Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1881-11-03

| And she pined away and died.
Il. SIM SeS hss many
| lis ever the way ofthc foolish fair
To die for the one who does not care
| ELLA Wheeler. in Chicago Tribune. +
HER FIRST APPEARANCE.
1t really was "quite too awfully vex-
ing" after all her preparations were
made, that now, nearly at the last mo-
ment, such a contretemps should occur,
and the more she thought of it the more
was Mrs. Stewart Allenby in despair.
And with good reason, for she had is
sued cards for morning concert--a
matinee musicale, as she called it on the
invitations; the first she had ever given
since she moved to the great house in
one of the most fashionable roads in
South Kensington, and she particularly
desired that it should be success-and
now Signora Belcore had gone and fallen
sick at the eleventh hour, and the pro-
gramme would be too short unless some
one could be found to sing the cavatina
from "Linda de Chamounix."
"Put in comic song instead" sug-
gested Mr.. Allenbv, whose taste was not
educated up to concert pitch,
"a comic song indeed!" echoed his
wife with scornful laugh. George,
you are foolw ---
But as Mr.. Allenby had heard this
blunt statement a good many times be-
fore, he was not at all discomposed by it.
At that moment the door opened
softly. Mrs. Allenby started up.
civilians" cried she to the footman,
f"Tm not at home! Didn't / tell you
could see nobody this morningT'
eyes madam" the footman answered,
coughing behind his hand; "but it isn't
company, madam-it's the visiting gov
erness"
"OhW Mrs. Allenby was visibly re-
lieved. "Come in, Miss Ashton. Will
liams, call Miss Constance at cnce to her
lessons"
Margaret Ashton came quietly in, a
little, gray-dressed creature, like nun,
with soft hazel eyes, a complexion as
pale as ivory, and mended gloves upon
her small hands.
"You are not well, Mrs. Allenby, am
afraid p she said, gently, as she seated
herself.
ri am we'll enough" said Mrs.
Stewart Allenhy, petulantly-"only Pm
in despair. You don't know of anyone
who could sing that cavatina for me, do
you, Miss Ashton?"
"Perhaps-I could" said Margaret.
| "YouF'
Mrs. Allenby stared as if the visiting
governess had stated that she could con.
struct sentence in Sanscrit.
/ "L could sing little one," said Mar.
garet; "and that cavatina was one of my
favorite pieees''
"You darling!" she cried eff only
you could help me out of this dilemma.
I'll be grateful to you all my life long"
Margaret went back to the humble
little suburban cottage where she rented
three rooms-a cottage where she sup
ported fretful valetudinarian mother
and pretty widowed sister, whose life
had been failure all the way through
"Charlotte," she said, to the latter
"Pm going to sing at concert mex,
WednesdayP' .... .:..s...f ..- ~.
! "Your echoed the widow "You'l
fail, for certainty"
II can but try" said Margaret, with
futtering sigh. -. 7:.-.'
"Your voice is well enough" said tn
sister, disparagingly; ''but it has no vol
ume. And you never will have the con
fdence to sing before an audience"
The tears came into Margarets eyes.
ri must do something Charlotte" sait
she. "We cannot live on as we are liv
ing now. We are in debt everywhere
and since the doctor has prescribed win
for mamma l haven't known where t
look for the money to buy it with.
"Perhaps l shall get something to d
soon," said Charlotte,
"But, in the meantimeg' said Margs
ret, with sorrowful uplifting of he
eyebrows. .-.s
She was magnanimous little thing
this hard worked, pale faced visitin
governess, or. she would have reminds
her elder sister that sitting all day wit
curl-papered locks and dogs-eared nov
els was no way to obtain lucrative si1
uation of any sort.
!, Its very hard on me-" said Mr.
Ashton, who sat with a devotional boo
in her lap and bunch Of grapes on
china plate beside her. eff Margare
had been like anyone else, she woul
have made brilliant match long ago.
Margaret did not remind her mothe
how she had discarded Basil Hepburn
long ago, because he was not sufficient
aristocratic and wealthy to suit Mr.;
Ashton's lofty ideas-and how Mr.. Hel
burn had since become Q rich man, an
man of mark.
4 ef he knew how very poor we are,
said Margaret to herself, with sigl
II think he would be sorry But
could not tell him; and now that he hs
gone to travel in Egypt, and up tn
Nile, it isn't likely shall ever see hil
. again."
sYou haven't more voice than spa
row." said Mrs. Ashton.
"You have never cultivated what Ii
tie you have" said Mrs. Charlotte; can
the idea Of your standing up to sin
! among those professional voealists is sin
ply proposterousI'
But Margaret stood valiantly to b.
colors, and when the eventful night q
rived, she stood there on the velye
covered platform, in her well-worn blac
sik, softened by bunehes of pale pin
|. foaebuds, and drapery. Of misty blae
Z lace, spny of rosebuds in her hai
and an Intent look in her soft brow
4