The Press., 1898-12-22

Is it piGkin up the cards We are, darfilnY
Look at that now All, go and sit down
wild ye miss, dear Shure ye mustn { be
dom the loikes of that
NO Pm just going to help you.
was here last night, and SO you see made
part of this litter, said Draxy,
ssWhyr' she exclaimed again directly
They stick int this mating so. And
it's miles ard miles up and down these
rows of seats.
And away went Draxy, picking up
scraps for dear life and saying to herself
that she would never tear up and scatter
checks or programmes again as long as
she lived
So the poor charwoman and the little
maid went up and down, hard at work.
while the soft Christmas twilight fell
without, and the great fugue rolled and
thundered from the organ.
Oh, what thing it was to hear the
mighty rumble of that giant bass! You
could feel it shake the floor beneath your
feet 1t made the balconies vibrate and
tremble, and SON chimes the great hall
seemed almost To rock and roll with sound
Then, when it ended there was such
silence that the slow ticking of the great
clock seemed like the heart beats of the
place which you could hear because it
was so still,
Davy had finished practicing, and his
little sister half way down the hail. was
wondering why he did not come out and
call her She began to look often toward
the stage and then at the great clock face
on the balcony
Hark! Could that have been sGrain OF
music, or was it the sad, sad voice of some
one grievingy
Draxy and the old woman turned at the
first sound and looked toward the organ.
They had scarcely listened while the
| great fugue was rolling through the hall
But something drew them nearer to this
magical strain, and they crept toward 1t
step by step.
What is Davy playing? Oh, what is
this that is making tears fall fast on the
two faces it has drawn SO near?
1t was music that was never written
music that was never heard before and
will not Ee heard again, for Qavy is in
| spired He is playing from his own soul.
| This is his farewell to music and to all his
homes and dreams The organ grieves for
| him The master on his pedestal listens
sadly aud seems almost to stir with pity.
At last there comes "a piteQus strain,
| then o wild crash across the keys, and
| Davy has flung his head down on his
arms The music is ended
''Goodby, goodbye he whispered, kiss
ing the yellow keys where his face lay hid
| den
"Oh, Davyr' sobbed little voice, and
| Draxy's arms were around his neck, her
soft. wet cheek pressed close to his just
then gruff old voice said;
Come, GOMEZ This won't dol Stop
this sniVeling!'
An arm that seeme ed too fatherly and
gentle TO belong to such voice took in
| Davy and Draxy at once as they sat on
the organ seat, and seemed to hug them
and shake them at the same time
'.Come! What's the matter here, say?'
Where he had dropped from was the
mystery Had he been hiding in some
| recess of the organ?
Impossible 10 say But there he was,
| looking very grim, except about the eyes,
which were kind, and-was it possible?-
had a suspicious Wetness about them, in
| spite of his orders against sniveling.
pavy turned around, pale and dazed-
scarcely aroused yet from his dream
'tSirl'' he said, half proudly, half sadly
What are you crying ahoHt?' demand
/ ed the old gentleman
'Cryingl" repeated payy, with flash
ing eyes. ''I'm not cryingP'
He drew himself erect and the color
rose in his cheeks.
"Ahl Spirit, too-ehY'' said the old gen
tleman eXultantly.
Then he wheeled suddenly on Draxy.
What are you crying about, then?' he
| demanded in a terrible tone
| 'EBe-because / want tor said she, stiff
enlng her little neck
oh! Because you want to, eh? Come
| herep'
praxy came, rather defantly, l am
afraid. But then he did seem such an in
terfering old gentleman.
EsNOW look at me!'' he ordered.
Q1s4xy looked right into his eyes. Some
thing that she saw there must have reas-
spred her, for petty soon she smiled.
though ne was pinching her ear.
So you're the kind of little girl who
| helps poor old ladies with lame backs
when you see them hard at work, are
| your said he.
Draxy stared with surprise, but answer
| cd never a word.
lis she?" he asked again, turning to
the old woman, who stepped back in q
| hurry, hut recovered herself and courtesied,
saying;
''She ia, sir! God bless herr'
HAnd you're the kind of fellow who
| takes care of his mother and the little
brothers and sisters, are your" the gentle
man went on, turning to Davy YOUR
| the sort of chap who wears thin clothes
all winter and gives up his music and
buckles down, trying to be a father to the
family, are your" Davy col req and looked
away.
"Is her" persisted this monotOnous old
| gentleman, turning to Drazy.
For answer she just put her arms around
her brothers. neck and gave him rousing
little kiss
| 'tWell, then, f" said the old gentleman
/ hot I 4No
kind of an old man who loves to help good
boys and girls. Sometimes send the boys
| off to study music, and l look after the
| little sisters and the babies till the boys
get back. !"
The looks of Davy and Draxy were a
sight to see!
mMy name is Maxwell, 4" went on the
old gentleman quietly 81 have heard
| about you down stairs, and I've been here
some time myself Now, I've got boy
I would like to have him study music
abroad-in Europe He doesn't want to
go, however"
At this the brother and sister exchanged
a glance. but they were dumb and trem
bling
land" said the old gentleman mysteri,
ously, 1--WE got some money that does
want to 60 Here he laid great kind
hand on Davy's shoulder. "I'm going to
send you with it, sir. ="
Draxy screamed, and, running into Mr.
Maxwell's arms, Rugged him with frantic
joy.
Davy gasped, gripped the kind hand
and then-it was no use-broke down.
Hello Perhaps you're not crying
now p roared Mr.. Maxwell, pleased as he
could be-
'Sir-Mr. Maxwell-do you really mean
it9 Oh. l will work SO hard and pay you
back every cent, and, oh, Mr.. Maxwell
you don't know, sir, you don't know
Davy wrnng that great hand once again
bereft of words.
''Well, let's see Then said Mr.. Max
we'll. ''Come here, old lady So the old
man is laid up and the children cold and
hungry are they?''
God help us, sirr IT'S thrue then.
And the rheumatic is pretty bad, eh?'
i sETa6a an IL iS Sirr Nav vorScIf Tivor