Frostburg mining journal., 1881-10-01
Selett Stnrp.
HER FIRST APPEARANCE.

- ~Ss~NJ "s~S 4N~sS WV ~"~~~J 49,
ing" after all her preparations were
made, that now, nearly at the last mo-
ment, such contretemps should occur,
and the more she thought Of it themore
was Mrs. Stewart Allenby in despair.
And with good reason, for she had is
sued cards for q 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'programme would be too short un-
less some one could be found to sing
the cavatina from "Linda de Chamou-
nix"
"Put in comic song instead" sug-
gested Mr.. Allenby, whose taste was
not educated up to concert pitch.
GA comic song indeedl" echoed his
wife with scornful laugh. "George.
you are fool"
But as Mr.. Allenby had heard this
blunt statement good many times be.
fore, he was'not at all discomposed by It,
At that moment the door opened
softly. Mrs. Allenby started up.
Williams" cried she to the foot
man, "I'm not at hcmel Didn't tell
you could see nobody this morningl"
"Yes, madam" the footman answered,
coughing behind his hand; "but il
isn't company, msdam-it's the visiting
governess."
"Oh!" Mrs. Allenby was visibly re-
lieved. "Come in, Miss Ashton. Viii.
liams, call Miss Constance at once to
her lessons"
Margaret Ashton came quietly in, Z
little, gray-dressed creature, like nun,
with soft hazel eyes, complexion ~
pale as ivory, and mended gloves upon
her small hands.
"You are not well, Mrs. Allenby,
I am afraid ~ she said, gently, as she
seated herself.
"I am well enoughp said Mrs,
Stewart Allenby, petulantly-" only
I'm in despair. You don't know Of any
one who could sing that cavatinA fol
me, do you, Miss Ashton?"
"Perhaps-I could" said Margaret,
"You?"
Mrs. Allenby stared as If the visiting
governess had stated that she could
construct sentence in Sansorit.
"I could sing little once," said Mar.
garet; "and that cavatina was one Of
my favorite pieces"
"You darling |" she cried. "I 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.
"Tm going to sing at concert next
Wednesday,"
"Youl |" echoed the widow. "You'll
fail, for certainty"
"I can try," said Margaret, with q
futtering sigh.
"Your voice is we'll enough" said the
sister, disparagingly; "but it has NO
volume. And you never will have the
confidence to sing before an audience.
The tears came into Margaret's eyes.
81 must do something, Charlotte, "
said she. "We cannot live on as we
are living now. We are in debt every.
where; and since the doctor has pre-
scribed dainties for mamma I haven't
known where to look for the money to
buy them with"
perhaps l shall get something to dc
soon," said Charlotte.
"But, in the meantime" I" said Mar.
garet, witha sorrowful uplifting Of her
eyebrows.