The herald., 1894-01-01

OF faithful study the girl was sent by tht
horny-handed woman to singing Italy
The girl should have every advantage
which she herself had craved snd
mieeed.
Three years have sped away with the
girl-have dragged away with the
woman. There is to be grand concert
given in the city of the toil-worn woman.
The singing girl had written to her
patroness about it, urging her to 60 had
even sent her ticket. "You will enjoy
her singing, am sure, for she has sung
here and all speak highly of her voice
and careful training. Do go, dear mama,
II only to pleass your own singing girl. Z"
So urged the girl.
The woman with trembling hands
laid the letter away. How could she
attend that fine concert, she who had
worn only cheap working clothes for go
long2 Yet she must 60. The girl she
loved better than even her lost art
wished it. She could refuse her moth
ing.
At an early hour the woman got off
from her work the next day and held
private interviews with both dress
maker and milliner. She must have a
black elk dress, new bonnet, q cloak
and pair of good gloves. That was the
hardest job OF work che had done for
many day--the procuring OF suitable
outfit for the fine concert.
In due time the eventful evening came
and found our heroine seated in luxu-
rious private box. just how this state
of affairs came about the old woman
could hardly have told. She only knew
that when she handed in her ticket
there was little consultation and then
young man conducted her to seat in
gilded bird-cage sort tf an affair. She
thought he must have made a mistake.
She looked around uneasily. Every
thing was 30 rich, so handsome; and her
place--Ho 1t seemed to the frightened
woman--the most conspicuous of all.
She Bhrank out OF sight ss much as pos-
sible, nor 30 much as dared glance
toward the gathering multitude. Pres
emily an immense rustling of garments
proclaimed the advent into the box of
some richly dressed people, two ladies
and a gentleman. Though she did
not really look at them, she seemed to
see glimmering satin, rich lace, spark
ling jewels. Should she keep her seat
or rush out somewhere? Her embar-
rassment was become extreme. She
would 90. This was no place for such
as she. She partly rose, when there
was such q eommotion in the house
that she sank back half dazed into her
seat.
The eammntinn was followed hv a
deep silence, broken by the most ex-
quisite tonea--so true; faltering little
at first, but gaining strength and firm
ness as the singer gained courage.
The singers tones, from being low,
faltering, appealing. began to soar, and
soon the big room seemed full of liquid,
enhancing, throbbing melody. The
score was difficult, yet how easy to the
singer, how triumphantly every grand
passage burst forth The coarse handed
woman forgot her fright, forgot she was
in birdcage box, forgot her rich COM
panions, forgot everything! 1t seemed
to her she was in heaven and an angel
was carolling her soul into perfect bliss,
1t was only when that wondrous voice
ceased and there had followed hush as
of death, to be followed again by deaf
ening. tnmultuous applause, that she
came to herself.
forward as if to catch q last glimpse Of
tho uiABof uoioAo bho oiouppcdIoQ D6-
hind the curtain. One of the ladies re-
az they rapturously waved
their handkerchiefs:
Eyes, she sings divinely. She is a
debutante just from Italy; educated,
am told, by some poor working woman"
A glimpse of the truth began slowly
to penetrate the work-sodden mind OF
the old woman shrinking back into the
corner of the box. Yet, no;
it could not be- Never could her own
singing bird come to sing like that why,
she sang sweetly. charmingly; but this
singer sang like an angel.
Again the singer appeared in answer
to applause that would not subside.
She began to sing amid the same deep
hush Of silence as before; began to sing
With inimitable beauty and pathos that
aever-dying song, "Home, Sweet
Home.d As she sang her dark eyes
seemed to be riveted upon the curtained
nook where sat the coarse handed wo-
nan. Was it the magnetism of the
great singers eyes, or her song, or what
Was 1t, that caused that shrinking old
woman to leave her seat as the last
;oneB died away. to stand In full view of
hat mighty multitude and to outstretch
both arms as if she would gather that
queen of song to her breast and never
ct her go?
Yes; It was her very own singing bird.
che gold heap had not come too late.
Lie was no longer an unguessable rid
lie. 1t was glorious reality
MARY Ives TODD.
Los Anpeles. Dec. 22 1898.