The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-12-22
UNDER THE BUST
Or BEETHOVEN.

1t was bright wenther-oold and cleal
as jewel.
The sparkling promise of a perfec
| Christmastlde was In the nir and the ole
mall on the big common clicked and pat
tered to the trend Of goy crowds crossing
either way, nll winter rosy, bundled lader
and bright eyed with exercise.
Joyous excitement tingled in the frosty
wind, that with keen rush swept til,
bare branches overhead and bufrcted the
skirts of laughing girls, who came on
leaning merrily against it and passed In q
bright whirl of potticoats, with little
shrieks of fun. One group OF these, q
knot of pretty schoolgirls, with theii
skates, bound for the public garden, jos
tied against tall lad with q small maiden
at his side and crowded them quite of
the walk with little oeGmony.
The only wonder is they did not crowd
them ont 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
you could hardly help wishing the story
to be about them instead.
There were no fine feathers about Davy,
either, poor lad--poor bonny Davy in his
threadbare clothes
Walking along behind him, you would
have noticed how faded and thin his coo,
was, and perhaps you would have smiled
at the great patch on the elbow Of the
sleeve his music was tucked under. But
had you come tho other way and met my
Davy's face, believe me, you would never
think OF patches or OF faded clothes, for
there was something in that beautiful
dark eye and brave, clear brow, q prince
might envy him.
fear he would not thank me, though,
for choosing such "a time to introduce him
when his head was dropping and the
brown eyes were heavy with a mist that
almost gathered into drops.
"Dayy," chirped Draxy ut his elbow,
"oh, do you see what fun tho boys are
having playing football down on the pa
rado ground?" w
Davy cast heavy glance toward the
lively youths, but could not muster a
word or smile to please her.
Don't look SO awful, Davy," pleaded
the little girl. Besides, here comes that
Ernest Maxwell, and he sees you"
Up went Davy's head at that, and his
eyes measured the approaching figure
steadily
Ernest Maxwell carried some music un-
der his arm too. 1t was by the same divine
composer as Davy's. No swoetor because
1t had such an expensive binding, am
self any grander because of his own ex-
pensiye binding.
But he seemed To think that he was
and he gave Davy vory patronizing nod
as he passed.
"No use, Draxy!" burst out Davy, as
soon as they were out of hearing, 81 don +
see any justice in it, and can't bear 1t.
There's that snob 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 Davyl And you've got
to give up your music and go to work in
that horrid old place.
"'Tisn't that l don't think I'd be
mean enough to bcgrudge another fellow
his luck Butch, how can l stand it
The noodle doesn't want to go, and won Z
That's why don't got IL I"
Draxy looked very sorry, but she could
think Of nothing comforting TO say just
then, 50 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 tho soldiers
graves, still waved some drabbled rem
nant of the little flags placed there long
months before, amid tho flowers and the
tender grass of spring.
Draxy's eyes grow large and solemn as
she looked, and i6 occurred TO her. In
some dismal association of ideas, TO say
darkly: "Ob, Davy! Did you know-they
Fay-some Of tho tonbs go under this
mall, and there are people buried down
below these flRgstones we are walking
on"
Dear little Draxyl All her efforts to be
cheerful had failed TO gain tho least re,
sponse from Davy, But something about
this gloomy question and her saucer eyes
and hollow tone brought quick smile
and fash of fun into his face.
| "Yes, have heard 1t, " no said, looking
down at the little face beside him with O
loving and amused expression.
But presently he added In bitter tone
| "What thenY 1t is no worse to be lying
underneath the stones than to walk on
above them, all your hopes gone, ambi
ton crushed out Of you"
Mis- voice quiyered and broke. Dra1y
stole her little hand in his, and they kept
on again In Goleful silence.
'Drax," said he presently IN tone oi
mischief that she knew full we'll.
"What2" she responded eagerly.
"Here Is the baroness" said Davy.
"Oh, my gracious Oh, Davy, pleas;
turn off and walk the rest OF the way or
fremont street. can't 90 by that awfu
old woman. No. can't"
Oh, that mysterious old woman, crouch
Ing there beside the malls on the big com
mon, grinding her old, cracked, half nut
hurdy gurdyl
Who has forgotten hor9 In rain ant
shine, yR9r In, year out, there she was al
ways, sullenly turning the organ crank
soorning the charitable who dropped pen
MES, and with her eagle eye piercing eaol
face that passed, as If on the eternal wato
for some one
Lean and gaunt and brown and wrin
kled was she--imporyious and indestruei
ible-rained upon, blown upon, shono mp
OMIT was all ono.
There she would be still whom next yo
passed, familiar as the malls themselves
and yet toreyer mystery.