Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-04-24

ne was not sure ont thlS was tnt
best. The voice was yet dream
and he was half afraid to see it
owners face, or hear her name, fo
fear of being rudely awakened. S.
an early train bore him out Q
town.
1t so happened that the same
morning, Claire started to visit hel
friend Madge Overton. How de-
lighted Raymond wonld have beer
to know that the pretty girl who
sat opposite him all the way was
the owner OF the charming voice
But no strange Influence warned
him Of her presence. He notice. d
without seeming to look at her, tho
lovely violet eyes and the bright
hair, that constituted Claire's chief
beauty. And he remembered aft er-
wards of wondering whether she
could sing.
She saw the brown eyes aud
blushed as she caught them. looking
into her own, then speedily forgot
all about him as she became inter
ested in her book.
Tie Ovcrtons lived little way
out of the city iu a beautiful coun-
try home. The honse was large
and handsomely furnished aud the
grounds beautifully laid ont. Madge
and Claire had been school friends,
and were warmly attached to each
other.
One lovely moonlight night, a
solitary horseinan rode slowly by
the Overton's farm. There were
lights in the par.ors, and coon a
sound of music, bearing which he
urged his horse forward until he
stood under the trees at the gate
way.
There was first piano 500,
played with some skill, than long
silence and just as he was thinking
OF starting away. some one began to
slrg. 1t was n simple Scotch bal
lad, the same that Claire had sung
when they encored her at the
charity concert but it had a
strange effect uopn the listener at
the gate. When the last sweet
note had died away, he looked
around and rubbed his eyes as if
awakening from a dream, pinched
his hands TO assure himself that it
was not a dream, then said
'It is fate
He fingered there until the light
went ont, and then a new sound
tioated over into the open window
where two girls sat and talked over
the events of the evening. A pure,
melodlons tenor voice, as strong as
it was sweet, began Then yon'll
me- As the first words, |
when other lips and other hearts,
Their tales of love SHALL tell''
fell or their ears the girls rose to their /
feet in surprise, ami never spoke or |
moved again until the song was en-
ded. Then there was clatter of 7
horses feet. and in the moonlight they /
saw lone borseman riding over the +.
hill.
Who can il be?'
'Oh. L was in hopes you knew !! |
said Claile, in a disappointed tone. Il
never heard as sweet tenor in nv
life
'Pshaw J said commonplace Madge Il
Il did not notice anything remarkable ,
about it, !
Her friend was silent. She could |
not tel her thoughts and have them
ridiculed in return; indeed, they t
were SO confused she hardly knew
them herself. The strange voice was
to her, and yet she could not
tell where she had heard it, only in
her dreams. Its tones had awakened
emotions in her heart never felt be- /
fore. Is it my fate?' she asked.
Meanwhile the serenader was find
ing his way back to the hotel, thinking
this opportunity should not pass
without discovering more Of the mvs-
terions songster. He did not doubt
for one moment that it WAS the same /
voice. although he could not account
for her being in this place
But alas lor human hopes and
plsnsi There was u letter await,ag
him on his return that drove all other
thoughts from his mind His mother
was very i'll, that was all he read |
then. He hurriedly packed his valise I
and took midnight train for the East.
Madge questioned 1er city friends,
but none knew of a swcet-yoiced F!
tenor who was given to lonely rides. |
and so the affair seemed more roman4
tic than ever.
Tie enjoyment Of the. visit was ter
minated a few weeks after this rather
abruptly. The girls were out rowing
on~the lake, and their boat capsized.
fortunately some of the farm labor
ers saw them, and came to the rescue
before it was too late.
The fright and exposure made
Claire sick for several weeks. and
when she recovered enough to 90
home, she made a discovery that
caused her more unhappiness that,
than anything that had ever happen-
ed TO her. j She had lost her voice ~
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