The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-12-22
sot Of torn sorpps, 4 suppose you are ~,

lhnltreas.
"Jlnnethrcss, Is itf Faith, then, per.
haps that is II. I scroob the flures and
stairs beyant outside, and pick the stool
they throw down In here"
Draxy looked at her thoughtfuIly
'That Is too hard" she said at length in
a decisive little tone. "What ails your
poor baokp"
"God bless yeg darrlin, and kape We
and me oud bones are crackln wild It.
livery tonne rise mcself from pickin up
these little carrds''--
Poor woman Who makes you do
such hard workfI said Draxy, beginning
in another aisle to pick up torn checks
and programmes.
"Me ould man is bedrid this five year,
and the little ohildther-tbe grandchild-
ther, darrlin, wild the poor mother in
hiven--God be meroiful to her swato soul
Il works to kape the little childther."
"Oh, I'm real sorry for you" seaid
Draxy, coming back TO the basket, with
her skirt held up like an apron and filled
with scra, s.
"Ah, Col bless her What's this, at allf
Is 1t piokin up the cards 20 are, darrlinf
Look Gt Lat now. All, go and sit down
wild ye, miss, dear. Shure, ye mustn't DO
doin the loikes Of that"
mo, I'm just going to help you.
was here last night, and 70 you see made
part of this litter, said Draxy.
"Why" she exclaimed again directly.
"They stick into this mating so. And
it's miles and 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 tho 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 1t was to hear the
mighty rumble of that giant bassi You
could feel it shake the floor beneath your
feet. 1t made the balconies vibrate and
tremble, and sometimes the great hall
seemed almost to rock and roll with sound
Then, when 1t ended, there was such
silence that the slow ticking OF the great
clock seemed like tho heart beats Of the
place, which you could hear because It
was 60 still.
Davy had finished practioing, and his
little sister, half way down the hall, was
wondering why he did not come out and
call her. She began to look often toward
che stage and then at the groat clock face
on the balcony.
Hark Could that have been a strain of
music. or was 1t the sad, sad voice of some
one grlevingY
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 playingY Oh, what is
this that is making tears fall fast on the
two faces 1t has drawn 30 nearP
II was music that was never written
music that was never heard before and
will not be heard again, for Davy is in
spired. He is playing from his own soul.
This is his farewell TO music and to all his
hopes 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 piteous strain,
then a wild crash across the keys, and
Davy has nung his head down ON his
arms. The music il ended.
"Goodby, goodbyp' he whispered, kiss
ing the yellow keys where his face lay hid
den.
"Oh, iDayy!" sobbed little voice, and
Draxy's arms were around his neck, her
soft, wet cheek pressed close to his. Just
then grufT old voice said:
Come, come! This won't dol Stop
this snivellngw
An Brln that seemed too fatherly and
gentle to belong to such voice took in
Dayy and Draxy at once as they sat on
the Crgan scat, and seemed to hug them
and shake them Mt the same time.
"Comel What's the matter here, sayS"
Where he bad dropped from was the
mystery. Had he been hiding In some
recess OF the organS
Impossible to say. But there he was,
looking very grim, except about the eyes,
which were kind, and--was it possibleY--
had suspicious wetness about them, In
spite of his orders against sniyeling.
Davy turned around, pale and dazed--
scarcely aroused yet from his dream.
"Sir" he said, half proudly, half sadly.
"What are you crying aboutY" demand
ed the old gentleman.
Crying" repeated Davy, with flash
ing eyes, "I'm not crying'
He drew himself erect, and the color
rose in his checks.
"Ah! Spirit, too---ehS" said the old gen.
tleman exultantly.
Then he wheeled suddenly on Draxy.
"What are you crying about, them" he
demanded In terrible tone.
"Be- because / want to' said she, stiff
ening her little neck.
"Ohl Because you want to, ehY Come
herep'
Draxy came, rather defantly, am
afraid. But then he did seem such an in
terfering old gentleman.
"Now look at mer' no ordered.
DraHy looked right into his eyes. Some
thing that she saw there must have reas-
sured her, for pretty soon she smiled,
though he was pinching her ear.
$50 you're the kind of little girl who
helps poor old ladies with lame backs
when you SOC them hard at work, are
your" said he.
Draxy stared with surprise, but answer
cd never word.
"Is sheS" he asked again, turning to
the old woman, who stepped back in a
hurry, but recovered herself and courtesied,
saying:
"She is, sirl God bless herp'
"And you're tho kind of fellow who
takes care of his mother and tho little
brothers and sisters, are your" the gentle
man went on, turning TO DaVy. you're
the sort Of chap who wears thin clothes
all winter and gives up his music and
buckles down, trying to be father to the
family, are youp Davy oolored and looked
away.
SIS her" persisted this monotonous old
gentleman, turning to Draxy,
For answer she just put her arms around