Show THE H E L I TT LE FELLER r-l r By Dy HE HELEN DELEN LEN FARR L-J L I Copyrighted 1303 1903 3 by TM The Authors Publishing ug C Company pany I If ever the light that never never w was was s on onland onland onland land or sea glorified a human face It glorified the one that lay before her her on the pillow Great Gr at dark eyes of that rare color so so seldom se seen n violet deepest violet wo wonderful eyes like two deep d ep wells yells wells one could look and look and yet not fathom their depths brown hair pushed back from a broad white brow Every V vestige s g of sin and earthly dross washed free r e from the small mall perfect features by physical pain Circumstances and environment made mad him a a street gamin God made him beautiful I She had entered th the room reluctantly reluctantly reluctant reluctant- ly ly dreading to look at the bed where bel be he be l lay r. r Unused Unused to such sc scenes nes she shrank from the sight of and suffering An n hour before fhe he she had come to p the o 1 hospital Jita to sing for the children ildren Just as ay she was ya wasU leaving a nurse had followed followed her an told and r. r t ld her of f this boy dying upstairs He had hoard heard her through the closed doors singing to others and nd begged to tosea sea sed see her K F l' l Her glan glance e began at the foot toot toot-of of the bed and moved tip VV if gradually over over the motionless limbs limbs- to his face f ce When I she he met the glance of those wonderful ey eyes s every feeling but tenderness and pity vanished She was beside hImin him himin himin in an instant kneeling there You wanted anted to see me little boy she said Did you you want to hear me sing sings A slow wavering smile swept over his face Yer bet he whispered I you down stairs ter de odder kids and nurs nurse said shed she'd I I ply I Im m it- it a. a t ox Z iDo Do you want to hear me sing bring bring- g. g yer He spoke In the vernacular vernacular lar of the streets In the slow drawl and the mutilated English but the voice was clear and sweet Barbara thought a moment What shall shan I sing you dear What kind of songs Bongs do you like Oh oli I dont don't care care are anything n data dats r S i I a song I 1 hasn't r. r I aint never such an lot W I went to to Kosters Koster's and and h some gals sing and and Jim Ji and me went ter der show at Miners Miner's But I 1 likes de songs what de' de Salvation army s sings gs best makes best s yer feel kinder quiet and good you know v r r Barbara began in a low voice singing singing sing sing- ing ng un under er her breath hymns ns she had hadle le learned when a child He la lay with with his his eyes closed drinking drinking drinking- ln in tI the music When she had finished ni he d did d not stir and she she thought he had fall fallen n asleep She bent bent over and quietly fIr touched t hed his forehead with the h tips of b 14 ner r. r gloved fingers fingers' Instantly his his' eyes yes op opened and smil smiled d into hers I was Just list list- nin he said Id like t ter r h hear ar yer sing agin gin something right out loud And Barbara there on her knees in that small barren room with with- Deaths Death's messenger so close so close that th tho e ery shadow of f his wings seemed to to enfold enfold enfold en en- fold them both sang as she had never sung before re N Never ver had the gl glorious rious fV spice ice G God d Had bad given gix-en her sot sounded more beautiful ul more more mor wonderfully sweet than than When when when-it it rang out in that narrow room I know know that my liveth liquid liveth liquid clear like pearls of dew from heaven the notes fell Never had Barbara Randolph who had sung to every great and and and- fashionable audience in that great city received such homage such rapt adoring hornage hom- hom homage homage age as that silent motionless little figure on the bed paid her She knew by the unerring instinct of genius that she struck a responsive note of harmony in the boys boy's b ys y's soul that uncouth uncouth un un- couth uneducated d homeless nameless nameless name nameless name name- less waif from the streets dh that t he he was in his soul dwelt the love iov of exquisite harmonies and music th that that t her voice was the key that unlocked the gate of that hat soul and for the first time in his short hort life that had had been crowded so full of the harsh harsh the coarse coarse the unlovely unlovely unlovely un un- lovely experiences of poverty and distress dis dis- distress tress just as a's as his soul w was s hovering on the border of that of-that that land landd land whose light even now was glorifying his his face face he experienced joy When her voice died died-aw died away y he drew drewa dr w wa a long deep quivering sigh Gee Gee Aint that a corker I never never anything like dat before before- Oh Ob the pathos athos of it if The rough coarse slang of the streets the only lang language he knew to express the emotion of that beautiful soul The tears sprang to Barbaras Barbara's s eyes and she pressed the little cold hand that lay outside the to her lips Presently he said In a voice so low she had to lean down to catch the words I a song at de barricks bout a feller what lived lived up up in inde de sky and loved kids does yer per know dat one Perhaps I 1 do dear was it anything like this and Barbara hummed the refrain of that sweet sweet- hymn children 0 1 r sing s1 Snuffer d- d tt fer r Little e ti to COmo mo Unto Me Jesus Said t A joyous light h bt M. M l la l his face faco t and ar l ja- ja gle o brightness c came me hi hl his eyes es s dats dat's It dats dat's it Sing it again The JR came quietly in at the door and anti framed frame the words with her lips Go quickly Her trained eyes told old her wh Brit t- t ti g- g 6 g D But t Barbara her head and walked d over todie to to- tie die window 5 The moistened moisten d s lips with some some stimulant sti and tried o Jt ri e pain was cruel t twisting and nd ur ng the poor ma mangled led body Barbara arbara stood holding on onto to the case- case r of of of the window Drawing drawing her breath in great gasps gasps as' as f that could him Ji l 1 help p 3 1 When flie paroxysm h d passed heh helay he he- h lay y back on the pillow exhausted Ba Barbara bara crept back to th the bed Slowly Slow Slowly Slow Slow- ly tHe deep violet eyes opened and the the- same exquisite smile he h had greeted her with cr crept pt over hi his his his' face again His lips were were moving Barbara caught the words words Jestis what loved de little kids Do yer tank Unk Hed He'd care care- fer a little feller feUer like e me me Oh little boy little boy I am sure sure- be he would I am sure he would said Barbara Again gain that marvelous smile just touching the corners corners of his mouth Just then the light went out of the- the dark oyes and the quiet peace of the- the Easter Easter morning streaming str aming in at the fhe- open window wrapped them cl close se Another little littI white soul had joined th the angels a Barbara's Barbaras Barbaras Barbara's heart unDo uniDo un- un loo iDo you you H d fer little Do care a fell feller r like me til she died she could could hear the childish childish child child- ish voice Do yer tin tink Hed He'd care for fop fora a- a little f feller ller like me The Great Old World The cynics mock her The red storms rock her The e earthquakes kes shock her ber But nut on she he rolls Downcast elated elated- For ruin slated She still goes freighted With human souls I ITlie The great seas thunder And rend asunder asunder- The white stars wonder As Time grows gray But But re reaping But reaping sowing Her way she's going To meet meet unknowing unknowing A Judgment Day But joy But Joy go with her ber Nor slip his tether When stormy weather Makes grief and moan Tragedy Tragedy jest jest world world- unto rest world Still Still Still-still still the best world We ever have bave known Frank L L. Stanton In Atlanta tion Kidding the Neighbors Terence OGrady had only been married married married mar mar- ried a week but his bride was already making malting things lively in the little house houseIn In Bally BaU bunion He Ha had been working for three e hours in his little garden when Bridget came to the back door and called out hi In strident tones Terence me come In to tay toast and eggs I Terence dropped his spade In as astonishment as- as I and and ran into the kitchen Bridget alannah yore only i coddin me he said Nay Te Terence ence replied Bridget I its it's not ye its its it's the e s cod cod- j 1 din dla Lon London n Tele Telegraph i |