Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-02-17

AN AUDIENCE OF ONE.

Emma Abbott sang .'Ibe last Ro.e Of
summer" to an audience 81 one lev
week. ago. She ssng the touching
words and plslntlye music without put
ting q price on them. She WAS not Em-
ma Abbott the prima donna for the mo-
ment, but big hearted, charitable
woman, able and willing Ia contribute
II her richie. 10 .ooihe the fc,crish fancy
~ an unfortunate fellow creature whose
sands II life we're nearly spent.
Philip J. Boost, Who u dylngof con-
sumption az the age 10 thirty, was a
resident 10 Detroit few year. ago aud
a ps.slonst. lover IL music. lie was
regular patron of th. Abbott SEASON.. In
that city. aud never missed hearing the
singer In "Martha." Her solo, The
last ,ose II summer" wss hls IDEAL ~
music.
When ~ was fret attacked by the
pulmonary affection which I, nov end.
log he DAYS, b. came a. California Ia
hopes - tsing benefited by the change
20 climate. lie gsin~i strength and
,igur for q time anl was able to acc ~
light employment, bat M, for long
| Ior week. be- has be-n brti-fiidsn.
With hope 20 life gone poor B"ost had
little to sl.h for beyond q spe'sly tsfml-
nation ~ his .urerngs until Emma Nh
both hegln an engagement a the Hsli-
sin TlIrsi.r. The young man rad every
criticism that the pres afforded, aud
slih the reading came q longing for
"ihe last l,os- ot summer"
lie implorcd HI. phy.iclin sud rela-
tive. iot pefml.sion Ia attend just oor
Performance ~ flo,ow'. masterpiece.
Ia. man 90 mc,liCln. pron"uncrd
Judgment that lloost could not live Ia
make M. journey b,tsc.n hl. bvi aud
the thsaief. II Nas impo.sible-h" "a.
too utterly hslplcs. Go e,cn walk to a
carisgr.
Ia. diving man, usually traCiablc and
grnile. va. persistent In rvfuslog 10 b.
resigned.
III I could hear Emma NhbO,t .lng
The last l,o.- 20 Summer, ~oald u
ready Ia do" b. remarked to Mr.. VI.
4. il"tallng. frini 20 the family, a.
sh~ at a his l-sislds.
Mr.. iIotsiing live. q, the bslisin
iIu,cl, the Temporary h"In- II the prima
donna. II ~as not difficult task o.
convey the information % lIoo.i'. pas
.ionais longing To- Mis. Ahb",i, sud
Mr.. lIotllug accomplished u through q
third t-r.np.
In the mli.t ~ violent dosntour
the lady "a. surprised by call from
Miss Nbl,oii. Tho primn donnl "a. 81
clo,Ls,l and hnolrd that Mr.. llo,allng
dli Dot rrcognlIr her a. fret. bat tbs
fair ,i,liof soon stated her GRAND.
"NoN Mr.. iIotaling. .lIc saii, AZ the
| conclusion 20 hsf rryitAl 20 What shs
hal h.-ari. Il want yuu Ca take me a.
your Young friend. u my slngiug wilI
give hlm Que moments pleasure or Tor
g,ifuin.ss don't think ] can pass The
afternoon to t.tisr advantage.
"Hut the wraihst-h y. ralning, b.
gan Mr.. IIotsilng. pleased beat surprised
never mlud the rain. u wont hurt
m- q bit. and have 1T nay heart 90
this. VIII ,ou accompany m"F'
Mr.. iIot,llug n~rd~i no urging ana
Ina fcN mlnuiss The sfrtnd 81 mrrrJ
hal h-gun.
T1,- Introduction vas almo.i ton muci
ior the Invalid. joy came near killlns
IN thl. Instance. II Was several minute
lrforr d. r,Co,vtvi sufficiently io e'ri
atirmp, a. expires his grailtudr, an,
then III. ,i.ltof refused Ia list.n.
"SaNr your .trrngth. nv friend; 70,
have bat little left. aud u.. " In maxim.
your Is-ac- for the lie 60 come"
The strange intsrNi.S was brtsc.t
the two alone. anil u ast~i fur n-atl,
an hour. Then lIoo.t. iriepis Nef'
summoned fof the song.
Thcrv was no stage, uo cosiuming. an
| All a.. pfuI-rii-. bat one we're misslng
In her lcit hand IA. actress held hlusl
fo.., and With The note. the petals fell Il
the fDor, one by one
'u.ths las rs.s - ssunsf.
I'm tk.ruains aisus.
Iloost laY on hl. pillow as on" cniranc
81, br-sthl..s l-.t a nate ~ the fsvorli'
o. which h. h,d tccu 80 long cons,an
shoald esgatc him.
Ill. Nsrr th. only dry cye- In th'
RON. II Ia doabtml " more paiho
ever entered inio any compo.iilon tia
Ms. Ablott ever attempted.
" the eni iIoost dropp~i back utterly
exhausted. The strain was too much
and fur f-s moments " was feared tia
the excitement had Killed him. lie raj
lied sufficiently later on a. .ay go'-i b!
and expires. hl. thanks, aud Ia the even
Ing D.. pcncil-,i q request that the leave
~ the ro.e - preserved ani sent Ia hl
moti,.r la D,,roli.--san fancisco IN
amincr.