Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-06-27

Miss Shepard has been an humble
friend and dependent of Russell Thorn
tons 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 a plan for Felicie's future
"You shall have certain amount
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 evening,
and in week I sail fer London. 1
shall be in Europe certainly for three
years, and at the end of that time |
shall look you up. to see what you have
made of yourself"
Felicie looked up to him with her
pretty dark eyes brlmming 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.
81 will try will try p was all she
could say.
Thornton rose to say good-by.
when 1 come back l 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 figure
disappear in the darkness. She turned
to Miss Shepard.
"Will he ever-do you think he will
ever come back p she asked, with quiv-
ering lips.
"Of course. Three years will slip by
easily"
1t seemed an eternity to look forward
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? |
intend to learn to sing"
LEARN to sing ?" said Miss Shepard.
in the same tone as if she had said,
LEARN to fly"
"Yes," said Felicie,-"to sing like
the great opera-singers. My mother
sang beautifully, and | mean to sing
like her."
Miss Shepard interposed no objection
and she soon learned to oppose nothing
that Felicie said. She was so bright
and so helpful Miss Shepard's dull lit
tie house had never known any youth
full 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 Fe
licie's youth and beauty and Felici'
found herself soon to be the very apple
of Miss Shepard's eye.
She had begun her singing lessons th,
week after Thornton left, and might b.
heard trilling and caroling down in Mis-
Shepard's stuffy little parlor, and touch
ing light chords on Miss Shepard
wheezy old piano, all day long.
Nor did she forget to learn some 9th
er things, besides. She never krey
herself to be fond of books. Her lif
had been so hard and colorless that sh
really did not know what she liked ez
cept singing. But she read with
steady purpose of improvement tha
worked weuders. She bought copy
hooks, and changed her uniformed. child
ish handwriting for one full of vigor.
She had natural quickness in learn
ing everything that belonged to domes
tic affairs, and two years slipped ava
in happiness and content that poo
Felicie had never dreamed of.
About this time, when Felicie wa
twenty, she saw an advertisement for
soprano in one of the great city church
choirs. She determined to apply for il
and without saying word to Mis-
Shepard, she slipped off, and went
the vestry room where the candidate
were being examined.
When she found herself before s
many persons, and saw the strange pr
fessor who presided at the organ, ht
heart sank; but when at last ''Mi
Brevard" was called forward, and 81
saw her familiar notes, her voice r.
turned to her. She had never felt mol
mistress of herself. She sang with il
spiration. Her voice was so pure, ar
rich, and beautiful in tone and compass
that she knew almost intuitively th,
she would succeed. And, indeed, abo1
week afterwards, she received lett
from the choir committee, who, "havir
made inquiries about her. and fndir
she was suitable person, would be gls
to have her accept the place of first
prano. The salary would be five hu
dred dollars, with the privilege Of ia
| ing lessons from any professor 81
might select in the city, not to co
more than - etc.
J Felicie rushed up stairs to show it
{ Miss Shepard.
|