Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-12-28

of all its intrinsic beauty and poetic grace,
fell fiat and sounded dull and meaning
less. When the curtain dropped upon the
last act Ferdinand was forced to pass
through an ordeal such as he hoped never
to undergo Il second time during his life
Loud and ironical cries rang through the
house, but for some time the distracted
composer refused to obey thes summons.
Determined, however, to exact its bitter
penalty, the audience continued to call,
and ut length Ferdinand bowed to his fate
He met the storm of derision with which
how received bravely and without finch
ing and there were few among that merci-
less crowd who understood by the look of
pain on his deathly face what he was real
ly suffering in that moment of cruel and
agonizing disappointment
Ferdinand went home at once to his
rooms in Westminster, and throwing him
self down into an easy chair, began to
think over the events of the evening
A stern resentment rose in him against
the fate that had proved so unkind. He
had toiled earnestly over his first OPERA
and he knew without conceit that it con-
uallOu DCduuy VI CODCcp-
ton. Given proper treatment and pro-
duced under more favorable conditions, it
might have proved success whereas it
had been the direst failure. London was
laughing ut him, deriding his lack of tai
emit, his want of musicianly skill and
worst of all, no doubt, Dorienne was join
ing in the laugh
Dorienne! All, of course he had lost
her now forever! How sensible she had
been to wait before giving her answer!
Full of scorn, he cast from him the
thought of the girl he had loved To his
distorted imagination she appeared be-
ing he no longer cared for, but hated with
all his soul. No woman should spoil his
career, much less woman SO unworthy
as the one to whom he had laid bare his
heart and offered the devotion Of life
and, if he had failed in his first great
effort, very soon would he give the world
cause to sing praises of him and his work.
He would rise from the ordinary COM
monplace position which he now occupied
to one of fame and renown. No coward
was he that he should sink under the bur
den of disappointment such as had been
his tonight.
Suddenly he started. A shadow fell
across the lamplight in the room. A hand
touched him. Some one had entered noise
lessly. He was no longer in solitude with
thought.
He sprang from his seat, gazing at the
graceful form which, in it's snowy dra-
peries and flower decked hair, seemed to
him like some beautiful dream, far too
exquisite and sweet to be real.
'Dorienne" he gasped "You here
alone?'
The girls eyes dropped, and wave of
crimson color swept over her face as she
spoke
have come to give you your answer"
she said shyly. mamma wanted me to
write, but knew what you must be feel
ing after what you went through tonight,
and SO l persuaded her to call here on the
way home. Mamma is waiting below in
the carriage
She paused, and Ferdinand understood
vaguely that she was waiting for him to
speak. After moment he did so, but his
voice was SO harsh and bitter that he
scarcely recognized 1t as-his own.
"Were you SO cruel, he cried, "that you
could not put off even until tomorrow the
news of your decisionP You might have
spared yourself the trouble of coming here
tonight. I know already that which you
would tell me. You waited for my fail
ure, and now you would add to my suf-
fering."
Ferdinandl"
The girls clear young voice rang out in
the room with q passionate cry, and the
color left her cheeks as she turned upon
him with flashing eyes.
Ferdinand, you are wrong-unjust It
is true that yesterday did not wholly
know my own mind, but tonight, when
you came upon the stage and faced those
bowling wretches alone and with such
courage my heart went out to you. The
worlds depreciation of your great talent
wounded me to the core, and In that mo-
ment understood that loved you--that
could be no mans wife but yours. This
is what I came to tell you, Ferdinand,
and hoped that it might in some measure
prevent your brooding too much over your
i'll luck. But as am not welcome'--
She turned to go, but the man caught
her hand and detained it in his.
ny AoNO1 AAy oOI uo
INJURED, forgive me! l have been mad.
knew not what l was thinking. Come
close to my heart and put your head near
mine, SO that / may realize 1t Is not
dream. l love you. All have lived for
and worked for since first saw you has
been for you, and you alone, and thought
l had lost you'll never imagined that you
could be mine after
Dorienne interrupted him with little,
humorous laugh. THE point of most i'm
portance at this moment Is that we are
keeping mamma waiting Don't you think
you had better come and have supper with
us, Ferdinand? Come. !"
He bent and kissed her rosy, laughing
face, then, hand in hand, the two walked
down stairs and out to the carriage, where,
doubtless dreaming Of the time when she,
too, had basked in the sunshine of Cloves
young dream, /" sat, patiently waiting, Fer
future mother in law. London
Sketch.