Show II r lJ O fi E I RA RY fj i p ft l r Marjie SHE made a queer yet attractive picture picture picture pic pic- ture standing there in the far end of the large hall dining-hall her long hair falling fall falling fall fall- ing in in tangled curls over her faded gingham gingham ging gin ham dress and her large black eyes eie's eyes roving with a look ot of strange strangely y mingled fear and boldness about the room She was only a little thing and couldn't have been more than ten years old but buther buther buther her pale wan face and pathetic features told all too well the story of the he long haunts of misery and care she had passed At her side was a boy apparently apparently apparently ap ap- her brother and though but a afew a afew few years older exhibiting the same same unmistakable signs of a dreary life of want and toil He however it was easy to see was the ordinary rough and witted quick-witted street gamin while she shewell shewell shewell she she- well her whole nature was different she had become a sad-faced sad child w womanly manly far beyond her years whose almost every look was an appeal for sympathy The two were singing The ballads they sang were simple and old-fashioned old but the pathetic earnestness with which they were rendered made them strangely impressive Her voice a rich contralto seemed to tome tome tome me one of the sweetest I had ever heard and as I sat there listening to the pure even tones I tried to ima imagine ine what it might become with proper care and training She loved to sing for when carrying some beautiful strain the sad lines about her mouth would disappear her face would lighten up and her eyes shine with almost dazzling brightness The boys boy's voice too was sweet but his singing lacked the feeling and depth of expression that made hers so attractive He had evidently been drilled to sing with her for he did it mechanically and listlessly Like the piano accompaniment ment to a celebrated violinists violinist's music his voice was was modulated to blend and swell with with hers making concord of sound without any particular tune and andas as the as-the the tone of the piano is often coarser a and d harsher than the notes of the violin so his voice lacked the quality r and sweetness of hers It contained a something very ery s suggestive of th the newsboys newsboy's newsboys newsboy's news news- r boys boy's cry Morning paper sir su A man not much past middle age sat directly behind the two his head bent f forward over an old accord eon on which he played a sort of an accompaniment to their songs He bore little res resemblance em blance to to the children but his position and all indicated that he was their father His streaked red-streaked eyes and restless movements told plainly of a lurking and uncontrolled uncontrolled uncontrolled trolled passion and spoke illy indeed of his capacity for paternal care One of his hands was gone but by means of a strap attached to his wrist he managed to play the old instrument He evidently considered this strap of importance for ever and anon he would raise his head and begin a bold and carelessly defiant glance around the room conspicuously conspicuously conspicuously the strap meanwhile but on seeing some ones one's admiring yet pity pitying pitting ing gaze bent upon the little girl his head would drop and his eyes again seek r the on his knees His conscience conscience conscience con con- science chided him for every unha unhappy t expression in her countenance Not even evena event t a missing hand and all the defiance he could muster could excuse even to himself himself him him- Irl- Irl self self such sorry unhappy pp looks in his children I stopped on my way out and dropped I a quarter into the hand of the little girl yf t She seized the coin with a curious grasp t and rapidly pushed it into a ba bag at her side Then she he raised her head and began began bet be be- t gan the customary smiling courtesy but reading in my face the deep sympathy I did not try to hide the smile chan changed ed J to a look of sad appeal She dropped her head but but- not too late to hide hid the two great tears that gathered and stood ready to roll down her cheeks Just then the old struck up a chord achord and I saw the boy nudge her and andi 1 whisper Marjie She turned and with an almost impatient jerk brushed back the tears I stepped back into a recess near the door and listened and when the last sad note died away turned j jand and walked into th the street J Hello old boy I. I Glad Ive I've met you was just going to your rooms I must have been very much occupied with my thoughts for fat my friends friend's cheery voice almost startled me But he rattled rattled- on I have seats for the opera was was was' going to take my sister but she she has has gone to the party so I want you to go 0 O youre you're dressed well enough reading my thoughts as I glanced over my school r suit I The seats are in the fourth row back Ill I'll not take no for an answer Come Gome on and linking his arm in mine he led me off t The opera was a celebrated comedy and was said to be beaming with music wit and fun but the image of that girls girl's sad face and the memory of her sweet unaffected singing kept flitting through my mind The opera music was artificial the burlesques were nothing nothing nothing noth noth- ing but ridiculous absurdities and the keenest bits of wit seemed to mock at my thoughts I 1 was quiet and un uninterested inter ested and I couldn't help it I noticed my friend darting quizzical glances at atme atme atme me and I tried to arouse myself but I knew the attempt was a failure At last the opera was over and we were standing on the street corner Fred was rattling on oil about the wit the music and the pretty soprano and I Iwas I Iwas Iwas was trying to tell him that I had enjoyed it all very much Enjoyed it he ejaculated excuse me but youve you've been five thousand miles away the whole evening What's up up with you old man h Nothings up Im I'm all right d w It seemed silly to tell him that 1 I was thinking about a little street singer But he whirled around and arid asked with assumed seriousness Frank old boy what color are her eyes black large bl black ck Her eyes eyes yes The The answer came without thinking and was greeted with a merry hurst of laughter I I thought so Youve You've got it bad Sorry I took you to the opera when you wanted to to- tobe be alone alone alone-alone alone no with the sweet memory of her eyes large black eyes I might have known she was dark though The last three or four have been heen dark haven't they But see seeh h here re I dont don't want to stay down town tonight Heres Here's my car and theres there's yours on the corner But before I go golet golet golet let me give you some advice No Im I'm your physician You are my patient Here with that assumed seriousness again let me feel teel your pulse You have a very bad case Follow my directions closely Go home and take a ahot ahot ai i I hot toddy the hotter and stronger the better and then go to bed Above all do not let eyes large black eyes play playa a a. part in your your dreams Nothing so breaks down a mans man's constitution as restless worry at night Good-by Good now and remember ber And Arid with a hearty laugh he swung himself on the rear end of the passing car I must have stood there some time for forit forit forit it finally da dawned ned on me that I had the street almost to myself Freds Fred's parting shots slots occurred to me arid and I smiled to myself as I turned and began to walk toward home But that sad face and sweet haunted me Id like to smash that wooden-armed wooden fellow and run a away way with the Ii little girl What a singer shed she'd make and what a brute he must be With i thoughts something like these I passed along that street where there are so many of those lighted brilliantly-lighted halls of ruin In one of these saloons th there re seemed to be some sort of oi a dis dis- I paid no attention n till during a lull a-lull lull in angry noises 1 I heard eard a voice that made me start I cant can't sing any more dad Im I'm so tired And then a harsh voice Leave her alone you drunken brute cant can't you see she's ready to drop Just then the inner swinging doors flew open and little Marjie rushed out follo followed ed by her father and brother and two or three men On the pavement Marjie stopped I cant can't sing any more Lets Let's go home 0 O dad do lets She reached to take his hand but but quickly evaded him as he tried to seize her Go home home hie No you No hie you must must- sing for the gentleman Dye hear Come back you back hie you must sing Mar Marjie jie was moving a away way and with an angry lurch he darted after her He grasped her arm just dust as she reached the edge of the sidewalk but catching his foot in t the he curb stone he made a a. a drunken lurch forward falling in a heap in the gutter and throwing the little girl with great force directly against the wheel of a passing carriage The boy rushed to his father and began tugging at him I heard him whisper Come dad get up heres here's a cop hurry dad The quiet form torm in the street frightened me and I jumped forward and gathered it in my arms The movement seemed to revive her somewhat for she raised her head and with an effort cried out Ill sin sing dad Dont Don't do that Ill I'll sing But her But her head sank back and I heard her murmuring Im so tired so tired In a moment she raised her head again Ill sing dad Tommy she murmured raising raising her her hand handas as if to take her broth broth- ers er's n h her r lips beg began n to fo that h heavenly ie ly smile flitted about the corners of her tier mouth But only for an instant The smile deepened but her lips ceased to move and her head fell back upon my sh shoulder The Th sound of the ca carriage wheels died away in the distance The neighboring lamp arc-lamp threw a shaft of light across her qui quiet t face Little Marjie was dead R. R F. F tr J Ji i bLi |