The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-10-14
Amadie's Chance.

+ To nearly all of us there comes, at sone
period Of life, what we call "a chance
J Many Of us probably more than the ma
jority-let the CHARGES pass us. We dc
not recognize them. or are too timid OF
inert to grasp, and they do not return
for the same chance never offers itsel
twice. Of those who seize them many
/ are influenced merely by selfish motives
by the promise of personal profit they
present. But few lay hold OF them
simply from IL sense of duty, as knowing
what is right and desiring to do it. and
to such the results of their action are
doubly blessed.
Amelia Flessell was a French girl, or OF
French descent, being the only daughter
Of French parents, but born in this coun-
try. She was an orphan, and was poor;
consequently her lot in life was hard
one. 1t would have puzzled her to tell
how she had managed to get along since
the death of her parents. She remember.
cd confusedly long and unpleasant
series of hard rubs, but could not have
given clear account of them.
At the age of sixtcen-known as 'sweet
sixteen" by girls who are we'll cared for
and happy-Amadie was ballet dancer
in a variety theatre. 1t was neither
Il proud nor Il profitable position. She
was but beginner, and much of her
small salary must be paid for education,
while portion of it was absorbed by
fines for her ignorance and awk wardness.
1t was supposed that a French girl must
necessarily dance, but Amadie was not a
natural dancer, and did not take kindly
to that branch of the theatrical profes-
able to sing, if she could get chance to
learn, but no such opportunity came to
her, and she felt that she could only
worry her way along over the hard road
that had been appointed for her
One night she was going home at a
late hour. The dancing had come on
near the close of the entertainment, and
Amadie had been detained for reproof bv
the ballet master, who had informed her
that severe fine would be assessed upon
her for an awkward mistake i'll u dance
With small bundle under her arm, she
YEARLY wound her way through the
streets of the city, and was quite sick at
heart, as she knew that the fines OF the
week would not leave her money enough
to pay her rent and procure her the mea,
ger neccSsarieS of lite.
Just before she reached a neat brown.
stone house. the second door from a street
corner, her attention was attracted by
something unusual and peculiar. The
basement window was open, and Il rough
| looking man was coming out the open.
ing.
There could be but one explanation o
such 4 singular circumstance; the house
was being p.undcred by burglars
OF one thousand girls that might be
! placed in Amadie's position, all but one
would run away, but Amadie was Tho
one who did not think of running She
saw a chance to make herself useful, ana
awaited herself of il instinctively.
Shrinking behind the wall of the corner
house she peeped out and watched the
| proceedings. She saw the man who haC
emerged from the basement window
take some bundles that were handed tc
him from within. Then another cam,
out, the window was closed, and the two
men picked up the bundles and walked
rapidly up the street.
Amadic looked around for policeman
but of course without expecting to SET
one, and at orce resolved to follow tn,
thieves.
Swiftly and silently she sped after then
near enough to keep them in view, anc
saw them turn the corner few block:
away, where Il covered wagon was wait
ing for them. They hurricdly deposited
their bundles in the wagon, climbed VI
in front and drove rapidly away.
This mancuvrc did not change or pre-
vent Amadie's purpose. She was ncaI
enough to the wagon when she started
to run after ito catch hold of it, as sh,
had seen the stout boys do, and to swing
herself up in very uncomfortable posi-
ton.
If she had known what 4 journey il
was to be it must be confessed that slit
would not have attempted it. Nor,
than once, after it was begun, she woult
have been glad enough to abandon it
but she could not. The wagon wa.
whrled through the streets at such ;
rapid rate that she knew it would hur
her to alight and feared it might kill her
The danger of letting go was create
than that Of holding on, and she clun!
as with a death grip to the wood ant
iron, although she was several time
nearly flung OFF, and although she was il
terrible and constantly increasing pain
At last, when she had become nothing
but bundle of aches and exhaustion
the vehicle stopped at a small house in
shabby street, The girl felt quite inca