The morning call., 1891-01-01
REGINA.

| ENT was plain, almost poverty-stricken
NJ apartment where Regina, the Queen of
| Az Song. lived and studied. The last of her
earnings had been spent in paying the debts
OF long Illness of an only brother, who, a
few weeks before, had been buried out of
! her sight.
1t was crushing blow, but now. as she
bent over her work, there was not the least
hint of sadness i'll her expression. Sorrow
had given place to joy, for the girl loved.
! On the table at her side was a set of orr
| entail pearls just opened-necklace. brace
lets and rings. In her hand a letter; and
as she glanced from the missive TO the
chaste ornaments her face was full OF love
ana longing. This is what the letter said:
| Regina: Be Kind enough to accent these
pearls, every one OF which viii speak 10 you
eeioqueniiy OF my passion. II may take you
| reply by bearer? Ever your own, b.
The case closed with click, and in a mo-
thheht more the following note accompanied
me pearls to the hands of the MESSENGER
th lear Harry: If you love me bear with me in
iie pearls as mucn as you want me to have Them
dash Keep thrm for me until-then came long
tween The L. l am your wife. You can me b.
~ nc ene acts but must return from The opera
! your my usual i"uS eSc9It. Efel
.h On ~ the evening of her first great success
ii"o' a, que believed, met her fate. The
all-absorbing. 'i'eii'e ana
AT inc stage entrance she was met bv her
lover. The rejected jewel-case was In his
| hand. "''' III ~
"Regina. how could you bnrt mo soq~
! we're his first sorrowful words. ~ have
| them here and you must take them"
Dear Harry" said Regina in her sweet
est tones, " not for all the world would
| hurt you. You look really i'll. 1t cannot
this ?'' Oil
Regina, every pearl is freighted with my
love for you. To every enc have whispered
the story OF my heart. and they know all
keep the pearls for me until the time 1
have mentioned" she answered. with droop-
ing lids; then more firmly: So know | am
right. Harry, and nothing snai1 induce me to
disregard my brothers advice
night?" inquired the lover, with sudden re-
solve. will you. Regina, be my wife at
once"
7"Oh Harry sighed Regina.
Regina, why do you not answer me?'
al win be your wife tonight" she re-
piled at last, slowly, as if weighing every
word; and then they separated, larry walk
ing rapidly away like q man In dream
| Regina, with wildly beating heart, watch
ing him until he was lost III the crowd.
IL
of glory. A tremendous round of applause
followed her entrance.
With the grace of queen Regina bowed
her thanks. A quick glance at her lovers
box showed him there also, his face as pale,
his eyes as wild as when they had parted
that morning.
A death-like stiffness pervaded the whole
great assembly as Regina commenced her
score. Eleven O'clock, and enthusiasm rose
to fever heat. During one of the waits the
lovers exchanged few brief words.
Il shall not come back again till the
| end" lie Faire whispered, as he left her.
g 1t wont be long now before you will be
mine. Do you realize this, Reginald
mine?"
Calm yourself, Harry. To be all yours
is all that desire for my supreme hapIi-
| ness; and | must leave you now. The next
| time we meet we shall be one forever"
lie Faire returned to his box and Regina
| to the stage. In the midst of a thrilling
scene Regina turned to her lover. Il mo-
ment the house was electrified by shrek
| which brought the audience to their feet in
| an agony Of terror. Those whose seats
would permit few Of the box saw directly
behind lie Fare the spectral figure OF
woman. So wan and pale and haggard was
| the face, SO white and spOtless the loose
| flowing robes, that the singular apparitiOn
| had all the appearance of having just risen
from the confinement Of the grave.
For moment the hands were extended
and then the man turned and beheld his
strange visitor. Regina kept her eyes fixed.
The orchestra commenced at the beginning
of the strain which had been so suddenly
| Interrupted. and the cantatrice, like one in
a dream, began her song again.
At this the applause was deafening, and
during the excitement Regina saw the
figure glue out, followed by La Faire, who.
as if impelled by an irresistible will, did
not cast one backward glance at the woman
he so ardently loved.
That night Regina waited in vain for her
lover. The next day she waited, but he did
not come. Her heart beat wildly at the
sound of every footstep, ana almost stopped
as they passed and repasSed her door with
out hating
Two days passed. and the queen Of song
| grew i'll. Night came again without word
do"T and the same ssn knSe on her
same jewel-case.
averted face, land there is no answer"
| The pearls" she cried, half in fear,
half in Joy. Then she tore open the note
and read:
NY Queen: There can be no harm In your ac-
| cepttng the pearls now, for the giver viii soon
| have passed beyond the reach OF earthly 1ndg-
| meBt Tile hour that you was TO have been my
| wife was standing at deaths door! now am
| entering in BY the time the pearls are placed
| In your precious hand-the hand that was to be
mlne-my spirit will be lowering you. for
You hold me with such chains that shall not
| even be able 10 reach heaven unless you release
| me. lad something to tell you, but 1t is too
| tate. is here now. l eau write no more. With
undylng-
The scrawl ended here-the last movement
/ OF the hand was an effort to finish the note.
five minutes more and Harry Le Fare was
| dead.
Many were the stories reported One that
| MS wife, hopeless lunatic, had escaped
from the mad-house, aud, in an effort to
wound. -.
;, But this story was never corroborated and
| the appariton at the opera remains to this