Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-12-20
MisckllamenMS.
THE LESSON OF LIFE.

croft. Il am very sorry Tor him
very, indeed but woman with {
career before her can't be encountered
with such husband as that ~
Narcissa Mindencroft stood before the
full-lcngth mirror that was yelled in
white muslin, and swinging between
gilded standards. proud, imperious
beauty of nineteen
"My DEAR" said sage Mrs Nerol,
'isn't Mr.. Dallas the same that he was
a year ago, when you first became en-.
gagged to him :"
81 suppose So" said Narcissa, half.
reluctantly. "But it is that am
changed, Mrs. Nerol. Slgnor Ferroni
says that there is fortune in my voice
am to be trained for the operate stage
| am to travel in Italy, and study six
hours day. Charlie wants me tc
marry him and settle down as mere
drudging housekeoper The idea p
THAT is all nonsense, Narcissa, !" said
Mrs. Nerol, with spirit. "Charlie Dial.
las is the last person in the world to ex-
pect his wife to become what you term
a drudgiDg housekeeper."
ats all the same thing" said the
olve-cheeked beauty. Il don't think
| shall marry at all, to tell the truth p
Mrs. Nerol shook her head sadly.
She knew the nature of the brilliant,
proud, spirited young creature too well
to attempt any remonstrance with her.
80 Narcissa MiIdencroft went to
Italy to study for the operate stage,
with her maid and a grim, specialized
old lady, who wore dyed black silks,
and talked monotonously about "having
seen better days" Charles Dallas was
left behind part of the past which
seemed to Narcissa as nothing in regard
to her radiant future
But life has its shadow, az well ns its
sunshine, and poor Narcissa's path was
destined to pass through both
Scarcely five years had passed since
she stepped upon the deck of the Euro
pean steamer, and we see her again sit
ting solitary and alone in the second
story back room Of third-rate New
York boarding. house The Roman fever
had smtten her down just as she was
about to reap the laurel crown of sue
cess, and, after horrible dream of
fevercd pain, she had recovered con-
seriousness, only to realize she had ut
terly lost the fine, delicate tinsJre of her
voice, and--morc terrible than all-that
she was quite penniless, and deserted
even by the old lady who 'had seen
better days"
"Not contagious the old lady had
said, hurriedly finging her belongings
into bag when first Miss Mindencroft
had been taken i'll. "Ab-it's very
well for the doctors to say so--but who
can be certain that it is really so? I've
my own interests to look to, and never
was of any particular use in sick cham
Der !"
So Narcissa had come back to her
native city, humble and chastened in
spirit, to find everything totally changed.
Good old Mrs Ncro was dead. No one
knew anything of Charlie Dallas--and
tho poor girl put an advertisement for
music pupils into the papers and counted
over the slender contents of her purse
with the terrible fear lest they should
give out before there were any pros
poets Of reinforcement.
Apparently, however, nobody was par.
tic ularly DESTROYS of availing himself OIL
the services of young person who hac
been educated in the best Italian schoo
for the voice and piano" and Narcissa''
propocts we're getting decidedly dispirit
ing. when Mrs. Miller, the organist 0
the chapel, where she crept daily sa.
her prayers, accosted her one day.
miss Mindencroft," she said, abrupt
ly, yet not uDkindly, Il think you tolt
me you could sing?'
II cana little" said Narcissa
mcekly.
"Do you think you could undertake
two or three ballads at n soiree ?" ask
ed Mrs. Miller. Dreaming, 'Whel
Swallows Build, an aria from Martha,
or something of that kind A friend o
mine was engaged to sing at Mrs. Day
toms on the twentieth Of the month, Blu
she has a sore throat and am commits
stoned to find substitute.
Oh !" cried Narcissa, with hutterinl
heart, 81 would be so glad Of the oppor
tunity. l would do my very, yer
best p
"Have you piano at your lodgings
asked Mrs. Miller
i 4. L l.