Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-05-01
Only a Little Singer


day at the restaurant where
always took lunch, and after standing
awkwardly at the door for few mip-
utes advanced to the table where l
was seated.
He began talking to me as though he
had known me for years, and although
he was making a merry little bluff of
being entirely at his ease, embarrass-
ment was written all over his good
natured rural countenance.
1t was my vacation time, and as
was bit bored for amusement, l was
Immediately interested in Dagley.
offered to show him the town, and, as
l expected, he joyfully accepted.
am sorry to say that Mr.. Dagley
developed decided taste for investi-
eating dance halls, beer gardens and
like places. But, most of all, he liked
to attend all sorts of variety perform
ances. He seemed determined to find
something very, very bad.
took him to a concert hall, and he
sat quietly through the performance.
merely remarking that it was not half
Ddu udO eApcCtcu lAdl "OuAO
find 1t very bad, indeed.
Seems a pity, though. for all of
them nice boys and girls to be going
to the bad"
what boys and girls?'' l asked, in
astonishment
why. the ones as danced and
sung" he replied.
4 r loi
we'll, I was always told they
was." was his calm reply.
When Sunday came around l asked
him If he did not want to include
visit to one Of the fashionable churches
In his city experiences. The flowers
on the pulpit were always fine, and the
music would be worth hearing.
mo, don't care for the music" and
there came into his face look Of hard
ness and bitterness.
81 used to go to church, but that
was before my little girl"
Have you lost her?'
"Yes, lost her-five years ago"
"My! Look at that woman" he ex-
claimed, as an elegantly attired lady
swept past and entered the church.
Never saw such fine fxings before"
She was famous singer, the idol of
the concert-going public, who. during
her short visits to her native city, gra-
: ciously lent her sweet voice to the
church where she had worshiped as
child. When told Dagley all this he
said, the bitterness coming back into
his face:
''Ohi She is one of them singing peo-
pie, Is sheY'
Look here" said l. "You ought to
be set right in one thing, at least. and
I believe that I'll tell you little story
of an experience Of my own"
''It was like this: One night was
coming home rather late from the the
ater. AS l turned into my street my
attention was attracted to young girl
who stood at the edge of the side
walk. She was crying bitterly. was
about to pass, when she turned up and
looked into my face. She was adorably
pretty, and I stopped in answer to
the mute appeal in her eyes.
"iYou are in trouble?
Ou, Suc SOOOOu i nave uO
place to stay tonight. II don't know
where to 60.
well, took her to a lodging house
kept by an old lady who, l knew,
would care for the girl, and paid for
a room for her. She did not seem
to be used to that sort of thing. and
/ could not have done anything else,
she was SO fair and innocent. Thank
God, I found her that night.
81 promised to look in in the morn
ing and see what could be done for
her, but hardly expected to see her
again.
well, the next morning I was met
by the old lady. who told me the girls
story. She had run away from home
to go on the operatic stage. 1t was
the same old story of a few months
struggle and failure. Now her money
was all gone, and she had been turned
our on the street on the night | found
her.
THE landlady was a .motherly old
soul and was quite touched by the
girls story. We arranged that she
should stay WITH ner Tor feW days,
and that I was to try to find some
employment for her."
s'Where is she nowP'
Singing in that church there on the
corner The girl really has a sweet,
sympathetic voice, and the choir d.
rector was delighted to secure her
services."
"Why didn't she go home?''
"Her father told her when she left
that he never wanted to~see her again"
well, wasn't there anybody else she
could so to?"
mo. There was a young man she
seemed to think good deal of. but he
turned against her. too, when she left"
II don't suppose she cares anything
for him now"
"Yes, she does. There! She Ia COM
ing now"
Dagley glanced up at the girl; then
he turned very white, and uttered the
word Jennie" very softly.
With glad cry the girl sprang for
ward. "Oh. John, oh, John" she
sobbed. "Do you want me again?"