The Irish standard., 1890-01-25
THE LESSON OF LIFE.
Poor Narcissa's Was a Bitter One
Indeed.

Poor Narcissa's Was a Bitter One
Indeed.
ssPoor Charlie!" said Miss Minden-
sroft. 81 am very sorry for him-very,
Indeed-but a woman with a career be-
fore her can't be encumbered with such
q husband as tjdatF' --...- ~
/, Narcissa Mindencr it stood before the
full-length mirror that was vailed in
white muslin and swinging between
gilded standards, a proud, imperious
beauty # nineteen.
: 'My dear" said sage Mrs. Nerol.
'sisn't Mr.. Dallas the same that he was
wear ago, when you first became en-
gagged to hinn9''
II suppose so," said Narcissa, half
family. "But it is I that have
changed, Mrs. Nerol. Signor Ferroni
SAYS that there is fortune in my voice.
am to be trained for the operatic stage.
I am to travel in Italy and study six
hours day. Charlie wants me to marry
him and settle down as a mere drudging
houselxeeper! The idea!''
Mrs. Nerol, with spirit. "Charlie Dallas
is the last person in the world to expect
his wife to become what you term q
drudging housekeeper.'
"Its all the same thing" said the
olive-cheeked beauty. II don't think
shall marry at all, to tell the truth!''
Mrs. Nerol shook her head sadly. She
Knew the nature Of the brilliant, proud,
spirited young crea ture too we'll to at
tempt any remonstrance with her.
So Nar.issa Mindencroft went to ITALY
to study for the operatic stage, with her
maid and a grim, spectacled old lady,
who wore dyed black silks and talked
monotonously about having seen better
days" Charles Dallas was left behind,
a part of the past which seemed to Mar
cissa as nothing in regard to her radiant
future.
But life has it's shadows as we'll as it's
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 Eu-
ropean steamer and we see her again
sitting solitary and alone in the second
story back room Of third-rate New
York boarding house. The Roman fever
had s1nitten her down just as she was
about to reap the laurel crown Of sue
cess. AL after horrible dream OF
fevercd pain she had recovered con"
sciousnoss only to realize that she had
utterly lost tho fine, delicate tsns6''e OF
hor voice, and-1nore terrible than all
that she was quite ponniless and de-
serted even by tho old lady who ''had
seen better days"
.silot contagious the old lady had
said, l.urricdly tlinging her belongings
into bag when first, Miss Mindencroft
had been taken i'll. ''Ah--it's very we'll
for the doctors to say eo--but who can
he certain that 1t is really SO? I've my
own interests to look to, and never
was of any particular use in sick
chambcr!'
So Narcissa had co;ne back to her ma
tive city, humble and chastened in spirit,
to 6n,3 every thing totally changed.
Good old Mrs. Nerol was dead. No one
knew any thing Of Charlie Dallas--and
the 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 prospects
Of a reinforcement.
Apparently, however, nobody was par
ticularly desirous OF availialg himself OF
the services Of .'a young person who had
been educated in the best italian school
for thf voice and piano. and Narcissa's
prospects were getting decidedly dis
piriting, when Mrs. Miller, the organist
OF the chapel, where she crept daily to
say hor prayers, aocosted her one day.
ssMiss Mindencroft,' she said, abrupt
", yet not unkindly, 81 think you told
me you could sin, 2"
ST can "a httle," said Narcissa,
;meeklT d. s.s zs55. {. ..3 ".
ssDo you think you could undertake
two or three baIla at g sosreeY g asked ed
Mrs. Miller. q Dreaming 4 WI hen Swal-
lows Build, an aria from Martha,' ! or
some thing Of that kind !? "a friend OF
min ! was engaged to sing at Mrs. Day
ton q Oh the tRentiot ia Of the month but
ne has q sore roat and am col1a1nnt1 lnI
M oned Us find Is 81 IS
wit q futtering
lhea Az l,ad q the oppors
I'M NJ d
saas