dismay of the little musician
when her treasure was in danger.
Well, time passed. Queer old
Uncle Lane had been dead two years,
and the young folk had shot up re-
markably. Fay was quite wonder
full player on the violin now, and was
often required to show what she
could do that way.
One winter afternoon upon return
ing from round of calls, Mrs. Lane
went hastily into the school room, and
told her little girl that she had prom
Used their rector that she-Fay-
should play one of her prettiest
pieces at a certain concert which was
to be held in fortnight's time for
the benefit of the local cottage hospi-
tai.
A frock fit for fairy-the most
wonderful mixture of white cash
mere. lace, and swansdown-was
soon to hand, and the young must
clan strove hard to be worthy of the
great occasion.
On the day of the concert Mrs.
Lane was obliged to go out in the
afternoon, and had thought it best to