The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1891-01-08

the boards every night for Il week, the
house was always crowded, and families
came up by the wagon-load from all the
surrounding villages and crossroads.
To Miss Hunt was assigned the char
acter of Zerah, and expect never to en-
Joy rendition of it so much again. She
had often sung to me in the evening, ac-
companving herself on our little organ,
and while l thought her voice musical
and pleasing, still it had girlish quality
and lacked power. But this rich cou:
tralto which rolled over the aatafdiiehce and
sobled and -thrnied-could that belong
70 our Louise? Yes, through her great
.heart-sorrow had come her voice, beauti-
fui, womanly, refined.
All the women were in tears and nany
of the men showed emotion. while I,
who loved her and understood her long
ing, wept uncontrollably. 1t did not seem
as though she could keep up that. tension
another night, but every evening of the
cantata witnessed that same fervor and
the same effect on her audience. Sunday
she was prostrated, and her organ posi-
tion for that day was filled by another.
In the fall, year after she came to our
house, she told me that her mother had
moved to another city and had sent for
her. The evening previous to her de,
parture, Lawrence Roberts. called to. see
her, as he had frequently done lately.
Other friends came to bid her goodbye,
aud rs I stepped into the garden to call
her, I heard her say:
"You have been very kind to me, but
never suspected it would come to this.
Tell me truly, have not given you false
encouragement, have II"
As he answered. in the negative, called
her name, delivered my message, and
started for the house. They followed
me, and rs the air was so still, l could
not avoid hearing her last words:
"Under any other circumstance l
would not tell you what now you should
know; my heart was years ago given to
another and"-in whisper, "rejected. !"
parted from her with regret, and we
kept up correspondence for some time.
Then lost track of her.
Last week met gentleman who IS
an old friend both of Louise and her boy
lover, Clinton Hadey. He related to
me this finale:
'One evening I attended musicale
given by New York lady noted for her
high-class soirees, and there met Hadley,
whom I had not seen in several years.
He looked as handsome as ever, but o
trihc bored. We were talking over past
events, when I suddenly said: Did
you know, Clint, that your old girl,
Louise Hunt, is on the programme to:
night! 8
He started. No! Why, she did
tnasGlIaSe sHueS Of a voice when / knew
her. What has She beEd doing all these
years? Sac must be-let me see-.twe2ty-
eight now. Quite an old maid, eh!
"Aud he laughed disagreeably.
! 'Well, you are an old batch, which
/ is Just as bad. Ihave not heard Louise
sing, but know that she is creating en-
thusiasm wherever she goes, both Oil &C.
count of her voice and her charming
manners. She has been studying with
fine instructors and has salaried position
! in church choir.
"Had!ey was thinking, and l knew he
was recalling his youthful experience, SO
l let him think. Between you and me,
| I thought he deserved to be troubled, for
he had courted her persistently two years
or more, and as soon as she showed affec
tion for him, had thrown her over, just
ashe did later with other young ladies.
the whole musicale was very enjoy.
able, but Louise carried off the palm. l felt
Hadley start when she came forward,
small but digniied, gracious as queen
and twice as lovable. And such eyes!
Her first number was an aria, o
Don Fatalc, from lie Prophet, and
IIadley had scarcely recovered from his
dazei wonderment, when her second
song was due, an English ballad called
Faithful.
Friendship has failed rs Old trust ha:
gone,
Love that was dawning is dead;
Life and its sunshine are clouded DER,
Aye, for tie past has He'd.
You viii forget and our story will seenl
The dream IF q summer day,
But l shalt remember its golden light
When years shall have pasSe away.
i thou yht you Lowell me once,
deemed the story true:
The dream has gone,
The love has flown,
But still am faithful to you"
"..Bnt where the world has sung you Of sor-
| row.
Hiding it's golden oeam,
Then, love, Ipray that you may remember
Just once again our dream!
And when the angels guide You to Heaven,
Ger the dividing sea,
Look Oh the shore and give Inc this wei
come
II know You are fatitul to men' i.
| thought you loved HE onc',
deeme the story true:
When shadows fall,
And love is all,
You'll know l was faithful to You"
Gould it be possible that she knew
her old time love was to hear her, au6
was she singing to him. HadIey looked
as though he thought so, and under cover
Of the prolonged applause he grasped me
eagerly, saying: