The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-12-17
UNDER THE BUST
Or BEETHOVEN.

40 a ISNoA.
The sparkling promise of perfect
Christmastide was in the air, and the oio
mall on tie big common clicked and pat
tered to the tread of gay crowds crossing
either way, all winter rosy, bundled laden
and bright eyed with exercise.
JOYOUS excitement tingled in the frosty
wind. that with keen rush swept the
bare branches overhead and buffeted the
skirts of laughing girls, who came on,
leaning merrily against it and passed in
bright whirl of petticoats, with little
sbrieks of fun. One group of these,
knot of pretty schoolgirls, with their
skates. bound for the public garden, jos
fled against tall lad with small maiden
at his side and crowded them quite of
the walk with little ceremony.
The only wonder is they did not crowd
them out of notice, too, and out Of this
story at the same time, for plain, shabby
little mouse was Draxy, trotting along at
her brothers. side.
Those rosy girls, sweeping by in their
bright gowns and plush and furs, looked
So bewitching and SO brilliant near her
Won could hardly help wishing the story
to be about them instead.
There we're no fine feathers about Davy,
either. poor lad-poor bonny Dayy in his
fbrea6hare clothesl
WalEino along behind him, you would
have noticed how faded and thin his coat
1Cas and nerhaps YOU would have smiled
at the great match on the elbow of the
sleeve his music was tucked under. But
had Won come the other way and met my
D.ryv5s face helieye me. you would never
think of patches OF of faded clothes, for
there was something in that beautlful
5arir eve and brave. clear brow, a prince
MIGHT envy him.
7 fear he would not thank me, though,
for choosing such time to introduce him
when his head was dropping and the
brown ewes were heavy with a mist that
almost gathered into drops.
"Dayy.'' chirped Draxy at his elbow,
ooh. do you see what fun the boys are
having PLAYING football down on the pa
rade cround?''
Dayy cast a heavy glance toward the
lively Youths, but could not muster q
word or smile to please her.
Don't look so awful, Davy," pleaded
the little girl. Besides, here comes that
Ernest Maxwell, and he see4 you. :"
Up went Davy's head at that. and his
ewes measured the approaching figure
steadily.
Ernest Maxwell carried some music un-
der his arm too. 1t was by the same divine
connoser as Davy's No sweeter because
it had such an expensive binding, am
sure. Neither was Ernest Maxwell, him
self. any grander because of his own ex-
pensive binding. s
But he seemed to think that he was,
and he gave Dayy very patronizing nod
as he passed.
ssNo use, Draxyp burst out Davy, as
soon as they were out of hearing, II don't
see any Justice in it, and can't bear It,.
There's that sDob, Maxwell-his father is
just coaxing him, bribing him, to go to
Germany and study. Schwarz told me so,
In the class, yesterday"
"Oh, my poor Dayy! AND you We got
to give up your music and go to work in
that horrid old place.
''Tisn't that I don't think I'd be
mean enough to begrudge another fellow
his luck. But-oh, how can i stand IL !!
The noodle doesn't want to go, and won =
go. I'd walk through fire for that chance
That's why don't get 1t
Draxy looked very sorry, but she could
think of nothing comforting to say just
then, so she only crept little nearer to
his side and cast her eyes around in quest
of cheer.
There, behind the iron fence, was the
old cemetery with it's mounds and tombs,
lying so still and cold in the winter sun
light.
Here and yonder, on the soldiers
graves, still waved some drabbled rem
nant of the little flags placed there, long
months before, amid the flowers and the
tender grass Of spring.
Draxy's eyes grew large and solemn as
she looked, and it occurred to her, in
some dismal association of ideas, to say
uarAly; on. DasS ~ ~ ~ ,,rdar +bis
say-some Oh inc Julius ~ b up- doan o