Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-01-19
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4 supposed that 10 her aunt said 20 II must
10 true
Aunt Rebccca was always ready with
an ancc,loie against Hastings. which she
told with q good naiurcd laugh that en-.
tircly diverted suspicion No one knew
why she was - opposed % IIelen's
marrying. except that she wanted her TO
make even more of career and add still
moro 90 her hank account And she
rally did not believe that a woman was
any happier for being married MAR.
rage l. "a lottery. where all the tickets
are blanks she would say, and she got
her niece 20 b. very much u her opinion
In the case Of West Hastings. Aunt Re
bccca'. plan was 10 imprss Helen with
the idea that hs was n selfish old bachelor
The was only 3o). and every little thing
he dii that might ls regarded as selfish
she magniii~l lie was q selfish man.
there l. no doubt about that Most
wealthy bachelors arr. They have had
few 90 none ~ the experiences that are
supposed % swecten mans disposition.
Hastings had everything In the world
that h. wantci. and he was never crossci
In any % his pleasures. II piquc,i him a
little that Helen knowlton dill not sem
to IL mors imprcs-rl 10y his attentions.
bu, hc never for moment drcanI~l that
be- would L. Unsuccessful In a serious
suit ~ that young woman
AZ the time Rush IIurlstone saw him
escoring Miss Hnowlion 10 her car.
rage at tile stage door % the
Academy of Music more than one
half ~ society thought that be was
engaged b. - married o. her. though
neither ~ the persons most interested
hal heard tho umor Aunt Rebccca
took q wisc course In tho Hastings
affair. From the day Helen hrst met
him at B-ssic Arrher's coming out
hall slic shovel a greater liking Tor him
than for any man she had mct before.
anJ the astuie Nis. Ssndforl aid to her.
self. ITO brcak this on must bo diplo-
matte. II never does % oppose young
people openly In matters 81 thi. sort.
| lct him oome a. 80 her. ] will stop
him from going too far N can. and II ]
can't I shall accept the situation grace
fully The has eighty thousand dollars n
YEAR and consider myself shclvcl for
the w., u my days Dut don't pro-
pp-c 10 let him so too far. l don't seo
myself sholycl at my time of life"
Aunt Rcl- "a enjoyed the business de-
tails ~ the operatic profession as much
as her niece dill the artistic part. To
outwit the managers was "a exciting %
her a. game of chess l. tn some people.
ani she loy'-' 10 plan a winters cam.
Taign. So travelling was tco hard for
her. not even Jump from Ilo~ton 90
Chicago She coull make herself ne
harry In car a. In drawing room.
Her mind wrs on the gallopall the time.
aad u could work n well In one place as
In another. inde,i. she contcndci that
the motion of n train only stimulated her
thoughts Helen was naturally u an
active disIosltion. bui shc hal grown
passive under her aunt 'sdominating innu.
encc. aud dill not assert herself as much
as she should have done. Once In great
whilo sho woulI rcbel. but II was n maTc
naslI In the Tan. Few people who dill
~, know Helen Knowlton can Imagine
such person. and thcro l, no doubt that
sl,o was an exception In tho rule of
wouianhopl
Just at tie time ~ which write. shc
was absorbed In tho study of her new
| part. aud tNc thousand and one thing,
that had o. b. attended to before the
cutn,ful night on which the new opera
was In H. produced Every ono Ia New
York who hal picture or a l,ook rslat
ing In any way to Helen % Troy scnt u
"a her. and all too. a personal Interest
In the presentation ~ the opera The
night was drawing near The saturday
matinee was postponed that she might
get moru rat AMI study. and there was
Ia lo "a full drvss rehearsal on sunday.
to which the critics ~ the prs. and a
favored few were 90 bc invited Monday
nigh, was the great night. anil you may
imagine that she was moro or lcs. nerv.
ou. In nti,ipaiion Uncle Lghtfoot
Myer. sent her IL - gold bands for
her hair. with his bcst wishes for her
success, and West Hastings scnt her n
BEAUTIFULLY wrought golden gir,lle. with
tho inscription, "And. ike another
Helen. fired another Troy" engraved on
tie inside.
Il -semcj az though every one Ia New
York wanted % have some part Ia the
production of the opera l-yond the mere
laying of seats IL that they were gen.
crous enough. for everything In the
house was bought up the day the tox
Office opened Monday came There
Vas a furry of spring snow In tho morn.
,ng. bat 10y afternoon u was bright aud
char lIelcn dill not get up until ~
oclock. She ate the lightest sort u
breakfast. and at had hcarticr meal.
All day long size was not allowed To
spcak which vas no deprivation. as she
dill not feel like IL, being too much ex.
cited Tor words ~ O'Clock the car.
riago was at the door. and she was
driven TO the Academy with Aunt Re
bccca and her maid For the next hour
everything was confusion In the dress
Ing room at tile foot of the little stair
way. Stitches that had dropped had
o. bs caugh, up. a tight slee'. had 10
L. YET out. and all the thousand aud
one details that crowd into the last mo
mrnts ~ a great occasion had 10 be At
tended to
A. the prima donna stocd In front of
the long mirror, maid and co-tumer bus-
lis at work upon her skirts. she would
open her mouth and run n scale 10 sce u
her voice was In condition. while the
narrow wall trrinblsSl with her song
When the finishing touches had bcen put
| o. her toilet the manager came In to see
how she looked beautiful. my child
Non Dieu' how esquisiiel suTerb' And
he kissed both ~ her hands enthusias-
tically and retired Then came the lead
.r of the orchestra. with a similar &c
.tasy % admiration and the announce
ment that u was time for him TO hegin.
that the ballci had been danced and the
men were tuning up for the opera Was
she rradyi "Yes; begin at once. ! am
nervous as witch. but nothing is gained
by delay.
Tie house was packed. there was not
q square inch u standing room in the
place by half past s. Even tile boncs
we're illl,,i. the usually tardy occupants
t.ing as anxious NJ the family circle 10
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