The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-12-22

From the Philadelphia Sunday Times.
1t began in the summer time, one
evening in August, when 'TiIda, on
her knees, scrubbing out the dirty little
kitchen, was feeling as though she
could bear life no longer.
Quite suddenly she paused in her
work and raised her grimy, tear-stain-
ed face. Outside in the street voice
had uplifted itself, not as the voices Of
the dwellers in George Street were apt
TO do, but in song. Through the open
door and windows the voice hoated;
with her scrubhing- brush suspended,
'Tilda listened, spell 1t was
tenor voice-one of those voices which
carry conviction to far harder hearts
than 'Tilda's. 1t was startlingly
beautiful voice for q street singer, even
though it was worn and roughened
with hard usage.
'Tilda could neither analyze or criti-
else. But she could feel. The song
was "The Devout Lover" and the
words passed over her head as though
they had no meaning. But the tender
rhythm of the music seemed to sweep
round her and wrap her away from all
ber trouble into very heaven. The
song went on. 'Tilda's white lips
parted in a smile of positive ecstasy,
and she scarcely breathed. Her great
blue eyes shone. She had heard no
music such as this in all her life. 1t
seemed to her something too beautiful
TO belong TO this world.
The song drew to its end; the last
long lingering notes died away; and
then, for 'Tilda, silence fell upon the
world. She did not hear the noises Of
George Street as they reasserted them
selves She had forgotten her work.
She knelt on, motionless, gazing away
into space and seeing nothing.
Such proceedings were not to be in
dulged in with impunity in the house
of Gilkes, aud torrent of language
and a box on the ears reused iTiIda
from her dream. But she fell asleep
that night with the voice ringing in
her ears. All the next day she listen
ed and longed. Would the singer come
back? Should she ever hear the song
again? Seven days had gone by, and
she was dragging wearily up aud down
George Street late in the afternoon with
Billy Gilkes, the baby, in her arms
when she started so violently as almost
to drop her burden, and a wave of
burning color flooded her face. Away
behind her at the end of the street the
voice was rising again.
The dirty, sun-parched street disap-
peared from before her eyes. Billy was
no longer heavy. She was no longer
tired. She turned involuntariIy and
moved, drawn by those long sweet
notes, up the street toward the singer.
He was tall man, gaunt and thin.
His face was pale, aud there were hard
aud bitter lines about it; lines OF de-
graduation, too. His features were well
and strongly cut; he had grey eyes
which even sullenness and cynicism
could not wholly mar; and his rough
hair fell over the true musicians fore
head. 'Tilda, standing close beside
him, with Billy clasped to her, and her
eyes fixed rapturously on his face, saw
nothing of this. Every sense but that
Of hearing was in trance. When the
song ended, a sigh of exquisite regret
and satisfaction came from her, and he
turned and saw her. He looked at her
for momen> in silence, and when he
spoke it seemed to 'Tilda inevitable
that the lips from which such sounds
issued should smile kindly. There was
something in his eyes, too, which
struck her vaguely as being just right.
"You like that?n he said.
'Tilda nodded. He looked at her for
an instant longer, aud then he began
to sing again. 'Tilda was crying, when
he stopped, tears of pure happiness.
This time he spoke to her roughly.
''You little foolv' he said. whats
that for?''
''Tilda wiped her eyes on Billy torn
frock.
'I don't know" she said faIteringly.
Haven't you anything real to cry
for?1 he said, scanning her attentively
'Tilda's answer was written in her
eyes and on her quivering lips.
"Poor little girlr' he muttered under
his breath. "Poor devils, all of usr'
And with an indescribably bitter twist
of his thin lips he suddenly broke into
"The DevOut Lover"
A little crowd had collected by the
time he had finished, and sundry half
pence were bestowed upon the singer.
'Tilda had not half-penny in the
world. and she would not have dared
TO offer it had she had one. But he
looked at her again before he moved
away, with a sudden smile of farewell,
which brought faint, uncertain refiec-
ton of itself to 'Tilda's wan face
After this there came for 'Tilda near
ly fortnight during which she lived in
veritable seventh heaven. Almost
every day the singer came, and always
during that time in the late afternoon
which was devoted to the airing Of
Billy. This was so wonderfully lucky
'Tilda told herself, in almost awestruck
surprise at her own good fortune. She
was almost always able TO be in wait
ing at the corner. Or if she chaneed
to be so far away as the other end Of
the street, the first sweet, penetrating
notes reached her instantly. Once or