The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1903-05-15
Only aLittle Singer

TH o one knew where Dagley had |
I'M come from. He turned up one |
day at the restaurant where | |
always took lunch. and after standing |
awkwardly at the door for a few min
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, embariass-
ment was written all over his good
natured rural countenance.
1t was my vacation time, and as l
was bit bored for amusement, | was
Immediately interested in Daglty. |
offered to show him the town. and. as
l expected, he joyfully accepted.
| am sorry to say that Mr.. Dagley
developed a 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 concert hall, and he
sat quietly through the performance,
merely remarking that it was not half
bad. l had expected that he would
find it 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
establishment.
why, the ones as danced and
sung" he replied.
But they are not badr' l exclaimed.
WELL l 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
Il used to go to church, but that
was before my little girl"
Have you lost her?"
Eyes, lost her-five years ago"
my! Look at that woman he ex-
swept past and en- cred the church
Never saw such fine filings before"
She was famous singer, the idol Of
the 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 a
child. When l told Dagley all this he
said, the bitterness coming back into
his face:
"Ohl She is one Of them singing peo-
pie, is she"
Look here" said l. You ought to
be set right in one thing at least, and
believe that I'll tell you a little story
of an experience of my own"
1T was like this: One night l was
coming home rather late from the the
alter. 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. l was
about to pass, when she turned up and
looked into my face. She was adorably
pretty. and l stopped in answer to
the mute appeal in her eyes.
"'You are in troubleY
"'Oh, sir she sobbed. 1 have nc
place to stay tonight. IL don't know
where to go
We'll, | took her to a lodging house
kept by an old lady who, | knew
would care for the girl, and paid fol
81 room for her She did not seen
to be used to that sort of thing, anC
| could not have done anything else
she was so fair and innocent. Thanh
God. | found her that night.
Il promised to look in in the morn
ing and see what could be done fOl
her but | hardly expected to see hel
again.
"Weu, the next morning | was me
by the old lady, who told me the girli
story. She had run away from home
TO 90 on the operate stage. 1t wa,
the same old story of a few months
struggle and failure. Now her none!
was all gone, and she had been turned
orr ON the street ON the night l founC
her.
1.-THE landlady was a motherly oil,
soul and was quite touched by tn
GIRLS story. We arranged that sh
should stay with her for few days
and that | was to try to find SOM
employment for her."