Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-05-19

Miss Shepard had been an humble
friend and dependent of Russell Thorn
toms mother, and was only too glad to
have it in her power to do anything for
''Mr. Russell"
Thornton appeared in the evening,
and fixed upon plan for Felicie's flu
ture arrangements.
'You shall have a certain amount a
month" said he, beyond your board.
With that you may do as you please.
You may go to school, or learn dress
making, or anything else you like. [
leave for New York tomorrow even
ing, and in a week | sail for London. [
shall be in Europe certainly three years,
and at the end Of that time I shall look
you up, to see what you have made of
yourself"
Felicie looked up to him with her
pretty dark eyes trimming over with
tears. She had learned to dread and
| fear strangers. These two-Russell
Thornton and Miss Shepard-were the
only two who had ever been kind to
her in all her life.
Il will try will try p was all she
could say.
Thornton arose to say gOOd-by.
"When I come back | expect to be
dazzled with your requirements"
He shook hands with her as he spoke,
and then with Miss Shepard, and the
next moment she saw his graceful fig
IRE disappear in the darkness. She
turned to Miss Shepard.
'Will he ever-do you think he will
ever come back?" she asked, with
quivering lips.
''Of course. Three years will slip by
easily"
1t seemed an eternity to look for
ward to, in Felicie's imagination.
The next day she said to Miss Shep-
ard
"Do you know what [ am going to
do with what Mr.. Thornton gives me I?
[ intend to learn to sing"
''Learn to sing ?" said Miss Shepard
in the same tone as if she had said,
Learn to fly"
eyes," said Felicie-''to sing like the
great opera-singers. My mother sang
beautifully, and | mean to sing like
her"
Miss Shepard interposed no obiec-
ticn, and she soon learned to interpose
nothing that Felicie said. She was so
bright, and so helpful Miss Shepard's
dull little house had never known any
youthful merriment, and it warmed
the poor old souls heart to feel Felicie's
active and magnetic young presence
about her.
She summed herself, as it were, in
Felicie's youth and beauty; and Felicie
found herself soon to be the very ap-
pie of Miss Shepard's eye.
She had begun her singing lessons
the week after Thornton left, and
might be heard thrilling and caroling
down in Miss Shepard's stufy little
parlor, and touching light chords on
Miss Shepard's wheezy old piano, all
day long.
Nor did she forget to learn some
other things, besides. She never knew
herself to be fond of books. Her life
had been so hard and colorless that she
really did not know what she liked ex-
cept singing. But she read with a
steady purpose of improvement that
worked wonders. She bought copy
| books, and changed her Uniformed,
| childish handwriting for one full of
vigOr.
She had natural quickuess in learn
ing everything that belonged to domes-
tic affairs, and two years slipped away
in happiness and content that poor
Felicie had never dreamed of.
About this time, when FeIicic was
| twenty, she saw an advertisement for IL
soprano in one Of the great city church
choirs. She determined to apply for it,
and without saying q word to Miss
Shepard, she slipped off, and went to
the yestry-roOm where the candidates
were being examined.
When she found herself before so
many persons, and saw the strange pro-
fessor who presided at the organ, her
heart sank; but when at last ''Miss
Brevard" was called forward, and she
saw her familiar notes, her voice re-
turned her. She had never felt more
mistress Of herself. She sang with in
spiration. Her voice was so pure, and
rich, and beautiful in tone and compass
that she knew almost intuitively that
she would succeed. And. indeed, about
week afterward, she received a letter
from the choir committee. who, "hav-
ing made inquiries about her, and find
ing she was a suitable person, would be
glad to have her accept the place of
first soprano The salary would be
five hundred dollars, with the privilege
of taking lessons from any professor
she might select i'll the city, not to cost
more than -, etc.
FeIicie rushed up stairs to show it to
Miss Shepard.
"Just think! Five hundred doIlars
And only to sing for it! And lessons
from Barilli! What have longed for
and could not affordp'
Miss Shepard looked at her in de-
lighted surprise.
ooh, Felicie, dear, what will Mr.. Rus
sell say"
Don't you think he will like it,"
said Feicie, stopping short.
fOf course he will, my darling"
Then it's ali right" said Felicie,
skipping off to answer her letter.
In little while Felicie began to think
she took wicked pleasure in her
voice. She could not but be proud of
it. Sunday became day Of triumph
to her. She felt that when she sung
her solos every note was listened to
with delighted attention; but she kept
down her innocent, girlish vanity by
saying to herself:
"When Mr.. Thornton comes home,
he will have heard so many fine voices
that mine will be nothing to him and
if he sees that [ am vain of it, ne will
be utterly disguised with me-"
IL. Il