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


"Ah, little thing" he said. 'Thers
you arer' He was terribly altered
As 'Tilda's eyes rested on his face and
saw the sunken cheeks and hollow
eyes, her heart seemed 10 stop beating
He had come back; come back a
Christmas, with a carol on his lips
but he spoke feebly, and with littl,
gasps, and iTilda realized-as she had
not done in her first wild joy-that the
notes of the carol had been husky anC
broken.
"oh,n she cried, you've took illr'
He smiled little.
"Yes," hesaid. al suppose have
Did you think | was never coming
backgr
I-didn't know faltered 'Tilds
Joy and distress were fighting for the
mastery, as she looked at him until she
felt quite faint. "oh, are y"u very
bad?'
He made slight gesture of indif
ference.
"It's all right" he said. "And what
have you been doing with yourself.
Starving, by the look of you. Father
out of work?'
'Tilda nodded:
81 don't believe as you ought to be
out, she said.
He looked at her with an odd ex-
preston in his eyes.
81 told you l would come and sing
10 you again." he said.
"Have you got far to get back9" she
persisted earnestly. "Where do you
live?"
sat Marmaduke Buildings" he re-
turned lightly. "But l don't think I
shall be there long, 'Tilda."
He was interrupted by fit OF cough
ing which left him white and shaking,
aud brought the tears into 'Tilda's
eyes.
you'll go home now, straight she
pleaded, and have cup Of hot tea?
Dor
every WELL" he said. Goodbye,
little thing" He took her hand and
held it close for an instant, looking at
her again with that odd expression.
He had dropped her hand and turned
away, when he took shilling out of
his pocket and closed her fingers over
it.
"Don't make fuss" he said hur-
riedly. "Carolslnging pays, you
know" And then be was gone.
He did not come the next day, and
.Tilda tried bravely to possess her soul
in patience. Neither did the dAy FOL-
lowing bring him. And on the third
day iTilda could bear herself no longer.
The recollection of his thin, white face,
his cough, his feeble voice, haunted her
day aud night. He was i'll, she knew;
he was lonely, she felt sure; what if he
were lying all alone this Christmas
time, with no one TO take care of him
What if he should die, and she should
never see him again?
1t was with these two thoughts drag
ging at her heart-strings until she hard
Iy knew herself that 'Tilda's resolution
was taken. When all chance of his
coming on that third day was gone by,
she moved from the corner at the top
Of the street where she had waited for
him needless of the icy cold, and turn
ed her back on George Street, with her
face white and set. She went out into
main thoroughfare, ald there she
stopped and spoke to a policeman.
''Please, where's Marmaduke's Build
ings?" she said.
The policeman looked at ber cur
iously.
"Don't know the name about here, -
he said. There's a Marmaduke's
Buildings at Noting HILL"
(which is the way?'i said 'Tilda.
He gave her some directions, and
told her to ask again, and 'Tilda thank
ed him and set out.
1t was a long way. To 'Tilda, unus-
ed to London except as represented 10y
the immediate vicinity Of George Street,
it was a journey fraught with difficulty
and danger indeed. The streets, full
aud bustiing with Christmas traffic
bewiIdered her. The lights and the
darkness alike confused her, and the
noise made her giddy. Again and
again she lost her way, and had to re-
trace her steps. Again and again she
asked for directions, only to think des-
pairingly that her destination was as
far Off as ever. She was stiff with cold
and faint with WEAKNESS when at last
her tremulous question was answered
by the words:
"There y'are. Right oppersite.n
1t was a wretched looking place, q
dirty, tumble down court. Bat ;hi:
was a matter of course TO 'Tilda. She
had always known that he was very
poor. She crossed the road to the Ell
trance to the court, and then she hesi-
tated a moment. Her purpose held a
strong as ever, but it had suddenly Oc
Cured to her that she did not know hi:
name. 1t was late in the eevening now,
nearly nine o'clock, aud it happened
that there was nobody about at this end
of the court, though away in the dis
tanee two or three men were standing
about. But at this moment a littl'
child with a jug in his hand ran out o
a door close to her.
There's a singer lives here" said
'Tilda, as he passed her. (which house
is it?"
The child stared at her for moment
"Him as goes round the streets?" h'
said. son your left there. Top back.
Then, being in too great hurry to in
dulge his evident curiosity, he ran on
The door of the house he had pointed
to was only half closed, and without I
moments hesitation 'TildA pushed i
open and went in and up the stairs
She met nobody, though she hearC
voices as OF women quarreling and chill
dren crying. Up she went, until sh'
left the voices behind, and stood befor'
the door OF the top back in deeI
silence. She knocked softly. Ther
was no answer. She knocked again
louder this time. Still there was NJ