The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-06-16

ladies'. IKE flowers IN a wcll-stocked
garlen-bcd with their fluticflw faHe
al In motion. and their fnccs hiNaEk
very white and patFician Ia IN Flr1ta
light; and then she saE he Ig,elIng
pile 81 conservatory towers Ho'f NJ
platform. aud one nguts sinndiI "
IN gold and wliie which ghln&red
thought the old Tarisienne inahet
heart. like me blessed sunlight afIF
the holy moonlight caught and bound
IN one shenf; and thcn-the voice.
Mother rclletler VAS iOtfefing up
the crowded aisle. pushing between
the people. Wedging herself past every
thing. slowly but Icsolutely up 10 the
platform. until. at the last verse Of the
song. she was directly IN front. her
withered hands holding onto the edge
Of the stnge, her stock In trade lying
forgotten az her feet. while fine ladies
and mustached gents looked 90 IN dis
may.
ALadeniolselle cephise. pausing after
a brilliant roulade for the Instrument
20 echo II. saw. for the first time. the
wrlnkled face at her feet,
Suddenly her white-gl0ved hands
came together. and that form Of grace
became strangely rigid. The echo
died away. the players looked IN sur
prise at their prima donna. Had she
fcrgotenf Had her voice failed herr
They repeated the echo once. twice.
No answer from the blrd-llke voice.
They family sketched the next few
hars IA the desperate hope Of recalling
mademOiselle 10 herself and the lead
ar held toward her the sheets Of music.
Whatf Mute silllf
The orchestra rose IN alarm. every
/ soul In the house did. the same. as II
I moved by one common panic.
And az this moment the prima donna
began 20 walk across the platform. and
20 come down the steps into the hall
with her long. golden train hoatlnl
behind her. and every satin fold be-
tIaylng the tremulous motion 81 th'
limbs. while she held her white arms
an laden with clanking bracelets. out
stretched toward old Mother PclletieI
Mother, MOTHER sobbed the prlma
donna, falling on her knees. and clasp
ing the faded. dripping relic of human
ity to the silkcn brast. "Ah, do so
not remember your petlteT'
'Thls II my daughters voice. but no
petlte's lovely face returned the u
woman. trembling.
Then Mademoisellc Cephisc tore %
cunning mask. and disclosed N
sweetest girl-face ever mother gloaie
over o. the bewildered gaze Of n
, Audience.
And there was stupefed silenc
while the pair chung together in q
embrace which seemed as u u won
have no end.
|, At last the leader ~ the 0rchesti
went down and spoke Ia the prin
donna. and presently. with that love
n young facr still exposed. she sw'cl
!. hack To the platform on his arm, m
raid. IN clear, though faltcriag tone
n MY friends. ! cannot sing again
4 you tonight 4 great Joy has come
me. I left my mother i've ycars al
IN Paris. because she would have u
a we'd enc who was worthless. thous
/, wealthy. and came % tlis geler1l
4 land To earn my bread thus. pan,li
!, me. ". 20 h. kept pure aud stainless.
a wore this mask ! shall wear Il
\ longer. NV mother viii protect ~
4 After I left her. she fell into poyert
and followed me 10 America. hopll
n TO flId me. Al. thank Heaven, ID
4 Is over. Now. dear friends, ] viii ~
4, one day longer, and sing to-morrU
!, evening Tor you-wiihout the mask
~ Aud then they all applaudcd On
y the hall rocked 10 Us foundation.