Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-08
A SONG STORY.

n Mt -
side and clothe In dainty, childish ,,a,
nents. But Nellie had no moth, xa.a go. s'ar-
her-no tender, loving hand to smooth ~
tangled ourls. Her homo wns a enrrct in =
London slum, and her mother had III
years ago, when Nellie was n tiny bi,,a
eyed babby. And now her only friend ,,,,,s
roguish little Irish lad who, with HE
merry dark eyes and laughing face, Ind
won her heart moro than n year aro. yyben
oio pissik november day some rough street
boys had wantonly upset her basket ~
flowers, and Mike had sturtlily come h, tta
rescue, scattering the offenders left md
right with flourish of his muddy broo,n
EVER since that memorable day Mike
mad been enshrinod ns a hero in Nellie,a
heart, and no knight of old had over mora
loyal devotion or n truer lady love than
this curly headed little crossing sweeper
who, In his turn, regarded the sweet faoed
little Hover girl as something too fair and
gentle for this rough, worladay world ana
treated her with tender chiynlrv ,vbich
was very quaint and winsome, and which
often evoked amused comments from tha
passersby. ''S
Ihey were always together In their lei
sure hours. In summer time tho little com
fndes might be seen wandering side Inv
side in the public parks or seated quietly
in some out of tho way nook, tho dsri,
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 tho mission
school
Mike never tired of listening and would
neg again and again for lust ono 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
'thc kingdom called homo"
How can we get there, NellieY'' hc
questioned eagerly one day. "Do you know
the wnyS"
Nellie shook her head u little sadly.
we can't find out tho why until we de-
Mike, dear. Then an angel with q golden
crown will como and take our hand and
show us the way"
Mixes saucy face grew grave.
II wish We could CO. Ncllie-you and
me-" he Whispered. "You could sing
there, Nellie without policemen telling US
TO move on, couldn't youY" Then nnx-
lousy, as IA now thought occurred, "Thcro
won't be no policemen there, Nellie, will
thercg'
Another shake of tho golden head.
"Of course not, Mike. Therc'l be no
need of them. Everybody good and happy
up there. oh, Mike, think of itl' clapping
her thin little hands in an ecstasy OF de-
light, flowers all a-growin and a-blowin;
roses and lilies that mover fadei oh,
doesn't it all seem too good to be trueYp
Mike watched his little comrades shin
ing cycsand radiant face and felt n strange
sinking ut his heart as he noticed how
fragile the little form had become and
heard the short, quick cough which camo
from tho pale lips ever and anon. Was
Nellie going to die and leave him2 he won
dered vaguely. All, how dreary life would
DO 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 tho
heap of straw which formed his bed,
brilliant idea entered his curly head. Nell
lie must go to the sea. He had heard of
wonderful cures which n change of mir 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 mani
of him. Yes, Nellie must certainly go to
the sea, and he Mike, must find tho
money. This settled, he fell asleep
Early and late the little fellow toiled,
carefully boarding every halfpenny no
could save, running eTands, sweeping
crossings, selling papers, counting no 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
Inists, All this did not tend to improve
Nellie's cough. a bright spot of vivid col
or burned ON the white fnce, and tho blue
eyes shone with unnatural brilliancy.
Mike noted tho change with great salts
faction.
you're getting such rosy face, Nclli'
he exclaimed gladly. And your eyes shine
like two big stars. There'll lie no need of
street lamps soon," he added, with true
Irish glllantry.
Nellie smiled the sweet, patient smile
which Mike loved so dearly. She would
not pain him by telling OF the sleepless
nights and torturing cough, OF the strange,
chilly feeling at her heart and tho weary
aching Of her wasted limbs.
With that divine unselhshness which
charncterizes some natures, she bravely
stroye to hldo from him the true state of
aihirs and would still txto tell, night
after night, in faint, weak tones the story
they both loved so well.
One cold winter night, when the snow
was softly falling, covering the muddy
streots with a pure white mantle, Mike
crept to the old familiar corner to hear yet
onoo again 'the old sweet tale"
Clear and bright were Nelhe's blue eyes,
fld sostly her low voice rose and fell as
she told in tender accents OF the fadeless
flowers and the golden Threshold where
"ohildren were always at play" And
eagerly Mike listened, taking the little
chilled hands in both his own but soon cher
voice began to fHlter, her face grew wan
and pale" the golden head droopod wea-
rlly, and over the bright eyes IA thick mist
seemed to fall Mike grew frightened.
Nellie, NellieV' he cried hrcathlessly
Are you il9 Oh, Nellie, mo own ,lnrlin,
fpeak to mel''
The old sweet smile niclered for an in
slant around the pale lips
Kiss Inc, Mike" she whispered faintly,
hnd with that ono
Kiss on the gold crowned forehead
He knew that tho angel had come
To show her the beautiful pathway
That leads 10 tho kingdom called home.