San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-27

mad Thought or nothing else, but now
new idea entered her head.
Gam to be paid for doing this?" she
asked, glancing from her father to Joce-
lyn, "Of course l mean by and by-if
l succeed. Is that what you meant
when you talked about my winning
fortune? But would rather not make
money in that way-I would rather
make it in some other way than by sing
ing, because But | couldn't
make it in any other way, suppose"
she added, faltering little. Singing
is all l can do! And, after all, it would
be good if my singing would help pay
our debts; that would not be unworthy
even of music, would it, papa? / wouldn't
take money to get rich, but would to
prevent your being troubled any more
by Oh, papa, can it be true?
rm,sure you are very kind, Gen. lingo;
and thank you for telling him of me,
Mr.. Jocelyn."
This speech-a broken medley of mu-
steal tones, smiles, wet eyelashes, pauses
of reflection and eager utterance-com-
pleted the generals captivation He
thumped his fat fist down on the table,
cloth and exclaimed, "By Jupiter, gen.
tlemen, move we drink the health of
the new prima donna"-
Sand christen her at the same time"
put in Jocelyn quickly. "You haven't
heard your new stage name, Beatrix.
Henceforward you are to be known to
the world, not as Beatrix Randolph, but
as-what is it, general"
''Mademoiselle Marana," said lingo.
"Here's Mademoiselle Marana's health,
boys! May she stand at the top of the
profession, and sing pearls and diamonds,
like the gal in the fairy tale! Down she
goesr'
Cup she goes! you mean" said Joce-
|siyn laughing. "Well, mademoiselle,
how do you like your new name?"
''Its very pretty" answered she "but
how did get it,"
eff you or your father had been in
New York lately you wouldn't need to
ask. The name of Mademoiselle Ma
rama, the great prima donna from st.
Petersburg and Moscow, is placarded all
over town. All the world is agog to see
and hear her. The new opera house was
built expressly for her."
But how
"rm going to tell you. There's an
other lady somewhere, who sings under
that name, and whom lingo had invited
to sing here. But she refused to keep
her word at the last moment, and since
the public must have someNew divinity
to worship, and since know it would
be painful to your father to have you
appear under your own name, advised
lingo to put you in her place. That's the
whole story.
Beatrix's clear eyes grew troubled. 1T
doesn't seem right to pretend to be an
other person--it would be deceiving peo-
pie" she said.
Nobody goes on the stage under his
own name" replied Jocelyn. ITO go on
the stage is to change your identity, and
become some one else. Nobody's de-
ceived, because nobody expects anything
else"
But Beatrix at once detected the flaw
in this argument. ,"Why should be
called Mariana she demanded. why
not give lle some ether name that no
body has"
1T seems to me that that might Re
preferable" observed Mr.. Randolph.
my dear Randolph, it's merely bus
mess question" said Jocelyn, not sorry
to make the explanation to him instead
r. L. l,,. H..
rama simply because Mariana is the name
in peoples mouths at this moment. To
give her another name would be to
create all sorts of doubt and confusion,
in the course of which the dear child's
identity would be certain to be discov-
cred. Nobody here knows Mariana by
sight or sound; so, even if Beatrix were
inferior as singer, they would be
defrauded of nothing. But the fact
is-as lingo, who has heard the
lady, will confirm me in saying
Beatrix can sing every bit as well as
Mariana, and rather better; SO we are
giving the public even more than
they bargained for. It's pure formal
ity. but some forms are of the first i'm
portance practically. To bring her out
under any other name than Mariana
would be great injustice to our friend,
the general, who has, so to speak, made
out all his invoices and labeled all his
goods under that title, and it would be
quite as great an injustice to Beatrix
herself, who, instead of at once receiv-
ing the salary that her genius deserves,
would have to fight an uphill battle
through stupidity and prejudice, and,