The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-08-19

4
had once more settled into its wont
Ell quiet.
While, along the hot and dust,
Boulevard leading to the suburbs O
the great city, the foreign woman
sulkily followed the officer, and lit
tie Carita, running to keep pace witt
their strides, pulled at her mother
dress and walled out:
Mamma, mamma! Where are W
going mamma? What are they go
ing to do with you, mamma"
Yes, that is the name. Iremem
Der it very well-Claude Severance.
Fifteen years had passed ava,
since that little incident at Mrs
Mouhtjoy's croquet breakfast, ant
Signorina Carita Venom, in her rose
lined boudoir. was languidly looking
over the bouquets, cards and pres
ents which had rained down upoI
the stage of the Italian opera, tn,
evening before. One glittered richel
rarer than all others-a diamond
cross, set with stones of the pures
water, with a scented card affixed tC
it, bearing these words:
When you wear this at YOU
peerless throat, queen of love and
beauty, know that you also wear the
heart of Claude Severance with it"
Signorina earita smiled and lifted
her pretty brows. She was dark and
brilliant, with large liquid eyes, like
those of a gazelle, hair black as the
blackest plumes of the ravens wing,
and full red lips, like the heart of a
tropic rose-a beauty prima don
ma capricious, spoiled darling Of
the public.
Il remember it, said Carita to
herself, leaning her chin on her two
hands and looking thoughtfully in
TO space. Il have cause to reiaem-
her it. Oh, mother ! my mother =
And to the astonishment of M.
Gadeur, the manager, and Madame
Sivond, the prima donna's compan-
ion, Signorina Carita burst into a
passion of hysterical weeping.
Madame Sivond. a motherly old
soul, with stiff white curls and lit
tie shining black eyes, like beads,
came close to her.
"My dear, what is the matter ?
What can possibly all you ?" ques-
toned she.
Nothing. nothing" cried Carita,
laughing through the great drops
that rained over her cheeks. "But
look at this diamond cross, madame,
See how it glitters. l have a new
slave at my feet, it appears. Claude
Severance, the name is. Get me .
broad band of velvet to afiix this to.
I'll hang il around my neck and
wear it to night in Donna Anna.
He shall see that his princely offer
ing finds favor in my eyes
''But, my dear boy, it is quite i'm
possible-entlrely impossible, you
know, for an opera singer to refuse
to become your wife ! Upon my
word, | should like 10 know what
the girl expects p
Claude Severance looked moodily
at his mother. He had grown into
a tall. handsome man, with the arro-
CANT, imperious beauty of an Apol.
10.
II don't know what she expects,
said be sullenly, but l can tell you
what you may expect, mother. since
she won't marry me to have me
leave the country forever. may as
well bury myself alive out in Africa
or Syria, or some of those far of
places, as 10 live OF here without the
only thing that makes life worth
having ~
Mrs. Severance wrung her jeweled
hands.
"Oh, Claudel Claudel don't talk
sol Haven't you tried me enough
already, with your gambling, and
your debts, and all your undutiful
behaSior, without this ?'
Now, don't get up a scene, moth
err" retorted the hopefu, son. 1--WE
heard just about enough preaching.
Carita Venom is the only earthly
thing | care about, and she-she
laughs in my face when / tell her
how wretched / am Mother, what
difference does it make what be-
comes of me now? I'd put a bullet
through my brains for sixpence, |
believe, and consider it a good job y
Claude" said his mother, pite-
ously, you haven't been earnest
enough about this matter"
"Have | not?" he muttered be-
tween his teeth.
"Let me 90 to this Signorina Ven-
oni--let me plead your cause for
you. Believe me it will be success.
l can speak to her as one woman to
another. Oh, Claude, she cannot re-
fuse the prayers of a mother, You
shall be happy, my son, if / go to
this naughty beauty on my very
knees"
Signorina Venom was in her bou-
doir, dressed in glistening lemon-col-
ored silk, with ropes of pearls twisted
around her neck. and great pearl
pendants swinging from her ears
lovely as Circassian queen, smiling
as an enchantress-when Mrs. Sew
erance was shown in. With piteous
the mother told her tale.
"Signorina," she concluded. "his
life is in your hands-and mine also
Have mercy upon US both. If you
will become his wife, / have faith to
believe that he will become a differ
ent man if you refuse"
The Signorina Venom rose up
vith a light careless laugh.