The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-05-05

grand concert in the town. One G
the principal singers is suddenly i'll.
have just left the manager in despair a
filling her place. You shall appear
and sing the song to which i have jus
listened. For this will give you fiv
hundred thalers. Perhaps when you
mother hears of your success, she ma,
be persuaded to change her mind"
Five hundred thalels! The sun
seemed incredible. What would it no
do for them? Could she refuseP Sh,
must not. She must risk even he
mothers anger.
Falling on her knees before the tall
| handsome man, she bent and kissed hi.
| hand.
That day and the next passed to hel
| In sort OF a dream; but towards even
ing of the next day her mother grew
| feverish and restless, i'll at ease if Gis
ella was for a moment out of her sight
Suppose this feeling increased, how
should she get away? She dared no
tell the truth; she could think of NJ
other pretext.
1t was her first deception, and, spite
of the voice of nature which sanctioned
it, it weighed heavily upon her young
soul. To her ineXpressible relief, with
her mother fell into n gentle slum ber
Leaving some excuse for her absence
in case she should wake, she hastenct
to assume her simple toilet of white
and, under the guardianship of her ole
master, went to the appointed place.
Now, that there was no withdrawal,
she wondered at her own madness in
coming. How should she stand before
that uOtIlrned sea of facesp
''Courager' her master whispered.
Forget them all. Think that you arc
in the cathedral with lnc.''
With these words she advanced upon
the stage. A feeble murmur of ap-
plause greeted the young Re6Ht0nte.
To herself she seemed walking upon
waves.
An instant, and all grew dirk before
her. when her eyes fell upon the grave.
dark eyes of the gentleman who had Of
fcrod her the five hundred iha'ers.
Somehow they rcassurcd and gave
her strength. Her first notes trembled:
but as her own ear caught them, the
old love of her own voice put aside all
lesser influence which swayed her, and
she sang rs she had sung TO the old
saints in their inches, and to the birds
in their leafy nests.
A deafening sound of applause fol-
lowed the last echo, which had died
away in the still more iilttering silence.
Again and again she was recalled.
The management came forward TO offer
her an engagement at any terms; but
she sadly shook her head. 1t must not
be. Already some dim prophetic in
stinct of the future was stirring within
her heart.
She hurried from the place with tho
five hundred thalers folded in her
breast. She would kneel ut her moth
er's feet. confess her flult-if fault it
was-and leave to her the decision of
her future; but on the threshold of her
home she stopped. as though its shadow
had already struck chill to her young
soul. There were hurrying feet and
moving lights. Only an instant she
paused, then ran with light steps up to
the room where she left her sleeping.
'.Hush!" some one said.
But the dying woman had already
heard. Raising herself in bed, she
waved back her child who would have
thrown herself into her arms.
"You have deceived me-" she said.
''You have in you your fathers blood.
He, too, deceived and deserted his wife
and child! 1 meant to have kept from
you the truth. You have wrung it from
me. once cursed every woman with
a voice. You know now why never
let you sing; why the very sound of
your voice was hateful in my ears!'
Mother! motherr' walled the girl;
''why did you not tell me this before?
Unsay your curse, mother! Do not let
it rest upon my innocent head. did
II for. SoEopf
'.For my sake?" the sick woman ech-
Oed. eI-I-''
But what she would have said was
never uttered. She fell back on her
pillow, dead.
tThe curse, the curse" meaned Gis-
ella, and sank, fainting on the floor.
When she recovered consciousness.
she found that with the money she had
earned, her mother had been carried to
her last quiet resi-
Some one, who had seen her at the
concert, had unwittingly recounted to
the invalid her triumph, and the shock
had proved more than the shattered
nerves could bear, fastening the al
ready fast-approaching end.
1t was long ere Gise LA tried to sing
again; but one day, when want pressed
heavily upon her, she stole into the
cathedral to try her power.
In vain! Her voice was gone-she
could not raise single note.
In that way. she thought, had her
mother warded off her curse and q
great weight lifted itself from her heart,
spite of her loss, and. alone in the si-
lence, there fell from her burning eyes
tears which eased her brain and light
ened her heart.
AS she wept, some one entered in the
gloom. 1t was the maestro, who had
been very kind to her during her ill
ness, refusing to leave the quiet Ger
man town till he knew the snng-bird Gas
he called her) had recovered.
Now his kindly, handsome face looked
down on her.
s.Gisclla," he said, .'once | made you
an offer that brought you only sadness;
now l would change it into gladness.
My little song-birJ l no longer want
your voice for the world, but for myself
and my own hcarthstonc. Gisclla, will
you be my wife?'
Wonderingly she looked into his
earnest eyes.
MY voice is gone" she answered.
II am no longer worthy even of your
pity"
NOC MY pity, pit NY ioNt. S'iiIc
TO me, then, my little. voiceless bird,
and let me WOO back your song!'
She was very weak. and he was very
strong, and gathered in his arms, the
lifted, and n mothers blessing
seemed to fold itself around her, rs she
laid her tired head upon her found
lovers breast.
Nor did her happiness ever desert
her, not even when humming lullaby
to her sleeping babe. as it rested in her
arms. the glorious voice broke forth
from its long Imprisonment. soaring
higher and higher, until the baby woke
and smiled.
But the people often questioned OF the
wonderful nightingale whose notes had
been heard but once-questioned and
Some time ago the authorities of one
Of the largest hospitals in London took
- xrov, lot oil tbk, droino and