Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1913-05-22

blind, and man would have hesi-
tated in approaching the house too
closely, had he been less convinced of
the responsibility of its inmates than
| was. There was as uncanny a look
about the house as the street. The
first floor was untenanted, judging
by black, staring, blindless windows
thick with dust; and on the second
floor were white blinds, one of which
had been drawn up aWry, and the
other left torn and trailing. There
had been no effort to set the house in
order anticipative of my visit, and yet
the inmates were probably expecting
me. There was a defiance almost Of
appearances in the grim house and
it's appurtenances. AS I went up the
flight of steps I noticed that they
were gritty With coal-dust and fleck-
ed with scraps of paper which had
been blown that way by the wind.
Some one began to play on a
piano as my hand was raised to the
knocker, and paused to listen. This
was the piano ION the hire system"
to which George Fairfax had alluded
in his letter-the instrument which
in defiance Of contract, had been
carted away from Stepney to Cam
berwell A very goodtoned instru-
ment it was evident, full Of power
and volume, and sounding oddly in
that wreck of a street A minute or
two afterward a fresh young voice
broke into sOng-a tuneful melody,
SO exceedingly full of life, had been
a trife less depressed by the sur
roundings, should have kept time
with my feet on the top step.
They were merry as we'll as must
cal in Dark street. Adversely had not
taken all the fun out of them. Debt
and distress and death seemed to be
a long way back In their thoughts
that evening. There were trills and
"tra-la-las' and "ha-ha-ha-has;" and
I waited patiently till the song was
completed before / knocked at the
door, becoming fully convinced by
that time that the singer was long
way ahead of the average amateur,
and possessed a voice of remarkable
power.
They were a long while responding
to my appeal for admittance; there
was a dead silence after [ had knock
ed, and the walls of the house were
so thin l could hear women's voices
within, talking and commenting
upon the object Of my visit. Finally
a chain was drawn across the door,
which was then partly opened, and
young woman peered through the
narrow aperture.
What Is it," asked a low, soft
voice.
my name is Lissamer. I have
called on business with Miss Nash"
"Do you mind going down one
step, so that may see it is you?"
was the next remarkable question
put to me.
with pleasure" I replied.
went down the step as requested,
and the lady surveyed me critically
as I stood outside in the shadOwland.
After the examination the chain fell
with rafting noise from the door,
which was opened wide at last, dis
closing a female figure, a back
ground of black, narrow passage, and
a streak of light across it, proceed
ing from the parlor, the door Of
which had hp0n left ai9r
''Step in, sir" said the cautious
young lady; "you are a welcome visi-
tor to us. My sister and I have to be
extra careful in a neighborhood Of
this character. There are some rough
people about, and not few of them
dishonest
I entered the house, and shut the
door behind me. was ushered into
the front sitting-room, where, lying
upon an old horsehair sofa drawn
very close to the fire, was Hyacintha
Nash. She had been reading, and as
l entered she changed the book from
the right hand to the left, prepare
tory to shaking hands with me. She
was looking more of the invalid than
when I had seen her in my lodgings
at Breymouth; her face was very
white, and her dark eyes looked pre-
naturally large; she was a woman
who had suffered, or was suffering
great deal of pain.
81 am glad to see you, Mr.. LISA
mer," she said, after I had shaken
hands with her. This is my sister
Della" she added, by way Of an in
formal introduction.
ITO Be Continued.l