Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-01-15

Lie puO11C3 Mu1CA 10 ~ 4nnuincu tAuO
tyrannical in its apathies and antipathies,
is like child and slave in its favorit-
! ism and its homage. 1t idolized the in
comparable Mariana, and would have
built her house of gold, with jeweled
windows, if she had demanded it. The
unknown girl from the upper reaches of
the Hudson was crowned queen of New
York for the sake of two or three hours
sweet singing.
1t is seldom that Adam, and even divin-
er Eve, in the days of their youth, are
wholly insensible to the worship of their
fellow creatures. They may say and be-
lieve that fattery cannot make them
alter their own estimate of their merit;
nevertheless, the eye that sees a5mira-
ton in all other eyes involuntarily wakes
| brighter and more assured, and the pres
ence before which others bow down, if
it do not bear itself more commandingly,
can at least scarcely avoid a graceful
condescension. Doubtless it is not the
merit but the homage which the merit
causes that creates the elation. And by
and by the suggestion will ipsinuate it.
self that there may, after all. be some
thing exceptional in the nature gifted
with such talents, apart from the talents
themselves. From this point it is not far
to the conclusion that exceptional natures
demand exceptional IIhltlnent and con-
slderatlon-shOuld not be made account
able to ordinary rules; should be law
unto themselves. No position is more
susceptible than this of being indicated
by plausible arguments, and poor argu-
ment warmed by good will has always
been worth dozen better ones chilled
and torpid from the breath of disinclina-
ton.
Now Mile. Mariana, though she could
not estimate the influence upon others
of the personal quality of her voice,
could not help knowing that she sung in
tune and correctly; but, inasmuch as
many other women could do this, she
was forced to infer that her being made
queen Of New York must be due to some
personal quality, as aforesaid. This Just
persuasion gave her pleasure on more
accounts than one; but one account was
that it seemed to justify in some measure
the deception which she was maintain
ing before the world. Though still
chargea6le with purloining Marana's
name, she might, perhaps, acquit her
conscience of damaging that lady in her
musical reputation. If she were listened
to with as great favor as the genuine
Russian diva would have been, surely
the latter could not complain of any
very great practical injury. On the
contrary she would have earned an
American renown without being
troubled to so much as open her lips.
True, renOwn was all she would earn;
but she had voluntarily given up the
offer of other emoluments before the
false Mariana had ever been thought of.
Of course a lie is lie, after every ex-
cuse has been made for it; vet there
may be cause for congratulation if lie
prove to contain no other mischief than
the simple invasion of Il truth.
In this opinion she was, it need scarce
ly be said, cordially supported by Ham
ilton JOcelyn and Nine. Bemax; nor was
her father disinclined to take an opti-
mistic view of the situation. The latter
gentleman, by the way, seemed to have
taken fresh start in life since his trou-
bles came to head, therein following the
example of many prominent citizens of
New York and other places who, when
other sources of supply run dr., are &C
custOmed to tap with golden success the
unfailing spring of insolvency. Mr.. Ran
dOlph had taken rooms in small but
elegant fiat on Fifth avenue, and was
living the life of rejuvenated bachelor
and man about town. The possession
of momentous secret fla.$ered his sense
of self Importance, and the incumbency
Of a minor sinecure in the municipal
government, which he had obtained
through Gen. Inigos friendly interest
with the Democratic mayor, enabled
him to assume the air of one who is on
confidential terms with statesmen. He
had been at considerable pains to devise
ambiguous explanations of his possession
of ready money and of the singular dis
appearance of his daughter, and had
been somewhat disappointed to discover
that no one seemed to be aware that he
had ever lacked the former or owned the
latter.
The world, Mr.. Randolph thought,
must be barbarously large as well as
reprehensibly inattentive place, since it
had failed to follow with solicitude the
course of his domestic concerns. How
ever, if there was neglect on one side of
the account, it was balanced by con-
venience on the other, and the unsUls-
pected father of the great prima donna
made virtue of impunity.
He visited his daughter twice or thrice
a week, besides being present at her per-
fornances; but it afforded him a certain
qualification to surround their inter
views with an elaborate network of Sc
crecy and intrigue, as if he were an
enamored Montague seeking to com
mune at peril of their lives with love
lorn Capulet. There was evidently vein |
of romance in this old gentleman which,
had it been properly cultivated in due |
season, might have considerably enlarged
his character.
To return, however, to the prima DON |
mas conscience. 1t would probably have |
into condition of comfortable |
acquiescence in destiny had it not been
for the stimulus unconsciously applied |
to 1t by gentleman of her acquaintance.
She could never meet Godfrey Belling-
ham without wishing that Mile. Mariana
had never been born, or at least that
she herself might have achieved her fame
in some straightforward and unencum-
bered way. When a certain tender look
and smile, very winning in one whose