Lincoln County advocate. (Canton, Dakota Territory, [S.D.]) 1876-1877, 1876-11-22
ONLY A SONG.

Monsieur Bafonte, who had large
family and small income, hired the
upper floor of large building in Paris
and to reduce his rent, underlet q
room to young Monsieur Ferdande
the musical composer, of whose COM
positions no one at this time had yet
heard anything.
1t was little narrow room with one
very high window, but it had this ad.
vantage, out Of this window one could,
at the risk of breaking ones neck,
catch glimpse of the beautiful prima
donna, Mile. La c., as she famed
herself on the balcony of the first floor.
For this sensible reason had Monsieur
Fernando hired the apartment.
He was dreadfully in love with her,
though they had never spoken to each
other, and he fondly and falsely be-
lieved she knew he had thrown her
bouquets and had given him special
thanks for them as she held them
against her pretty chin, and bowed her
pretty head for them, and smiled with
the beaming smile of an actress upon
the audience.
If ever he made his name and for
tune, then she should know; but not
until then. So he loved on in silence,
and worked at his compositions, and
offered them to publishers and had
them "declined with thanks"
Now and then, of course, he sold a
song; but the songs did not become
popular, and he must have starved to
death, but that he now and then played
on the piano for some dancing party.
AT the best, he lived on bread, coffee,
and a little soup.
In his room he had an old piano, a
desk, chair, meerschaum, and little
charcoal furnace. When he lad five
francs in his pocket, and it was not
rent day, he felt rich.
Mile. La c. had every luxurious
lounge and coach to be bought for
money. She lavished gold on her
friends, herself, on her pet poodle, on
the beggars who held out their crooked
hands and showed their distorted faces
at the door of the house, as she tripped
from it to the carriage.
They said she had been a peasant
girl, whose sweet voice, as she stood
singing at the door Of little hat, had
caught the ear of a wealthy music wor.
shipper, who had her taught in conse
quence. They tell such stories of SC
many prima donnas. No one would
have guessed from her manner that
she ever knew the value of sou. Yet
with all this extravaganza, she was
growing rich, and could make little
fortune in night.
Young, beautiful, adored, who could
be happier? And yet, though she
could sing divinely, she could not have
composed one OF those little songs
which were written in the garnet over
her head to save her bright young life
Each one was gem, and probably M
Fernando knew it, for genius ought tc
know its own work.
Still, rafting marches, waltzes that
were the same thing over again, and
bits from well-known operas twisted
into galops, sold; while his little songs
1'zy neglected. -Un the counter; and
Others never reached the counter at all
being scorned from the first by publish
ers with no music in their souls, how
ever much there may have been in their
shops. ~.
If, indeed, some well-known SINCE,
would have sung one of them-Mdlle
La c., for instance-then there might
have been a change. The thought
crept into poor Fernande's heart by
degrees; at last it strengthened into a
resolve; but it must be the best Of all
that he should lay before his idol, the
very best-nothing else would do.
So he wrote in his attic room, the
poor composer, and below, the happy
song bird trilied her song, and laughed
and chatted, and was carelessly gener.
Gus, and never even knew Of his ex'
istence, who evening after evening
watched her, listened to her, envied
the man who had the right to sit beside
her, hold her fan, perhaps-who knew
her hand also; the men one of whom
might one day be her favored lover
And she enjoyed her happy butterfly
existence and knew nothing about him
At last, in fit of romantic influence
our composer turned poet. He wrote
the words of song which he called
Loves Dying Dream" and he fitted i
to an air so sweet, so gentle, that play
ing upon the old piano, he knew it te
be the best Of Ill that he had ever seer
the bright particular gem fit to la,
before his lady.
He copied it out daintily; he wrote {
note with the signature Of "An Admir-
err and resolved to leave it at the doc!
and wait the result.
/. If ! should even hear her sing it
should be SO happy" he said to him
sell, Il should be willing to die"
What strange things we say some
lmes3 Did you ever say anything, nc
quite meaning it, and afterWard prove