The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-10-05
The Anti-AGOnOp01ist.

| have sung one Of them-Mlle. La Colombo,
for instance-thsn there might have been
. change. The thought crept into poor
Fernande's heart By degrees; at last it
strengthened into . resolve; but it must be
tho best of all that he should Icy before his
idol The very best-nothing else would do.
At last, in some moment Of romantic in>
fuence, our composer also turned poet.
He wrote the words of song which he
called cloves Dying Dream" and he fit
ted to it an air 80 sweet, so gentle, so ten
der. SO plaintive, that playing it upon his
old piano, he knew it to be the best he had
ever done-the bright particular gem to
lay before his lady.
pretty note without any signature but that
it at her door and await the result.
''If l should ever hear her sing it, l
should be SO happy-so happy" he said to
He ran down stairs with the precious
little parcel in his hand, and stood before
the door that lad to Mile. Colombes suit
Of rooms with FACILITATING heart. He had
intended to ring, and leave the music and
the note with a servant, but-ah, how I'M
fortunate-the door stood open. Opposite
he saw her dainty boudoir, and it was
empty. He would steal in and put the
music upon her table, and SO leave it. If
she liked it he should hear her singing it
some time, ami then he might speak. He
crept in; he laid the parcel down softly
and with reverence but as he did 80 his
eve fell upon o miniature. 1t was . por-
trait of his divinity herself, and was set in
costly gems. These he neither noticed nor
cared for. All he saw was the sweet face.
He stopped over it; he examined it he
took it in his hand.
alt is herself" he said. "It is wonder
full"
And l think he would have kissed it, but
at that moment he heard little scream and
q savage growl.
He turned. The scream came from Mile.
La Colombo, the xrowl from q gentleman
who accompanied her and in an instant
two hands came down upon Fernande's
shoulders, and the miniature was wrested
from him.
eHow careless of Auguste," cried the
lady, TO leave the door open for thieves IT,
enter by"
The gentleman lustely called for help.
Fernando said nothing. Conscious of his
terrible position, he was stricken dumb !;
and it was as one passes through the chang
ing sciences of dream that he knew him
self to be arrested and cast into prison.
The prima donna appeared against him
when the proper time came. She had
found this man in her room. He had q
valuable ornament in his hand She be-
lieved that he intended to steal it. She had
never seen him before-oh, no, never.
At this the young man felt that it would
be well to be dead. She had never seen
him before. Then she had not smiled
upon him when he threw her that bouquet
of Provence roses. 1t was all fancy. He
had not caught her eyes. She had never
noticed him.
The gentleman who had been with
Mademoiselle gave his evidence; only he
was fercer, and called hapless Fernando a
thief, brigand, and a rascal, when he al
luded to him. And Fernando could only
say that he was not guilty. He would say
nothing else in his misery. He would not
even give his calling, and bring his respec-
liability forward by way of defense.
II am named Fernando, and / am
twenty >three years, and l am nothing and
nobody"
This he said when called upon to account
for himself and nothing more. And he
was written down vagrant, and condemned
TO six months hard labor as o thief.
Mile. La Colombo went home pouting,
and declaring that she "hated to 90 to
such dreadful Places She eat delight
full little lunch, and afterwards finding .
packet upon her table, opened it, and read
Fernandes little anonymous note, At whick
she .laughed and hunmed over the song,
pronouncing it Every pretty A few days
after she prctised it, and on being zen
cored" one night, bethough' her to sing it
Poor Fernando if he could only have
been there to see how the women wept
over his pretty little lay Of love and death.
and to have heard how the applause rang
Amber that the manager besought made
moiselle 10 sing "Love's Dying Dream"
every night, and the lady obeyed his re-
quest Amateur singers went mad over it,
and it WAS published. Having the name
Of no composer upon it, it WAS called
Mile. La Colombe's song. and BY many was
believed to be her own, and it sold rs never
song sold before.
One day, with party. she visited the
prison where Fernando was confined. She
stood amid her little circle Of cavaliers,
and said to one in authority in the place
"what do they like, these people: Shall
sing . little love song"
"As mademoiselle pleases," said the man.
..All understand that theme"
And mademoiselle smiled and tried her
voice with . little triil. and began poor
Fernande's song. Loves Dying Dream"
Oh, the eager, glittering eyes that
watched her. Oh, the flushed cheeks. the
hurried breath. Oh, the mad throbbings
Of the heart Of Number Twenty>four IS he
whispered to himself: 1T is my song. Il
is my song"
.swhas is the matter - whispered Num-
Der Twenty three to Number Twenty -four.
Il say, speak"
"what is the matter - asked the singer
OF the superintendent. rs the las. notes Of
her song died upon her hips. There
seems to b some commotion-"
There 10 little" said the superintend-
ent, calmly. Number Twenty -four has
caused it."