San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-01-06


SIDE SUN preferred TO call nefIkn.
She had been sitting at the piano, but
as the gentlemen entered She rose and
came to meet them.
~ have the memory of meeting you
before" she said to Wallie, rs she gave
him her hand, whose softneA contrasted
with the bright hardness Of the jeweled
rings she wore. She looked at Ed, but
made no remark to him.
81 had given up the hope of seeing you
this season, Diva" observed Wallie, with
a smile. "You drove Gen. lingo to his
wits end"
"That would be farther than l would
like to go myself" she replied quietly.
81 think he did not stay long there him
self" Her beautiful face was calm and
quite impenetrable. If she meant mis-
chief, she meant it very deep down. She
did not smile, but neither was there any
sign of suppressed anger in her tranquil
bearing.
1T is my fortune to be well ~acquaint-
ed with the lady who has been singing
here in your stead. said Wallie, who
perceived that it would be useless to
beat about the bush with a woman of
her caliber and temperament. "As she
Is the sister Of your friend Mr.. Randolph,
1 hope to see you friends with her Also
sit is my way to keep the things Of
business apart from the things of friend
ship" returned Mariana with the slow
distinctness that marked her utterance of
English. Edward" she continued,
turning to that unhappy young man,
IN. Dinsmore has your confidence? He
knows of your-foolishness, yesT
SHE'S all right" asserted the youth,
with a heavy sigh.
BE so good, then, mon cher, to go
down stairs a little and smoke your
cigar. 1t is not three who are compa-
n.y." said she, with a certain aroma of
tenderness in her tone, which (Wallie
fancied) was more involuntary than con
sciouS.
Now. monsieur" she continued when
they were alone, latter fifteen minutes
l await Gen. lingo. Up till that l am
all yours" And she leaned back in her
chair and rested one hand within the
other in her lap.
'The general will no doubt answer
for himself-that is not my affair said
Walhe. "But l should like to know
whether you perceive any distinction be-
tween his accountability and that Of
this young ladyf'
"You would say it is his fault, bat
only her misfortune" "f
$40 tell you the truth, Diva, the fault
seems to me to lie between all three OF
you, but less belongs to her than to
either lingo or you"
sit is not I who spportion the fault,
monsieur; but if / say the truth shall be
known then the affair must turn out as
it will" -.
"But you know that the only one to
suffer would be the sister Of Mr.. Ran
dolph."
A slight movement of the under lids of
Marana's eyes showed that she appre-
oated the significance OF Wallie's para
phrase for her rival. .'In our profession,
monsieur" she said, Struggling one
shoulder and looking aside, "we have
the necessity to each defend himself
without regard Of person"
There are two reasons why people
ight-one to infiict injury, and the
other to get some advantage for them
selves. Is yours the first?'
"Why should you assume ii, mon
sieurg' inquired the Russian.
because in this case there is no ad-
vantage to be derived. And, besides,
though | can imagine Mile. Mariana
wishing to crush a rival, l cannot i'm
agine her condescending to make a ques-
ton of money"
II had begun to think that M. Dins-
| more was too truthful to make any COM
pliments," said Mariana with a ~leisurely
| smile that enhanced the beauty Of her
face.
There may be more respect in what
one leaves unsaid than
"Ah! Icomprehend that also. But
consider it; if | have spent all my life in
trying to sing well, and then find that
some one has borrowed my name, so that
her singing is thought to be mine-then
all that | have done in my life is for moth
ing. We singers, monsieur, have only our
voice: when that is still there is no more
of us. II it is taken from US we have
nothing left. We put into it all our
souls and our hearts, and we work many
years-it is work and not play, monsieur
and we have many hard things, many
struggles. sometimes we lose everything
that other persons love, even love itself.
Well, you see, | would more gladly give
to some lady all the money that | have
earned in my life, and my jewels, and
my dresses, than l would permit that.