Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-02-06

lmprcsarioS and agents are human, ana
need looking after occasionally"
"What l thought was" she resumed,
chat if it should turn out had no legal
right TO the money, l should really have
to make some more, whether [ liked it
or not 1t would have to be made in
some way, you know, and papa-and
there seems to be no other way but for
me to go on singing, if can get an en-
gagement."
GAS to that" said Wallie smiling, "if
| wanted to make fortune would turn
impresario and make you my single in
vest1nent Let us assume, for arguments
sake, that from the pecuniary stand
point you are perfectly free either to go
on or not. Now, of course there are
ways in which you might cultivate mu-
sic without keeping in opera. You could
sing at a church, or, when you felt in
the mood, at a private or public concert.
But there is something else in the pro
fession besides the singing-thore is the
audience. Do you know what mean
Eyes" said she, in low voice.
at is u magnificent stinrilant," he
continued. "There is mother to com
pare with it in the world. They say
when you have once felt the delight of
it nothing is SO difficult as to give it up
There is nothing that you would ex-
change for it."
That is not truer' said She, lifting
her head. In a moment she added: But
[ have felt that it would be Il great CON
ISOLATION" Waltie glanced up, and she
blushcd.
He rose again from his chair and took
another cigarette from the box on the
low bookcase. Then he went to another
place for q match, which he scratched
underneath the mantelpiece. Then he
lit the cigarette and threw the burnt
end Of the match in the fire, after having
shaken it rapidly to and fro to extinguish
it. She watched him half absently,
thinking what a good fellow he was,
how quiet, how honest, how kind, how
quick of apprehension. But through
him, beyond him, in his place she was
seeing another figure, which she never
hoped to behold again in reality. Oh,
the porversity Of human affairs. The
goodness that we want the evil that
happens to us is not the punishment of
our evil!
Wallie glanced at her through the
smoke of his cigarette with a sympa-
thetic interest, half sac, half humorous.
The heavy fur lined cloak that she wore
was thrown back on the chair; her head
I 4
throat; her richly made, close fitting
black dress revealed the 1.-the beauty of
her figure; there was soft dinness
about her eyes: a little strand of bright
hair had straycd across her forehead.
How mournful she looked, How easily
she might be happy! How gladly he
would make her 50. But those who have
the good will have not the power, and
those who have the power II hope
to Gracious!' exclaimed Wallie to him
self. that he is suffering the tOrmcnts
Of the damned! may have been a fool
in my time but nothing should ever
have made me turn my back on Il wo-
man like that" And no resented him
self with resentful vchemcuce that
drew IL creaking circumstances from his
armchair.
DO you think, Miss Randolph" he
asked, that the time would ever come
when you would prefer the consolation
to the-thing it copsolcd you for:'
- consolationiso nly--a consolation"
she replied, with little smile. But
you must not think that | am-was
meaning anything except in general
way. | should only find it more tire
some tAan usual to have nothing to do
now that know what it is to do some
thing"
speaking in general way, however.
don't you think it would be unwise
to seek consolation as such until one
was quite certain, beyond the possibility
Of a doubt, that consolation was the
thing one needed"
"Oh, Of course there can be no doubt"
she answered. But there was in her
tone, and in the sudden, inquiring ex-
p2usion of her eyes, feeling less of CON
victiOu than of misgiving aud suspense,
as if the earnest emphasis with which he
had spoken had led her to suspect that
IlC mig IL huON SpAltkl4u9 u SituI no
ment to her. lie had no such knowl-
edge, bnt he had strong persuasion
that she was the victim Of a misfortune
that might be set right; and he per-
ceived that the time was now come
when he might speak to her openly on
the subject which had all along been in
both their minds. But Us he opened his
mouth to do so there was knock at the
door, and the servant came in with a
letter.
Tho messenger boys waiting. sir"
he said, "anl wants 10 know if there's
an answer"
"Tell him." said Wallie sternly, "to
go to Hestoppel. The Handwriting
on the envelope had caught his eye. If
you will excuse me" he said, glancing
at his visitor, while he tore the letter
open. He took in its contents with IL
look. "No ansWer-Tll answer il in
person." he said to the servant, who with
drew.
Miss Randolph, D." said Wallie, stand
ing i'll front Of her with the letter in his
hand, and a peculiar smile ON his face
this is from friend of mine WHOM you