American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-07-12


money somehow. 1 can't write love
stories and poetry, and l won't sew for
starvation prices, and l don't see my
way clear to being a shop-girl even if
any body would employ me, because
there's dear old Gerald to be locked
after and kept comfortable. But l do
think could sing if only l obtained
chance. NJ. Martelli, at school, used to
say had a good soprano. III ask Mrs.
Lacy to let me pr ctice little on her
piano, AID then III try my fortune
Gerald would say it was all nonsense,
but then I don't mean to ask Gerald's
advice"
And three or four weeks afterwards,
when Mrs. May presented herself, trem-
bling and fluttering, before Signor Sc
vero, that musical autocrat viewed her
with favorable eyss through an immense
pair of tortoise-shell eye glasses.
"You advertised for soprano, SIR"
said Mabel, turning carmine and white
by turns.
"Certainly, madame, 1 did," said the
signor, 50 for re choir of St. Eudocia."
"Will you please try me?"
"Wiz re greatest of pleasure, mad
ame," briskly opening the huge grand
piano, which stood like family coffin
in the middle OF the ROOM sAnd what
will YOU singf"
"Whatever you please, SIR"
Signor Severe rustled a piece of music
out of drift some three feet high on the
floor.
"Bien! Wewill try zis,'' said he.
He struck the chords, and rising up
on the wings of the sublime harmony
Mabel's voice scared like bird.
Siguor Severe nodded when the aria
was over and rubbed his hands glee-
fully.
Madame" said he, sit is strong, it
is sweet. You have one good idea of
time and tune; you know how to man
age re voice.
"And you will give me trialP''
Mabel's heart was beating SO rapidly
that she could hardly speak.
The signor nodded.
Sand if re musical committee accept
you-mind, madame, do not say ,ey
will, for of all committees t.iusical COM
mittees are Re most capricious-we will
give you re zalarie of four hundred dol
lars re year. Iplaz re organ; lead zs
choir, when it will be led at all" with
comical shrug of his shoulders, "and I
shall you most cordially recommend
Mabel May tripped home as if her
light feet were flying oees nnose- colored
clouds instead of muddy March pave
nasnts.
Why, that was almost as much as
Messrs. Stint & Scrspe paid Gerald for
his drudgefy-four hundred dollars.
1t would nearly double their little in
come at once and enable them to lay
something by for the rainy day that
comes to every one sooner or later.
1t was late one Sunday night when
Gerald May sat yawning before his SOL
itary fire.
Mabel mad been spending the day and
evening with friend-or at least so
she said-and Gerald was beginning to
realize how lonely home was without its
pervading spirit.
At length the door opened and Mabel
came in, rosy and dimpled, and wrap
ped in a huge shawl.
Have you 1een very lonesome,
dear?" she said, radiantly.
"I've felt just exactly like Robinson
Crusoe ON his desert island" said Ger
aid with grimace. s'And what sort
of a day have you hat, little woman P''
"Oh, pleasant enough" evasively.
"But tell me, Gerald. how have you
whiled away the timeP''
"I've teen TO fashionable church,"
said Mr.. May, 8" st. Eudocia's, and 1
must take you there, Mabel, to hear the
music. Why, it's equal to an oratorio.
The tears came out of my eyes as 1 lis
tered; it seemed IS Il my soul were
floating up and up on the current of that
divine melody"
"Was it very finep"
Mrs. Mays face was turned away as
she was fastening loose button in her
boot.
''The finest soprano I have ever
heard" cried Gerald, enthusiastically.
"You must listen to her, Mabel"
The young wife turned to him with
trimming eyes and cheeks suffused with
crimson.
"Gerald," said she, I" must tell you
a secret. 1, too, was at St. Eudocia's
Church this morning.
''And you heard that delicious
sopranoP" he asked.
Yes-no-I don't know whether l
did or not, Gerald" flinging her arms
around his neck. 81 was the soprano
at st. Eudocis's. Oh, Gerald, forgive
me for keeping you in ignorance so
long, but L dared not tell you until l
knew positively that should either sue
coed or fail, and, heaven be praisedI
have succeeded"
Gerald's eyes, too, were full in spite
of his assumed stoicism.
"My little darling" he whispered.
Sand I suppose they pay you some
trifling salaryp"
-Four hundred dollars year, Ger
ald," she answered, with innocent tri-
umph.
What" he involuntarily exclaim-
ed. "That's something worth having.
Why, you must be a genius, little
wife!"