The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-01-23
THE LESSON OF LIFE.
Poor Narcissa's Was a Bitter One
Indeed.

"Poor Charlier' said Miss Minden-
croft. II am very sorry for him-very,
indecd--but woman with career be-
fore her can't be encumbered with such
q husband as that"
Narcissa Mindencroft stood before tho
full-length mirror that was vailed in
whito muslin and swinging between
gilded standards, a 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?"
~ suppose So" said Narcissa, half
reluctantly. "But it is / that have
changed, Mrs. Nerol. Signor Ferroni
says that there is fortune in my voice.
am to be trained for the operatic stage.
am to travel in Italy and study six
hours a day. Charlie wants me to marry
him and settle down as nero drudging
housekeeper! The ideal"
"That is all nonsense, Narcissa, said
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 tho same thing said the
olivo-choelsed beauty. 81 don't think
shall marry at all, to tell the truth"
Mrs. Nerol shook her head sadly. She
knew tho nature of the brilliant, proud,
spirited young creature too we'll to at
tempt any remonstrance with her.
So Narcissa Mindencroft went to Italy
to study for the operatic 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 Mar
cissa as nothing in regard to her radiant
future.
But life has it's shadows as we'll as 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 Eu-
ropean steamer aad 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 smitten her down just as she was
about to reap the laurel crown of suo.
cess, and after horrible dream Of
fevered pain she had recovered con-
sciousness only to realize that she had
utterly lost the fine, delicate timbre Of
her voice, and-more terrible than all
that she was quite penniless and de-
serted even by the old lady who "had
seen better days"
"Not contagious" the old lady had
said, hurriedly 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 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
chamber
So Narcissa had come back to her ma
tive city, humble and chastened in spirit,
to find every thing totally changed.
Good old Mrs. Nerol was dead. No one
knew any thing 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 tho terrible fear lest they should
BiNC oup pciorO opOiO WSfO ohJ PioopCCUS
of reinforcement.
Apparently, however, nobody was par
ticularly desirous of availing himself OF
the services Of 'a young person who had
been educated in the best italian school
for the 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 her prayers, aocosted her one day.
"Miss Mindencroft," she said, abrupt
ly, yet not unkindly, 81 think you told
me you could sing?"
81 cana little" said Narcissa,
meekly.
"Do you think you could undertake
two or three ballads at soires?" asked
Mrs. Miller. Dreaming When Swal-
lows Build an aria from Martha or
something of that kind? A friend OF
mine was engaged to sing at Mrs. Day
toms on the twentieth of the month, but
she has sore throat and am commits
stoned to find substitute"
"Oh!" cried Narcissa, with duttering
heart, 81 would be so glad of the oppor-
tunity. would do my very, very bestv'