The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-05-31
HOW | WON HER.
Story of a Mishap That Brought
About a Happy Marriage.
COPYRIGHT, lS94.l


company her to an amateur concert in
In the Town hall. John" she said,
declares he won't give up days
hunting for the sake of an entertain
ment of this nature, and it is dull work
going all alone. Will you play the
part of Good Samaritan, and come with
me?"
She was charming woman, and, be-
ing her guest, [ could not well refuse
The concert was in aid of one of the
church's numerous needs-an extension
association, a missionary society,"
really forget precisely what. | only re-
member that IL was an appeal for funds
of the usual kind. A leading lady in
the county had taken an active part in
getting the concert together, and,
thanks chiefly to her eXertions, the re
served seats were well filled with the
''elite" of the neighborhood. L will
not weary the reader with a detailed
description of the programme. We had
the stout, middle-aged lady with the
voice that was gone. but who atoned
for all vocal deficiencies by an extra
amount of expression. She sighed, she
gasped, she gurgled in a way to touch
a heart of stone. There was pathos
enough for hundred songs. She was
all soul, all sentiment. One felt one
self churl when one wished for a lit
tie more purity of intonation. Then
came the inevitable duet for pianoforte
and violin, with a Scherza. an andante,
an andantino an allegro and bravura.
People clapped it as a matter of course,
If only to give expression to their I'M
speakable relief when, at length, it
came to an end. Next followed the
baritone with his Simon the Cellarer,"
and 'Stirrup Cup and the why So
prano, whose mbitious high notes and
shakes were shaky-no pun intended
in the extreme. This lady delighted
in old songs by Anticipated composers,
with funny little twiddles and flour
ishes supplying the place of melody.
As love was the only word one could
hear-love fierce, love tremulous and
love drawn out through couple of oc-
taves, it was safe to assume that these
pleasing ditties were of an erotic char
acter. gave shudder as the estim-
able Miss Adela Montmorency wound
up with a horribly fiat Il in Alt 1t
was enough to set ones teeth on edge.
The immortal William says that
music hath charms to soothe the saw
age beast" He quite ignores that it
has an equal power to irritate. If one
possesses a tolerably good ear l know
no torture greater than listening to
singing which is out of tune. My com
panion smiled at the expression of dis
gust which, / presume, was visible on
my countenance.
Have patience" she whis pered,
under her breath. Then she ran her
finger down almost to the end of the
first part of the programme, and
added: IF am not much mistaken,
even your critical taste will be pleased
when we come to that promise you
a treat"
That" represented duet by an
italian composer of no small renown.
1t was simply described as romance,
and was to be sung by Lady Browning
and her daughter-a girl whom, my
hostess informed me, was only just out.
l confess that Indifferent music bores
me. l was getting little tired of the
entertainment when at length Lady
and Miss Browning stepped on to the
platform. The elder woman seated
herself at the pianoforte, and she had
not struck half a dozen Introductory
chords before l recognized in her a
thorough musician. Her touch was
exquisitely firm and crisp. 1t had the
long practice but also from an innate
love of music. In appearance, Lady
Browning was one of those charming
women who, without being especially
young or good looking, inspire others
with sense of their absolute good
ness. She was stout and motherly of
figure. Her face was worn, and there
were lines about her eyes and mouth,
which told that life had not always
gone smoothly; but her expression was
truly delightful in its kindness and
cheeriness. Her entry was the signal
for an outburst of applause, and as she
smiled in response one said to oneself:
Here is good, high-bred and ac-
complished woman, who, by the force
of a thoroughly kindly and sympa-
thetic nature, stands out from the COM
mon crowd"
The duet commenced by a solo for
the contralto. Lady Browning pos
sessed magnificent organ. The high
notes, perhaps hal lost something of
their youthful clearness, but the mid
die and lower ones were rich and full
and sonorous. She sang with the taste
and finish of thorough artist. and it
was pleasure to listen to her. When
she ceased singing the echo of her voice
seemed to ring through the hall. Then
Miss Browning took up the refrain.
She stood behind her mother, and with
the delightful shyness of quite young
girl, sought to hide her face from the
public gaze. Through my opera glass
l could see a delic ate profile, which in
its paleness, and purity, resembled a
marble statue. The complexion was
of that creamy whiteness which, to my
mind, possesses a peculiar distinction.
Her thick, black hair rested in knot
on the nape of her shapely neck. A
faint pink slightly tinged her she'll
like ear The eyes were downcaSt, but
l could just sse how the dark lashes of
the right one swept her cheek. In
figure she was tall and slight A GER
= q i