The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-05-31


her every movement with intense in
terest. And then she began to sing.
Her voice was like her mothers. 1t
was round, and rich, and full, with a
steadiness of information remarkable in
so young a girl. Every note told and
fell on the audience like pearl. She
attempted no difficult passages. All
was simple and within her power.
But the effect produced by that fresh,
young, sympathetic voice was indie
scribable. l. for one, felt an emotion
had never felt be fore. My heart stirred
in response to those penetrating utter
ances. The duet ended by mother and
daughter joining issue. Its termina-
ton was greeted by a burst of applause,
which necessitated an encore. AS Lady
Browning advanced, leading her
daughter by the hand, a delicate, rose
like flush mounted to the girls face. 1t
was very pure and noble face, and it
wore an expression which somehow re-
called to my mind the story of the
Sleeping Princess. That girls heart
has never been touched" | said to my
self. ''How magnificent she will be
And then an odd thing happened.
i, who for ten years past have been a
target for mothers with manageable
daughters, I-who warilv avoided the
snares set for me, and who had been
wont to scott at matrimony as delu-
sion, by some strange, inward meta
morphosis took to wishing that l
might be that man. My fancy strayed
into an unfamiliar channel | pictured
Miss Browning standing in the same
shy posture at the altar, clad in flow
ing robe of white satin, with wreath
of orange flowers about her brow; and
II was by her side, nervously finger
ing gold ring, the symbol of our
union. The voice of my companion
asking a question aroused me from my
dream. | answered incoherently. She
was woman accustomed to attention,
and she looked at me as if | had sud
IDENTITY contracted a contagious disease.
How absentyou are!" she exclaimed.
as anything the matter with your
No" responded. only that girls
voice put some queer ideas into my
head. Where did she learn to sing?
She has talent of no common order"
Il fancy her mother taught her. and
she had some good lessons when they
went to Italy last summer"
And profited by them" l remarked,
turning over the programme to see if
Miss Browning's name appeared again.
| saw to my surprise that she was to
play violoncello acco Impairment to a
song composed and to be sung by her
mother.
"What!' l calculated. "She plays
that most difficult of all instruments?
Why! the girl is heven-born genius. :"
| thought So few minutes later,
when l listened to the pure, rich tones
wrung from the superb instrument by
! Ethel Browning's little white hands.
She was the success of the concert, and
| went home longing to make the ac-
| quaintance of this talented young girl.
| must have bored my hostess unutter-
ably, for instead of doing the polite to
her, l raved increasingly of Miss Brown
ing. Pretty women are often surpris-
ingly generous to each other Like a
dear, good-natured soul Mrs. Her bert
asked me to stay on and make Ethels
acquaintance. gladly profted by the
opportunity, and made such good use
of my time that at the end of a week
went TO Lady Browning and asked per-
mission to pay my addresses to her
daughter She looked perpleXed and
not altogether as well pleased as l had
hoped.
1T Is very good and honorable of
| Gil. panIalnh CHI
spoken to me rather than to Ethel; and
l am glad you have done SO, for she is
very young-only eighteen"
II hope you have no objection to me, :"
returned. II shall be thirty-one next
birthday. AS for my means, have ten
thousand a year, with expectations on
the death of an aunt. | am not afraid
of being unable to make Ethel COM
Portable All that riches can confer
will be hers
She turned her honest brown eyes
upon me kindly but critically.
1T is best for me to be quite frank
with you, Sir Randolph" she said. Il
have not any wish for my daughter to
marry at presents She ought to see
something of the world before being
subjected to the cares, and possibly to
the disillusions of matrimony. More
over l must remind you that a girl like
my Ethel does not marry for the mere
marryings sake" And Lady Brown
ing drew herself up with little air of
maternal pride that became her we'll.
mo, no, of course not" | mumbled,
feeling somewhat crestfallen, 81 am
not such big ass as to suppose that
| she would"
Just now" she continued, 1.-The
child has no thought of marriage in
her head. She is entirely taken up with
her books, her music, her riding, and a
thousand and one things besides. And
to tell the truth, am sincerely pleased
it is so. Many mothers nowadays de-
sire nothing better than to get rid of
their daughte rs. but and she gave a
pleasant little laugh, 81 hate the very
idea of parting with mine"
"Do you mean that l may not even
try?' l asked, in a respondent voice.
No" she answered, gravely. II
have not the right to prevent you from
| speaking to Ethel. But if you take my
advice you will wait"
l had been very much run after by