The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-07-30

W siietu5 uuu III OrueI 10 ulScDaTRe IL must
devote myself to the culture and practice of
my uaieo-n
Very WE'LL" said Kirkland, coldly.
You have decided for yourself, have
been willing to keep my engagement. Al.
ways remember that"
There is no danger of my forgetting it :"
said Erica, with little curl of her lip.
So Mr., Kirkland went away-and Erica
sung as sweetly rs ever Mt the Aladdin
Theatre that night, although her heart was
like lump of ice within her bosom
That was the beginning Of Miss Fields
career. She became a great star ON the
operate horizon, after awhile-but Norman
Kirkland, afar off in the Great West, knew
or cared nothing Of all this. He was intent
on getting rich. He was devoting himself
exclusively to the Moloch of money.
But one day the demon Fire swept its livid
garments over the settlement which he had
erected, and toppled over his ambitious
schemes as high wind will sometimes top
pie over the card houses built by children
Norman Kirkland did not lose his life
There were times when he wished that he
had done so. But, after q slow recovery
from the lingering fever into which the
shock and excitement had thrown him, he
turned his face homeward.
"Ten years-ten years !" he kept repeat
ing to himself. viii any one know me
there2 Will any one remember me? My
mother, I suppose. is in the Poor Eouse,--
my poor old aunt has perhaps found
lsfuge in some Home for the INDECENT and
Aged. And / cannot help them, that
is the cruelest blow of all'
And almost the first thing upon which his
eyes rested in his native city, was bulletin
board with Miss Erica Fields name on
it.
' She is great singer, them" he NUT
tered. She has succeeded, / have fail
ed |"
He went to tho Opera House. He had
not money enough to buy ticket, even to
the cheapest seats. But he asked the man
who sold the little bits of pink pasteboard
for the great cantatrice's address. She had
just bought new home at Pandora Park,
this was told him,-a palace of hewn brown
stone. 1t was only last week that she
moved into it. Oh, yes,-he would give
the address, but Miss Field lived very
secluded life. He doubted whether she
would see the gentleman.
Norman Kirkland, however, chose to
hazard the venture. An intense longing to
see Erica had taken possession of him.
Erica Field was there, fairer and more
beautiful than ever. She welcomed him MS
an old FRIEND she frankly told him of the
success she had achieved.
"And" she added, not without some
natural hesitation. 81 hope you will not
be vexed, Norman, but your mother came
to me when they believed you dead. She
had no friends nor money. She did not
know what to do"
"And you ~ he said, in n low voice.
II told her." Erica said, that had
more than enough. I asked her to come
and be my honored guest for the rest of her
life,-she and your old aunt. They have
lived with me ever since"
God bless you, Erica !" huslSily spoke
Kirkland. I" If ever an angel assumed the
form of humanity it is you Oh, if l could
only blot out the past, --if dared only to
ask you"
flush !" she said, laying her hand gent
ly on his arm. Do not speak any further.
All that is over now. The past ia past, and
cannot be lived again. We will be dea
friends, always we can never be any
thing more"
And Norman Kirkland accepted his fate
with the dull doggedness of despair; nor
was it any the less bitter because he knew
that he deserved it.
He went back to the West and never re-
turned again.
Why should he? And Erica Field lived
unmarried to the day of her death.