The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-02-19
GeIty Cnrnesie's Song.

zen minutes TO ten-lt hurry l shall
catch the ten fifteen train"
So saying, Gerty Carnegie, with dcft
fingers, rolled up a piece of manuscript
music and then ran up stairs to equip her
self for the exped tion to town.
Gerty is in deep mourning. Only five
months ago she lost her noble father, a
captain OF al ocean steamer, that was lost,
with all souls OH board, among the ice I.
bergs.
lie has left his widow and only child
| wholly unprovided for, and they have to
depend upon their own cXertions for the
| means Of subsistence.
SO Gerty, who is brave girl, as well as
| pretty ono, has thrown herself, with her
whole youthful energy, into the task of
teaching music, and has attempted conf
position. 1t Is a song set to Tcnnyson's
''tlow down, cold rivule , to the sea"
This precious work Of art, neatly copied,
| she is now on the point of taking up to one
OF the music publishers in London
She hurries TO the Putney station, and
jumps into an empty-lookiuy second class
carriage.
There's no one with her in the carriage,
so Gcrty begins TO sing her song; she has
clear and sympathetic zzo.soprano.
and, pleased with her own performance,
repeats her song over and over again.
| Suddenly she Is startled by a coagh be-
hind her, and, OIL horror! she belIoIds IN
the far corner Of the adjoining compart-
ment a man.
Dreadful Has she been giving an unso-
licitcd concert to this abominable stranger,
who darcs to sit there, and with admring
impertinence takes of his hat TO herf
Luckily the train slackcns speed ut this
man, Gerty is ever willing TO risk her life
in an attempt at jumping out while the
tram is still in motion.
''rhank heavcn!" she calculates as she
rapidly passes through the crowd OF pas
| scngels and hastcns down 10 wara the om-
nlbus she describes at the entrance of the
| Station.
AS Gerty nears her destination she tuds
to her dismay that tue roll of music, which
she had fancicd was safe in her mulr, had
vanished.
Tears rise to her eyes, and she desires the
conductor to stop, for she must 20 back to
the station and see-an intinitcslmnl chance
If she had lost it Oh the way from the
platform to the omnibus.
Ut course she finds nothing not O tlacc
Of the precious document, and, with dis
| may, she remembers that she had commit
ted the lmprudenceto to throw the rough COPY
into the fire.
"Oh, mamma, | am tho unluckiest girl
in this hateful world" and she sobs forth
her pitiful tale.
"Wcll, my poor dear child, don't cry
about 1t, - her mother says soothingly, '.Of
course it Is very provoking, but after all,
1t only entails second copying. Where
is your rough copy2"
Burned, mamma"
"But, Gerty, how silly. How could YOU
destroy it SO thoughtlcssly2"
"Oh, don't scold, mamma. Never mlnu,
it's onc-and-pll-I'll-n ll-nevcr-wrltc-
another" poor Gerty sobbcd.
Nonsense; you'll remember every note
Of it, and just write it out again, that is
ALL"
''Never, mamma. 1t is bad omen; 1t
tells NE that am not to succeed as com.
poser, 80 there's an end TO that dream. And
now let us have some dinner, and then
must go up to the terrace and give my lcs-
sons at Mrs. Harmon's."
lnthe afternoon she departs rather heavy
hearted and with tagging steps on her daily
duty of teaching. At the Harmon's she
finds her two pupils, the twins, Winney and
Ethel, in state of glowing excitement,
''Oh, Miss Carnegie, papa has consented
to our having such jolly party on the if-
tccnth our birthday, you know. There's
to be Il dinner party first, and then we are
to have music aud singing, and dance,
and you must come"
II will come with pleasure, and do all
can TO amusc your guests, and III play Tor
the dancing; then you need not trouble to
| engage any one"
And then the lessons are given, and Ger.
ty returns home in the dark, drizzly Janu,
ary evening, forgetting all about tho party,
and thinking of nothing but her lost song.
''What a lovely girll'' Tom Wentworth
remarks to his cousin. Ethel Harmon, next
evening, rs Gerty makes her appearance IN
the drawing-room. Who is shcf lancy
l have seen her before"
| Yes, she docs look lovely tonight, u
Ethel rejoins. ''She is Miss Carnegie, our
music mistress, and III introduce you tc
her presently. But you must come and
sing first. You can spoon atterward. Come
III play your accompaniment II you like.
What will you sing2 Tom Bowlingi'
mo; I've sung that at every party these
last three years. I'll sing new song, and
play my own accompaniment by heart,
thank yon al! the same, Etty."