The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-11-14

he neither noticed nor cared for. He
stopped over ID; lac took it In his hand.
at is herselfl" he said.
And think he would have kissed 70,
but ut that moment he heard scream
and a savage growL s,T .Ir
He turned. The scream came from
Mdlle. La c., the growl frsm gen
tleman who accompanied her, and ON
the instant two hands came down on
Fernande's shoulders and the ninia-
ture was wrested from him. M
"How careless of Auguste, said the
lady, to leave the door open for the
thieves TO enter by.
The gentleman called Justify for
help.
Fernando said nothing. Conscious
OF his position he was stricken dumb,
and 1t was as one passing through the
changing scenes OF dream that he
knew himself to be arrested and cast
into prison.
The prima donna appeared against
him when the time came. She had
found him in her room. He had val
uable ornament in his hand. She be-
lieyed that he intended TO steal it. She
had never seen him before.
At this tho young man felt that il
would be well to be dead. She had
never seen him beforel 1t was all fan
cy. He had not caught her eyes. She
had Dever noticed him.
The gentleman gave his evidence.
but he was fierce, and called Fernando
thief and rascal, and Fernando
could only say he was not guilty. He
would not even bring his responsibility
forward by way OF defense.
"I am named Fernando, and I am
twenty-three years old, and am moth
ing and nobody"
This he said when called upon TO ac-
count for himself, aud nothing more.
and he was written down vagrant and
condemned to six months hard labor as
q thief.
Mdlle. La c. went home polt-
ing and declaring that "she hated TO 90
to such dreadful places" She ate
delightful, lunch, and afterward find
ing packet upon her table, opened il
aud read Fernande's anonymous letter,
at which she laughed and hummed
over the soLg, pronouncing it "yery
pretty" A few days after she practiced
it, and on being encored one night, be-
thought her TO sing it.
Poor Fernando! IL he could have
been there to have seen how the women
wept over his pretty little lay of love
and death, and to have heard how the
applause rang.
After that the manager besought
Madamoiselle TO sing Loves Dying
Dream" every night. and the lady
obeyed his request.
Amateur singers went mad over il,
and il was published. Having the
name of no composer upon it, II was
called Mdlle. La C--s song, and
by many was believed TO be her own,
and il sold as never a song sold before.
One day, with n party, she visited
the prison where Fernando was confin-
ed.
She stood amid her little circle of
cavaliers, and said to one in authority
Of the place:
"What do they like. these people?-
Shall / sing love song?"
"As Madamoiselle pleases," said the
man. EVERY one understands that
theme"
And Madamoiselle smiled, and tried
her voice with little trill, and began
poor Fsrnande's song, "Love's Dying
Dream"
oh, the eager, glittering eyes that
watched her.
Oh, the flushed cheek-the hurried
breath. Oh the mad throbbing of the
heart of number twenty-four as he
whispered TO himself:
at is my songl 1t is my songr'
"What is the natter" whispered
number twenty-three to number twen-
ty-four. II say mon ami. speal."
"What is the matter?" asked the
singer Of the superintendent, as the
last notes of her song died upon her
lips.-"There seems to be some COM
motion"
"There is little" said the superin-
tendent, cam y; number twenty-four
has caused it.
"Has he escaped?" cried the lady
looking rs though she had heard that
tiger had broken loose.
after manner, Madamoiselle,"
said the superintendent. "He is
dead"
They buried Fernando in whatever
spot OF ground is given to pauper pris-
oners. And Mdlle. La C sang
until she sang herself into the heart OF
soma title; but as she sings at all she
will sometimes sing "Love's Dying
Dream" Ii is so pretty; then it was
the work of an unknown admirer. 1t
is the favorite with Madame, and al
ways has been.
No one remembers number twenty
four, named Fernando, who was so i'm
polite as to die while Mdllc. La c.
was singing.