The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-20
a SONG STORY.

CT great city, struggling hard to earn
their daily broad. Isl
She, timid little maiden, with slender,
graceful limbs and wealth Of waving
golden hair-just the kind Of child fond
mother would love to have Nesting at her
side and clothe In dainty, childish gar
ments But Nellie had no mother to caress
her-no tender, loving hand to smooth her
tangled curls. Her home was garrett in
London sluIn, and her mother had died
years ago, when Nellie was tiny blue
eyed babby. And now her only friend was
roguish little Irish lad, who, with his
merry dark eyes and laughing face, had
won her heart more than year ago, when
one bleak November day some rough street
boys had wantonly upset her basket Of
flowers, and Mike had sturdily come to the
rescue, scattering the offenders left and
right with flourish Of his muddy broom.
Ever since that memorable day Mike
had been enshrined as a hero in Nellie's
heart, and no knight Of old had ever more
loyal devotion or truer lady love than
this curly headed little crossing sweeper,
who, in his turn, regarded the sweet faced
little flower girl as something too fair and
gentle for this rough, workaday world and
treated her with tender chiyalry which
was very quaint and winsome, and which
often evoked amused comments from the
passersby.
They were always together In their lei
sure hours. In summer time the little com.
rades might be seen wandering side by
side In the public parks or seated quietly
in some out of the way nook, the dark
curls and the golden head nestled close to.
gether, while Nellie told wondrous stories
to her eager little friend or sang to him, in
her sweet childish treble, fragments of tho
hymns she had learned at the mission
school.
Mike never tired Of listening and would
beg again and again for "just one more"
his dark eyes growing wide and radiant as
Nellie sang of the streets Of gold and of
the joys which awaited the children in
"the kingdom called home"
"How can we get there, Nellie?' he
questioned eagerly one day. 'Do you know
the way9"
Nellie shook her head little sadly.
1--WE can't find out the way until we die,
Mike, dear. Then an angel with u golden
crown will come and take our hand and
show us the way"
Mikes saucy face grew grave
II wish we could go, Nellie-you and
me-" he whispered. "You could sing
there, Nellie, without policemen telling us
to move on, couldn't your Then anx-
iously, as new thought occurred, "There
won't be no policemen there, Nellie will
thereY'
Another shake of the golden head.
"Of course not, Mike. There'll be no
need of them. Everybody's good and happy
up there. Oh, Mike, think of It'll" clapping
her thin little hands in an ecstasy of de-
light, "fowers all a-growin and a-blowin;
roses and lilies that never fade! Oh,
doesn't it all seem too good to be true"
Mike watched his little comrades shin
ing eyes and radiant face and felt strange
sinking at his heart as he noticed how
fragile the little form had become and
heard the short quick cough which came
from the pale lips ever and anon. Was
Nellie going to die and leave him2 he won
dered vaguely. All, how dreary life would
be without her! A quick sob rose In his
throat and he brushed his small, rough
hand resolutely across his eyes.
All that night Nellie's little wan face
haunted him, banishing sleep from his
eyes At length, as he lay tossing on the
heap of straw which formed his bed,
brilliant idea entered his curly head. Mel
lie must go to the sea. Hc had heard of
wonderful cures which change Of dir had
wrought. There was Tim, tho lame boy,
at the end of the court-why, he had not
been like the same child since that three
weeks visit to Margate. And Old Joe, the
shoemaker was never tired of telling how
the fresh, pure air had made new man"
of him. Yes, Nellie must certainly go to
the sea, and he, Mike, must find the
money. This settled, he fell asleep.
EARLY and late the little fellow toiled,
carefully boarding every halfpenny he
could save, running errands, sweeping
crossings, selling papers, countingno labor
too much which brought an addition to
his treasured hoard.
Meanwhile the bright summer days
melted into autumn, the sunshine faded,
to give place to chilling winds and damp
mists. All this did not tend to improve
Nellie's cough. A bright spot of vivid col
or burned on the white face, and the blue
eyes shone with unnatural brilliancy.
Mike noted the change with great salts
faction.
YOU'RE getting such rosy face, Nellp'
he exclaimed gladly. And your eyes shine
like two big stars. Thcre'll be no need of
street lamps soon, " he added, with true
Irish gallantry
Nellie smiled the sweet patient smile
which Mike loved so dearly. She would
not pain him by telling of the slecplcss
nights and torturing cough, Of the strange,
chilly feeling at her heart and the weary
aching of her wasted limbs.
With thai divine unselflshness which
characteriZes some natures, she bravcly
strove to hide from him the true state Of
affairs and would still try to tell, night
after night in faint, weak tones, the story
they both loved SO we'll
One cold winter night, when the snow
was softly falling, covering the muddy
streets with a pure white mantle, Mike
crept to the old familiar corner to hear yet
once again 'the old sweet tale"
Clear and bright were Nellies blue eyes,
and softly her low voice rose and fell rs
she told in tender accents of the fadeless
flowers and the golden Threshold where
"childrcn were always at play" And
eagerly Mike listened, taking the little
chilled hands in both his own but soon her
voice began to falter, her face grew wan
and PALE" the golden head dropped wea-
rily, and over the bright eyes thick mist
seemed to fall. Mike grew frightened.
"Nellie, Nellie!" he cried brcathessly.
care you i'll? Oh, Nellie, me own darlin,
speak to mev'
The old sweet smile fliokered for an in.
slant around the pale lips.
kiss me, Mike" she whispered family,
ind with that one
Kiss on the gold crowned forehead
Ho knew that the angel had come
To show her the beautiful pathway
That leads to the kingdom called home.
Queen