The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-01

I 60? Lotta's father had never been tht
same since he discovered that Gottfried do
+ sired his one treasure. but constant. un.
/ falling. untirins kindness might accom-
plish much. Ho would seek Peter out
: trace him up. follow him. find him. no mat
ter how he WAS hidden or where. Peter
should be his charge; he would never lei
him want, and so minister to his every
care that the old man. finally relenting.
would give him fathers 5lessing-ani
, Lotta's violin.
The villagers. of course. wondered and
talked much when both Peter and GOtt-
fried were known to have gone. without
even so much as even saying good-by. but
their gossip stopped at surmise. AS the
years went on. and the little brown cot
tage on the hill fell into decay, with the
small white one below it. even talk on
the subject ceased. and the incident was
forgotten.
Gottfried Hardin. NJ. D., as the gold let
ters on the heavy glass door proclaimed
him. sat in his Office busily writing. The
neat maid entered with . card, and the
doctor stepped oat to SEQ ono Of his
wealthiest patients. Miss Walsh. She
greeted him pleasantly. and entered at ones
On the object of her cali.
CDR. Hardin. I have been much inter-
estsd lately In slum case. an old msn.
uInistakabiy AFFLICTED with consumption.
He needs a physicians attention. and 1
want you to 20 down and sec him as soor
as you can-here's tho address. and please
send the bill to me-
DR.. Hardin was not particularly busy,
and was interested. so he a. once put
on his oyercoat and took cab for the
address written on tho paper. 1t was
In tho slums. and four stories up In a
rickety tenement house. By enquiring
~ Atr4~ chi nj
s1ualid women. who stared inquisitively
at him. he st last found mo. IT, and.
receiving no response to . rap on its
dingy door. he walked in.
mere was almost no furniture IN
the room. and in one corner. on n rag
ged heap OF clothing. lay an old. white
haired man.. evidently at the point
of death. Hardin knelt down and felt
tho weak pulse, he placed his hand on
ths unconscious mans fiuttefing heart,
then with moan OF sorrpw. as he rec
his ear. Peter don't ayou know Gott-
tried?" 1 have come to sAve you The
Old man opened his eyes. and. looking
triunlphantly at Gottfried. said quite
distinctly. The violen was sold long
ago." and closed his eyes in death.
Gottfried never knew how he reached
home. His brain was confused. his
laiHu uILZy Will Thought his. tueu
was the end OF his twelve years search.
He had come penniless to the great city.
followed Peter as close as possible. until
very starvation forced him to abandon
his faint clew to the old mans wherea-
bouts, and he found employment In a doc
tors Office, where he had by degrees heen
promoted. Now he was prosperous ply
sician, and he had never tagged in his
search for Peter. But now he was found.
and had died in such misery as made
Gottfried shudder-Lotta's father TO
pass his old age in such place. And
the violin, that was gone-gone, and he
would never see It again.
People knew Dr.. Hardin az a clever
man. but difident. His one passion was
violin music. bis one hobby collecting old
violins. and. indeed. he knew them as few
did. He became moody often absent mind
ed. after that visit to the Sums, and fire.
quented little Italian shops and tiny Ger
man music stores more than ever. After
a few years people began to whisper it
about that he was mot quite well bal
anced. you know and looked with pity
on his eccentricitiss.
One clustering November day Gottfried.