Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-01-28
The Story Of a Choir Singer
BY CLYDE RA YMoKD.

alto OF the choir, giving me sly nudge
with her closed fan, and CHANGING over|
10 where Howard Wayne was bending
his handsome headso low over the organ
that his scented locks touched Mlss
Gsston's cheek. "rhey say that she Ia
reall engaged to him"
'Nonsensei" I rstorted scofiingly,
feeling an unreasoninR desire 70 turn
around and shake nay sprightly little
informant for daring TO tell me such
ubwelcome news.
The alto shrugged her pretty, plump
shoulders with plying air.
"Oh. very WE'LL" she replied, In 81
tone that was exasperating you don't
choose TO believe it, but just wait and
see. know II must be horribly pro.
vcking 70 you gentlemen TO see Mr..
Wayne always no successful, but he is|
SO handsome, and then. his voioe--oh,
dear Miss CASTOR IL really quite
pretty too, in her odd style, isn't she?
They will be- the handsomess couple In
town. rybody says"
1 felt the hot blood ttngliDg In my
cheeks rs the little tease ratified on,
watching me sharply with her black
eyes. TO ses how bore the com % unioa
ton. suspected that che had guessed
my secret. and strongly suspected also
that she was trying TO hide little
mortified vanity OF her own under
cover of this attack upon mine.
At the beginning OF this conversation
Miss CASTOR had just seated herself NJ
the organ, aud WAS now elowly remov-
ng her gloves.
4 The next instant caught the hlsh of
. giittering riDg-A ring that had
fhaFA halnFa-nnnn tina afanAar
white left hand, resting cArelessly upon
the organ keys.
Instantly aswitt, significant glance
shot from the soprano to tue alto to the
soprano back again, and l conld doubt
no longer when / Jaw the conscious
blush that Immediately rose to the or
sanist's clear, pale cheek. Ny heart
sunk like leRi, but | managed TO pre-
serve my usual gay indifference OF
manner AZ / turned To my fair tormen-
tor.
admit my mistake" said, smi.-
Ing, aud speaking IN the low tone with
which we were wont TO converse in the
|organ-loft, "and congratulate the
tenor, not only upon his good luck, bat
his good taste as well, since some ILL
natured gossips do say that tho fortu-
nate fellow had only to pick and
choose among the ladies OF our choir. >"
Whereupon the young lady bit Der
lip aud grew extremely red In she
|oheeks, and used her fan 30 violently
that l innocently asked her 10 she
really thought the day 40 very warm :;
10 my mind It was delightful. Ana
the look ahe gave me told me that L
was decidedly the victor in our little
war Of words.
After the service l hsd few words as
usual, with Miss CASTOR.
The fortunate tenor was chatting with
the other ladies, so 1 ventured, in my
habitual light, jesting way, to take that
pretty left hand in mine and hazard an
|outspoken guess as 70 the Significance of
the ring.
Her beautiful dark eyes met mine for
an instant, then they dropped modestly,
and again that soft, warm flush rose 70
her clear cheek.
1T is true, then ?" asked, and she
answered
Yes"
81 could not have believed It from
any other lips" said thea earnestly,
" God bless you -
1 had forgotten myself for one NOM
ent, and something of my passion must
have been revealed to her In my voice
aud the way wrung her hand, for she
looked mp at me with q Eort of
questioning surprise In her sweet, proud
face.
1t was little wonder, since my light
harpy-7o-!ucky manner was NO much
part OF me that people never seemed
10 think anything serious could exist
beneath 1t; Ali little did they guess
what strong, deep emotions 1t often
masked, how many heartaches and dis
appointments, or what proud and sen.
sitive nature was In reality succ sssfully
hidden under the gay aud almost heart
less indifference with which l was
credited.
1 had loved Miss CASTOR from the first
day when she sat among us, so quiet
and reserved (proud, was what the alto
and soprano called III, and those slen.
der, girlish hands had evoked such
strains from the fine old organ rs no
professor" had ever succeeded in
drawing from it within the recollection
OF the Oldest church goers in the place.
But was only the baritone OF the
choir, while Ievery body knows that it
Is always the handsome tenor who
steals the hearts OF susceptible maid
ems, and is especially dangerous to
those of them who chance to be his
musical associates In the choir.
Such a one was Howard Wayne,
whose voice was m usic and whose locks
ami ways were what little Miss Alto
described as "perfectly killing" but
whose head and heart, l knew, were
IS hollow as the big brazen bell which
had ca led Us together this lovely Sab
bath morning.
Two or three months went by. We,
the choir, still met In our accustomed
places on Sunday, and we're constantly
thrown together upon all sorts of so.
ctal occasions elsewhere, and, / give
you my word, IL was not an easy thing
to calmly witness Wayne's lover. like
devotion to Miss CASTOR, and the quiet
happiness with which IL was evidently
received.
At last the very music which she
drew from the organs responsive KEYS
those strains which had 80 Often
thrilled me with delight-became .
torture to me. began TO feel toward
her lover somewhat like the villain of q
three volume novel. and when matters
reached that point 1 thought it best to
run away,
Hear YOU are going to leave us,
Maurice ?" remarked the tenor at
choir rehearsal, In that indolently com
placent tone OF his that was absolutely
hateful to me now, since | always
fancied l could detect a ring of
triumph In 1t because he had won the
woman l loved.
Yes" 1 answered nonchalantly,
I've good chance offered me In
W, through Jack Phillips. You
know he has always bsen urging me
70 90 there. iand at last I've Consented
iou are going to leave us!"exclaim.