The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-02-18

AOI NilLHCI.
But one lady sat by the side of the
front door, reading, and as she raised
her eyes from her book Milly saw that
it was the singer whom she had heard the
night before.
1t was a strange thing for shy little
Milly to do, but before she thought she
found herself standing before the lady,
who was looking at her curiously.
IF you please, ma M" said Milly,
blushing, II heard you sing last night,
and it was so beautiful And think |
can sing, too; and we are so poor, and
need the money SO much at home. L
wonder if you would tell me if my voice
was worth anything"
The lady dropped her book. "What
is it, my dear?'' she asked kindly. Il
don't quite understand"
eff you would only, please, see if L
could sing ma am" Milly, as she spoke,
wrung her hands, nervously.
80, you want me to try your voice. Why
of course l will Come into the parlor and
you shall sing for me, and then | will sing
little for you. Don't be afraid. There
is never anyone there at this hour. we
can have it all to ourselves"
She led the way, and Milly followed,
timidly. The large parlor was deserted.
Seating herself at the piano Miss B
ran her fingers lightly over the keys,
and then asked: ''What can you sing,
my child?"
''All the old hymns and songs; Uncle
Seth likes the old Scotch songs best of
all" '~
''Do you know this?" playing "With-
in Mile O Edinboro' Town." and she
looked up at Milly as she spoke. Milly
nodded assent.
very well, now sing, right out"
Milly's voice trembled and hesitated
at first; but the accompaniment gave her
courage, and then it poured out rich and
strong, filling the large room and echo
ing through the hall and corridors.
The lady paused in establishment.
"Why, of course, you can sing. My
child, you have glorious voice-now,
go OH"
After the song was finished Miss B
tried Milly's voice in sustained notes and
scales; and at the end of the brief les
son the delighted pupil found herself
sitting by the teacher side pouring into
her sympathetic ears all her troubles and
fears and hopes and plans.
1t was the talk of the whole town
when, just week from that time, Miss
B left for Europe, taking Milly with
her. 1t had required much persuasion
on her part; but when she had satisfied
Uncle Seth that Milly would be in good
hands, he reluctantly gave his consent
Mics II 11nIaptCDl- TO oil
and the only condition of the agreement
was a solemn promise that Nlilly should
not sing in opera, the good old man hay
ing inherited from his Puritan ancestors
horror of the stage.
When Dick came home he was
stunned by the news of Milly's depart
ure. Great, too, was his establishment
and grief when he found she had gone
without one little note or word Of special
farewell.
''Did she leave nothing with you,
Kate?n he asked, rs he overlook that
young woman on her way to singing
school.
1t was too dark for him to notice
Kate's flushed face and confused man
ner.
''No,' said Kate, slowly, ''the fact
was, Milly's head was completely filled
with her new friends and new life. And
she did not have all the luck, Dick. |
have been appointed postmistress. 1t
will be far better than tramping through
the snow to teach tiresome children
But Dick hardly heard what she said.
He was thinking of Milly. ''It's but the
beginning of the end,n he murmured
''She will never be the same Milly again.
o why did they send her out in the
world, away from those who love her
best?"
He wrote her kindly once, twice,
three, four times, without receiving an
answer. Then, in q fit of indignation he
wrote to Miss B, demanding an ex-
planation-and that, too, failed to win a
reply.
''Are you sure you put on the right
stamps?" he asked of Postmistress Kate,
and she assured him that she twas
sure"
They had letters regularly at the farm
house, however, and Kate seemed to be
the favorite correspondent Dick began
to look on her as the only link left be-
tween him and Milly He left, after
awhile, for a neighboring town, to study
for the ministry; but came home fire.
quently; and never failed to pass part
of the time with Kate; for, in spite of
Milly's cruel neglect, he found him
self hungering for the slightest tidings
of her.
For the first two years Milly wrote
that she was studying hard and making
rapid progress. Presents came to the
farmhouse and money to pay the inter-
est on the mortgage. There were also
pretty little gifts, sent through Kate to
old friends, Dick being the only one for
gotten. At last came the news of
grand triumph. Milly had sung in pub
lie, and her success was assured. Vari-
GUS extracts from foreign journals we're
copied by the papers lauding the beauty
and talent of the young American
singer. Then Milly pleaded for two or
three years more, and accompanied the
letter with a check to pay off a portion of
the mortgage; and with this came a
photograph of herself in grande toilette.
Meantime the years went by. Seven
had passed. During that time gentle
Aunt Rhoda had been carried to her last
rest and slept in the village cemetery.
Milly's money, however, procured ca