The Press., 1898-12-22

hiyen-God be merciful to her swate soul -I works to kape the little childtber."
 "Oh, Pm real sorry for you." said Draxy, coming back to the basket, with her skirt held up like an apron and filled with scraps.
 .sAh. God bless her! Whats this, at all? | Is it pickin up the cards ye are, darrlins | Look at that now An, go and sit down | wid ye, miss dear Shure, ye mustn t be | doin the loikes of that No, Pm just going to help you. l was here last night, and so you see made | part of this litter, said Draxy
 ..whyt' she exclaimed again directly l They stick intD this mating so. And | it's miles ard miles up and down these l 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 It made the balconies vibrate and treln ble, and son. netimes 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 1t | was 20 still
 Davy had finished practicing. and his
 little sister, half way down the hall, was l 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 l on the balcony.
 Harki Could that have been 8 strain of l music, or was it the sad, sad voice of some
 one grievingy
 l Draxy and the old woman turned at the
 first sound and looked toward the organ l 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 it
 step by step.
 What is Davy playings Oh, what is
 this that is making tears fall fast on the | two faces it has drawn so near? | It 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
 hopes and dreams. The organ grieyes for | him The master on his pedestal listens
 sadly aud seems almost to stir with pity
 At last there comes piteous strain, l then 8 wild crash across the keys, and
 Dayy has flung his head down on his
 arms. The music is ended.
 "Goodby, goodby!' he whispered, kiss
 ing the yellow keys where his face lay hid l den.
 "Oh, Davyl" 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, comet This won't dol Stop
 this sniveling!'
 An arm that seem ed too fatherly and
 gentle 10 belong to such a voice took in l 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! Whats the matter here, l says'
 Where he had dropped from was the } mystery Had he been hiding in some | recess of the organf
 Impossible to say. But there he was
 looking very grim, except about the eyes which were kind, and-was it possiblef- } had 8 suspicious wetness about them, in
 spite of his orders against sniveling. pavy turned around, pale and dazed-
 scarcely aroused yet from his dream. "Sirl'' he said, half proudly, half sadly
 What are you crying abouta" demand ed the old gentleman. "Crying" repeated pavy, with flash ing eyes ''4'm not cryingl" He drew himself erect and the color | "Ahi 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
 "Be-because I want to!" said she, stiff | enlng her little neck.
 ''Ohl Because you want to, eh? Come ] herep'
 praxy came, rather defantly, am
 afraid. But then he did seem such an in
 terfering old gentleman.
 "Now look at me!'' he ordered.
 prsxy looked right into his eyes. Some thing that she saw there must have reas- sured her, for pietty soon she smiled. though he 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 | youp" said he
 3 Draxy stared with surprise, but answer ] l ed never a word.
 '1s she?" he asked again, turning to 3 the old woman, who stepped back in a
 hurry, hut recovered herself and courtesied, ) saying;
 3 "She is, sir! God bless herp
 "And you're the kind of fellow who 3 takes care of his mother and the little r brothers and sisters, are your" the gentle
 man went on, turning to Davy. You re
 the sort of chap who wears thin clothes t all winter and gives up his music and
 buckles down, trying to be a father to the } family, are youS" Davy col red and looked ] away.
 ] "Is he?' persisted this monotonous old
 gentleman, turning to Draxy
 For answer she just put her arms around I her brothers neck and gave him a rousing little kiss.
 , Well, then, said the old gentleman oonclusively, "it happens that I am the kind of an old man who loves to help good
 boys and girls. Sometimes send the boys of to study music, and I look after the little sisters and the babies till the boys get back"
 The looks of Davy and Draxy were a sight to seel
 , "My name is Maxwell" went on the ] old gentleman quietly. "I have heard 3 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"
 2 At this the brother and sister exchanged I 8 glance. but they were dumb and trem T bling :, And" said the old gentleman mysteri- ously, five got some money that does want to go" Here he laid a great, kind . hand on Davy's shoulder "I'm going to send you with it, sir" L Draxy screamed, and, running into MT. Maxwell's arms. hugged him with frantic joy.
 Davy gasped, gripped the kind hand and then-it was no use-broke down. "Hellol Perhaps you're not crying now !'' roared MT. Maxwell, pleased as he could be.
 ' "Sir-Mr Maxwell-do you really mean itg Oh. will work so hard and pay you | back every cent, and, oh, MT Maxwell . you don't know, sir, you don't know"
 Davy wrung that great hand once again bereft of words
 Well, let's see. ' Then said Mir Max D well, "Come here, old lady. So the old l man is laid up and the children cold and