Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-09-10

The audience in her vicinity did theil
dusy like men and protested that they
could not excuse her; she must give
them just one little recitation. And
thus persuaded, she assumed tragically
lean and hungry look and somewhat dis
jointedly by reason Of sundry lapses Of
recollection, gave them "Locksley Hall.
"And Mrs. Jones will now favor u:
with ballad" the beaming manager
announced, unctuously rubbing his
hands.
The lady referred to leaned farther
back in her chair, slowly unfurllng hel
fan, while she said with languid scorr
that called hot flash to the cheek of the
little maid who had lately sung, "Inevel
sing ballads, Mr.. White.
But, really" protested the discomfit
ed man, fairly upset by this rebuff, q
thought you said You would sing some
thing
Run right along, dear. We are all Sc
fond of ballads" chimed in an old lady
who, being somewhat deaf, had missed
the drift of the talk and imagined her
self called to encourage bashful timidity
Mrs. Jones was educated wholly il
the Italian school," her husband ex
planned, proudly glancing around the
company.
"Well, then. Mrs. Jones, would yor
sing something in Italiany' begged the
manager resignedly
Just give them bit of opera, dear
est, ~ urged the fond husband. The lady
rose condescendingly. "That is her forte
opera, he continued, in loud whis-
per to his nearest neighbor. Would
you believe it at a private concert lately
she sang sixteen pages of Norma without
her notes.
rs it possible?N CALCULATED the other,
apprehensively eying the lady, who was
vigorously screwing up the piano stool.
sixteen pagesi Mighty Scott!' NUT
tered Gray. 81 think | am going to
have the nosebleed."
"Often when | get her TO sing for me
in hotel parlors she is taken for a pro
fessional singer, went on the complacent
confidence
81 suppose her style of dress muir
INJURED the embarrassed confidante, feel
ing called to say something, but oppor-
timely stopping there. Mrs. Jones style
of dress was regarded by feminine judges
as daringly loud and theatrical.
yes; you would suppose her style and
manner-so quiet and retiring-would
contradict such ideas There is nothing
professional about her appearance, but it
is her voice" with blissful complacency.
Il think her voice will astonish you.
There could be no question but that
everybody was astonished at the voice,
and, incidentally, before they had done
with it, at their own powers ofendurance.
bravo, bravo, my DEAR" cried the
happy partner of the voice, when at last
the performance came to an end, and
people had leave to breathe again.
"But what was the song all about:'
sharply demanded the old lady of her
neighbor
why, We don't exactly know, you
know intentionally responded the
youth addressed. 1T was Italian, you
know
"Umr contemptuously retorted the
aged cynic, in loud whisper, disap-
pointed about the ballad. Il reckon it's
Just as well we don't know. When folks
sing in foreign tongue it generally looks
to me like a pretty sure sign that it is
some nasty stuff they wouldn't dare speak
out if anybody could understand it.
Mrs. Jones would respond to no encore.
at is too much for her in this altitude, y
said her husband decidedly, while every
body blessed him for the saving solicit
tude. And then the gentleman of the
violin. who dearly loved the sound Of his
own voice. came forward and said that
his friends had insisted upon his giving
them recitation. He had been taken
wholly by surprise Had he known in
time, he would have been glad to prepare
something especially for the occasion.
Under the circumstances, however, he
had simply been forced to draw upon his
memory: and he trusted to the kindness
of his friends to remember that any little
faults which might mar his efforts should
be charged against him, rather than to
his selection. which, in his estimation,
was no less good because it was old. He
then plunged into "Catiline's Defiance"
with vigor that so scared little child
that she had to be summarily hustled
away to bed.
Donald, having finished his supper,
and further solaced himself with smoke
ON the piazsA, now stood in the doorway.
absently looking on, in his abstraction
quite unaware that DR.. and Mrs. Rogers
had entered the hall and were standing
close behind him. But how was Anita
to know that the trio had not just walked
over from the cabin together: With
brilliant smile she turned to Gray, who
sat on low stool beside her, carelessly
LAYING her hand on his shoulder while
she whispered in his ear. As to what
people might think of this easy famil-
iarity, she did not for an instant consider.
When one is impelled by the egoisIn Of
an absorbing passion it is as though he
looked at the world through the larger
end of telescope, seeing society reduced
to pygmy insigni.icance. Anita saw
only Donald.
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