The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-12-27

she herself looked after the boy. But,
upon the death of his wife, Waliord
having no woman relative who could
take her place, dismissed the general
servant ana hunted up his old nurse,
Martha Grace.
She was now ut least so years of age,
and of course nothing like as active as
she had once been. But he knew he
could rely on her to do justice to his
boy, and that was the great consi iera-
tion III his heart then. When she came
to stay with him, he said 10 her with all
the earnestness he was capable of:
Martha, | am not particular about
the house. 1 shall not want YOU to do
much for myself If YOU will just keep
the little place only, and get me some
thing simple TO eat and drink when |
want it, l shall be quite content. But
| am particular about the boy. You
must not let him get into harm of any
kind. He is all now have in the world,
and if any great harm came TO him /
should break my heart.
The old woman promised, and kept
her promise faithfully during the time
she had been with him.
At last the great night was ut hand.
! Walford was full of spirits and conf
! dence. The rehearsals had been most
satisfactory. Everyone connected with
/ the theater had complimented him upon
his singing and acting in the part, and
the whole company were in the very
best of humor, for the belief was gen
eral that the opera would run hundred
nights. Mt least.
1t was dreary, cold, damp, disheart-
ening evening, when Walford prepared
to leave his home for the theater. Some
months ago, when his wife died, he had
had IN engagement, but it was now two
months siuce his latest appearance in
/ public.
Now, Martha, said be on leaving.
you'll be king of the castle while I'm
away. | shall not he back till past
midnight You need not sit up for me.
shall get my supper III town. It's
time now, isn't it, for Freddy to 60 to
bed?' He took the 10y in his arms
and kissed him fondly, and stroked his
brown curls, and called him his Fred,
his little man, his fine boy. Then
added: 81 think, Martha, in honor of
the occasion, | must give Freddy a
shilling"
The boy clapped his hands with de
Light, and laughed. He never had had
whole shilling before. Pennies of
course often came his way, and although
he had no definite idea of the purchas-
ING powers of shilling, he knew they
were much greater than those of Il
/ penny
The father handed the boy shilling,
and having kissed him again long and
lingeringly, rose with sigh and said to
Martha: You'll take good care he gets
into no trouble while I'm away. The
safest place for him is in bed Put him
/ to bed, Martha, at once, there's Il good
I soul"
She promised to DO so, and ne left
/ the house, got into III omnibus, and
made his way as quickly as possible to
| the CremOna.
Here all was hustle and excitement.
/ Everyone who was anyone was III front.
/ BY the time he had dressed he was told
/ that the house was filled cramfull from
top to bottom, and that from the parts
where it was possible to book seats
they had been turning money away.
Everyone behind was in the best Of
good humor, and he himself felt more
elated than on any other occasion since
his wife's death.
II this piece were a hit, and he a sue
cess in it, his upward progress in his
profession would lie certain. He should
not only be able TO live in comfort, but
to save up money for his boy, and for
the time when that most del
icato of all properties, tcnors voice,
ceased to have II market value. He
still lacked of 30, and with care he
might calculate on twenty years lease
of his voice. Surprising his voice lasted
twenty years and this opera gave him II
command in the market, in those twenty
/ years he could save enough money to
insure his old age against want and to
provide handsomely for his boy.
He did not come on very early in the
first act. He felt in no way nervous.
He never was i'll better voice and the
part suited him perfectly. What more
could any tenor desire?
There was, OF course, an understudy
to his part. Mr.. Grattin was the I'M
der study, and, singular to say, he did
not arrive i'll the thcater before the cur
tain went up. This was grossly i'm
proper. For, supposing any accident
had happened to Walford, there would
have been barely time for Grattin to
dress and make up from the moment
the bell rang until the leading tenor
was required ON the stage. Grattin had
belonged to the Cremona company for
a considerable time. and during that
time had always sung second or third
tenor parts. He had been paid 8
guineas week, and for while there
had iloated before him the hope that he
might be promoted TO n front place with
a salary of go. This hope had been
d.spelled when Walford got the engage.
ment, AID now he, Grattin, had no
part at all, and no chance of an appear
ance during the present run, unless
Walford broke down.
Just as the curtain was rung up there
was great commotion behind. Grattin
had arrived in state of the highest eX-
element, and there were sounds OF con-
sternation and dismav from the mems
dressing room. Before the curtain had
been up couple of minutes the opera
was stopped, and the manager stepped