The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-03-18

ing herself at the piano, she played a
brilliant fantasia, which he pro-
nounced "well DONE"
"Well," she said, ''let me sing some
thing for you; want to know if you
think could earn my living with my
voice."
Then, after few preliminary chords,
she sang, with great expression,
"Home Sweet Home" The pro-
lessor listened breathlessly. She
began the second verse-and as the
recollection of her dear old home and
her mother she had lost came back to
her, she burst into tears, and her head
sank upon the keyboard. De LAMA
was deeply moved. He went over to
her, and placing his hand kindly on
the bowed head said earnestly:
"Signorina, you are friendless; let
ME be your friend; come and make
your home with us. have young
daughter who will be delighted to have
a companion about her own age, and
-Signorina, listen-in five years you
can make your fortune with that mag
nifcent voice. You have one of the
finest voices l have ever heard i'll
| America"
"You can make my fortune in five
years." she repeated. "Areyou sure?"
"As sure as that you and l are in
this room; that is of course if you will
put yourself entirely under my man
agement," he answered.
| A glad look crept into the weary
black eyes, slight color into the pale
cheeks, as she repeated over and over
| again to herself:
"a fortune in veyears! 1t is along
time, but l can afford to wait"
"You really must go to the opera
tonight, Guy; Idon't believeyo have
heard Viola de LAMA yet; all New York
is raving over her. She is quite the
| fashion,"
Guy Travers had just returned from
three years tour on the continent
| He had forgotten all about that little
| looks he had not altered one iota, but
was the same handsome, careless fell
low, and all his dear five hundred
friends were glad to welcome him home
again.
"Who is she-this Viola de Lamar"
he asked in careless tone. 81 do
not remember OF hearing OF her
abroad"
mo, she is new star from Italy, I
believe. Her father Or uncle, l forget
which, is her manager; and a deuced
old bore he is. too, / can tell you;
won't let fellow look at her off the
stage, much less speak to her"
"All right, I'll 60 with you and see
our divinity" said Guy.
That night the Opera House was
crowded to excess. When the singer
appeared in all her regal beauty she
was wildly applauded, and Guy TRAY
ers, as he looked at the graceful,
rounded figure, the dimpled white
arms, the shapely hands and the elo-
proud head little thought that this
queenly woman was the girl with
whom he had trifed so heartlessly
five years before.
The opera over, Jack Mordaunt
presented himself at the stage door
and sent in his card, asking permits
sion to introduce to the signorina his
friend Guy Travers. The signorina
sent out her regrets, but she would be
unable to see either gentlemen that
night Night after night they receiv-
ed the same answer. ''The sign lorna
was very sorry, but she was too much
fatigued," etc.
For three weeks Guy Travers YVES
the first to enter the opera house and
the last to leave it each night; and al
| though his friends often chaffed him
about being hard hit, and remarked
his worn, haggard face, he was not the
man to give up while there was the
| faintest shadow of a chance to win. On
Viola de LAMA he had staked his all,
even though it was reported that she
was betrothed of Sir Maurice Conway,
a wealthy English baronet.
At last fortune favored him. At a
grand dinner party he met her, and
was supremely happy. She said she
was delighted to meet him, as she had
seen him SO often at the opera house,
but, of course, she did not know that
he was "the Mr.. Travers whom Mr..
Mordaunt wished to present, and she
was SO sweet and gracious that he was
more infatuated than ever.
The day she had so longed for had
come at last. For more than five
| years she had waited, and now she
would pay him back in his own coin.
She invited him to cali on her when
ever she had nothing else to do" and
she would always make him welcome.
After this he was always near her.
he walked with her, drove with her,
and for three months he was her de-
voted slave. During this time he Of
ten saw Sir Maurice, but as Viola did
not seem to notice him much he did
| not consider him q rival.
One evening he told her how dear
she was to him; how he worshipped
! her, and how, if it would serve her, he
would gladly lay down his life for her
dear sake.
He took the dimpled hand and
smothered it with kisses; then he an
swered:
"Viola, my darling, until saw you
never met a woman for whom car
ed one iota."
"And when was that?" she question
ed. "When did you see me frst-re-
member, now, the very first timer"
"The night you appeared in "Travi-
ata,'" hereplied.
"And you never loved any one be-
fore that? l can scarcely believe you"
she said, laughingly.
"Viola, darling, you have told me
nothing of your life, and you know I
am 80 eager to know everything about
you, my queen"
"My early life would be scarcely in
teresting to you. Guy las it was a very
sad one," she replied; "and my career
in public ends with this month. And
"you." she declared, "have told me
nothing of yours. Come, Guy, am
your confessor tonight. Is there moth
ing in the past that you regret?"
Confession is good for the SOUL"
he quoth gayly. "No, my dearest,
there is nothing I regret or repent Of
excepting that ] did not meet Viola de
LAMA years ago."
He had utterly forgotten Glenmore
then. If he had only remembered
that she might have had some pity,
| hut now-