Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-09-02


'Oh, my father, it is beautiful y
The old man sighed despairngly.
Your lovely voice makes it so, then.
No, no. 1t is the very soul of eX'
preston, the melody and woids.'
Then why does not the stage-mana-
ger give me hearing ? All, lneZ
the years are neetng, the dream of my
life is broken. ! shall never live TO see
the one labor Of my existence bringing
Joy to those who love music
Blanche Marvin's duSky lips trem'
bled with suppressed passion as she no.
ticed 10y Arlington's face thatshe was
deeply affected.
Let us go, she said, almost harshly.
Without another word Arlington
left the PLACE. and descended to the
ground floor.
In the weeks that ensued Blanche
Marvin forgot the incident of the beau
tiful singer in the eyents of the days as
they passed by.
She attended to the routine Of her
business tasks as methodicaly as ever,
but her mind was ever fixed on the
man she had learned to love, Maurice
Arlington.
She hoped to allure him by her beau
ty ; she beliyed she would yet be his
wife. Day by day she sought to be-
come more valuable to and more es-
teemed by him.
He scarcely noticed her. His mind
seemed of a naturally melancholy cast,
and he devoted most of his time to art,
to music, and to making plans to bet
ter the condition of his tenantry.
She did not know also that he very
often visited Rossiter's Row. She sup
posed he had forgotten the song and
the singer of the day Of their mutual
visit to the tenements.
The picture of the old composer and
his lovely, faithful daughter had haunt
ed Arlington.
He had made visit to their rooms,
had interested himself in the musician,
and had learned all their sad, strange
history.
Alvin Vincent was an artist, like
himself. In Italy he had learned the
art of painting, and had studied music.
His wife had died, leaving one child
Inez, and since then he had led n pre-
carious career, devoting much time to
the composition of an opera, song
from which Arlington had heard the
first day he saw them.
Within two weeks the young man
had become welcome guest at the
home of the composer, and the lovely
Inez had learned to greet his coming
with a flush of conscious delight.
The old composer seemed to have
but one hope in life-to produce his op-
era.
1t certainly was wonderful compo-
sitiou, and Maurice Arlington deter
mined to assist him in his laudable de-
signs.
Through friend in Boston he Sc
cured for it a hearing at an opera house
in that city. Mr.. Vincent was in fail
ing health, in fact was dying Of con-
sumption, but his dropping energies
seemed TO revive when the word came
tha: the opera house people in Boston
desired him to 60 there at once to su.
perintend preliminary hearing of his
opera.
IneZ was 20 remain for the present
| in New York. Maurice Arlington
never forgot her deep emotion as she
thanked him with tears for all his
kindness, as she told him how happy
he had made her father, how her life's
devotion was his for all his beneYo-
lence and care in their behalf.
1t was the first time after leaving
her that evening that Arlington real
lied his emotion.
He was amazed to find what comfort
and happiness these two people had
brought of late into his life, and a
vague sense of deep regard for the
beautiful Inez caused him to wonder if
he had not voluntarily fallen in love
with her.
But rude shock to this vision came
before the evening had passed away.
A strange revelation was made that
very hour which so materially changed
all his plans of life that he was dazed
and bewildered at its sudden manifesto
ton.
The office of his dead uncle was To-
Gated in the family mansion of James
Rossiter. and here Arlington resided.
Usually, when he returned home in
the evening, Blanche Marvin had COM
pleted her work and gone home.
Upon the evening in question, some.
what to his surprise, as he entered the
house, he noticed light in the of
flee, and went thither to ascertain its
cause.
Seated in the room, and apparently
waiting for some one, was Miss Mar
win.