THE OLD ORGAN-GRINDER.

Golden Bay Argus, Volume VI, Issue 60, 22 July 1897, Page 2

THE OLD ORGAN-GRINDER.

“ I really must be in a bad dream,” said Mr. Delmaine, staring at his pretty daughter, Leslie, as if she were some startling freak of the entomological kingdom. “ Base child, do I understand you aright ? Have you actually promised to wed this penniless artist—you the sole heiress to half a million ?”

“ I actually have,” confessed Leslie, with eyes adroop. She hardly knew whether to laugh or cry as she listened to the comments of her eccentric parent. She had never seen him so much inclined to indulge in melodrama before. “ Then go !’* he said, striking an attitude which would not have disgraced Salvini himself. “ Go, marble-hearted and unfeeling daughtergo with the man of your choice ! What is if to you that I have an organic affection which renders excitement fatal—that my—” “ O papa !” cried Leslie, making a rush in in his direction. But loftily he waved her back. “ Depart !” he resumed “ Abide by your choice ; you are no longer child of mine. Away with the penniless one who has won you from my arms ! Do not speak to me~do not address me. Leave me to perish alone with this fatal organic—” Earl Palmer, the “ penniless one ” referred to, seized Leslie's hand at this juncture and drew her towards the door. “ Ob, hasten ! Oh, let us not linger ! Oh, fly—let us fly—for we must ! ” he quoted in seeming terror. Before the old gentleman could finish bis interrupted sentence they were both outside, and Leslie was clinging to her lover’s arm, half in tears, half in laughter. “ Coine, darling, he has given his consent, and we may as well be maried at once, ’ said Earl. “ His eccentricities will strike in and kill him some day, instead of that * organic affection ’ on which he harps. Was he ever ill ? ” “ Never,” answered Leslie, solemnly ; “ his health is perfect. 1 hoped he would receive the news of our engagement differently, Earl ; he likes you, but he likes to show his authority. He does not dream I would ever take him at his word. I’ve a notion to elope with you, since he has ordered me to depart—just to teach him a lesson.” Needless to say the phn met with Earl’s unqualified approval, and in less than an hour’s time the elopement was an accomplished fact. A brief note to Mr. Delmaine, apprising him of the affair, was dropped into a post box ; and then Mr, and Mrs. Palmer took possession of a wee, cosy cottage in the suburbs, far from the “ madding crowd.” Earl had a studio in town ; though he had as yet attained no startling degree of success in his chosen profession, he was an artist of rare taleut aud had his patrons. It was somewhat lonely for Leslie, left to her own devices all day ; but she busied herself with household affairs, and was very happy. No word came from her father in his great lonely house, He had apparently forgotten her very existence. One evening, a month after their marriage, Earl came home to find his little wife in a state of high excitement. “ Oh, Earl,” she said eagerly, “ such a queer old organ-grinder stopped in front of the house to-day and played that little Italian air you always liked so well. 1 threw him a coin, and what do you think ? He let it lie in the road, aud asked me, in the queerest, choked voice,for a glass of water. I went to the kitchen to get it, andwheu I came back he was standing in the parlour, looking at papa’s picture, over there. 1 tell you 1 was frightened.”

“ What did you do ?” asksd her husband, looking startled. “ I Lold him to go at once, and he stepped outside and played Byron’s ‘ Farewell,’ then waved his dirty haud and went away. Why, Earl, what is it ?’’ she broke off, as the young man picked up a scrap of green paper from the floor, and eyed it incredulously. “ A £lO note !” he gasped, holding it up to view. “ Your organ-grinder is a rascally counterfeiter, Leslie dear, and is trying to get us iuto trouble. I’ll give this to an expert tomorrow.”

He did so, and to his astonishment found the note to be genuine. Ou bis return that night Leslie met him with an account of a second visit from the organ grinder, aud showed him a second note she bad found on the doorstep, held in place by a small stone. It was for £2O this time ; and Earl nearly fainted with surprise. “Au old Italian throwing money around after that fashion ! ” he ejaculated, sinking into a chair, and drawing Leslie down on his knee. ‘* He must be a prince in disguise. See how true goodness is rewarded, darling. We obeyed the dictates of our hearts aud got married ; and now that our father his* forsaken us, lo ! an organ grinder takes ns up. But organ grinders who go around dropping bank-notes are dangerous customers. I shall stay at home with you to-morrow, and interview the mysterious old rascal, if he comes again.” He was as good as his word ; but the day wore on without a sign of the musical itinerant. They had giveu him up at last, and stood together at the parlour window,watching the fires of sunset in tho west. An odd choked cough startled them, and both turned to find the identical organ grinder, who had unperceived entered the open door of the parlour, and stood grinning at them. “ Out with you, rascal, quick ! ” was all Earl could say iu a voice of fierce indiguation. The venerable offender answered by dropping his organ, seizing the astonished Leslie in his arms, aud kissing her in a most insane manner. For an instant Earl stood as in a horrible nightmare. Then he made a wild rush at the Italiau, grasped him by the collar, ami dragged him towards the door. He grasped at the lintel, and resisting the young man’s strength, threw his arms around him frantically, burying his patriarchal beard in his bosom Fearing contagion, Earl extricated himielf with difficulty ; while the seemingly demented visitor kicked over the organ, and thi listing his his bauds into his pockets withdrew notes, silver, and gold aud threw them on the carpet iu wild profusion.

“You moonstruck Vanderbilt i desist instantly, or I must give you in charge,” cried Earl iu strong excitement. “ How did you get so many wheels in your head, venerable Rothschild ?’’ No answer again save acts. Oil came the apostolic heard with its environment of dirt, flown went the greasy rabbit-skin cap. One jerk, and lo ! the moustache had departed. Like a full moon beamed upon the two surprised young people the smiling face of Leslie’s father. In another moment she was sobbing and laughing, both at once, upon his bosom. “ Chihli - ' u,” sai - "Id gt litleman, wiping away the tears mi ui ion of sienna which had Italianised him. you mu. t forgive me and return to my lonely mansion. 1 was but trying you to prove your affection for each other, and nobly have you stood tlie ordeal. Speaking of affection reminds me that I have of late suffered from —” “ An organic affection,” finished Earl, with a significant glance at the battered musical instrument on the floor. “ I assure you, dear sir, so have we ; let’s call it quits.”