The herald., 1896-02-28
,SBETTY'S CAREER.

Seventeen times had Betty watched the
oDpls blossoms drift and the apples come,
ripen and fall. For almost as many years
she had felt the ivory keys of the piano her
especial friends, and they had assured her
that when she was old enough they would
tell her the vast secrets Of the old pianos
Soul.
Bstty's mother also dreamed Of that
bright time when Betty should awake the
world; when Betty should come forth a
radiant, smiling, gracious vision, bowling
Kindly to the throng who 1ocked to hear
her.
Captain Trevelyan was a tremendous
fanatic on many subjects. He had wild
passion for music, though he did not play
note himself
He chanced to meet Betty and Bettys
mother, Mrs Delamater, at a musicale,
and having heard Sweet Seventeen play
and beheld Sweet Seventeen S rich promise
Of beauty he inquired into her prospects
for course at Leipsic, and could she go,
- she ought.
Mrs. Delamater sighed and shook her
Aead.
"She ought to 60. She must gop' ex-
claimed the enthusiastio captain. "Mad-
am, shall consider 1t the greatest possi-
bic honor If you will permit me to send
your daughter to Germany and give her
tho opportunity such talent deserves and
10 send you, madam, to look after her and
caro- for her. l don't mind telling you
that when she is creating furore and has
reached that point in life called success,
then you may repay me every cent"
Then followed three charmed years In
Leipsic-three years with smiling eyes and
golden orowns-and Betty studied care
fully and happily, experiencing only the
present and thinking nothing of the fu-
ture.
They went twice each week to the opera
then there were the oarnivals on the ice,
and just as Mrs. Delamater began to
dream of Bstty's professional debut on her
return to the States Betty did the unex-
pected and nconvenient-she fell in love.
It was horrid in her, and yet Betty was
happier than she had ever been in her life
and could not bring herself to despise the
young faxen haired German, who had un-
blushingly done all in his power to lead
her into adoring him, while he helped her
to master German verbs and idioms,
taught her to skate and sung tender Ger
man ballads to her Accomplishments.
Fritz Leiber was at Leipsic taking vocal
instructions and enjoying himself. No
ono knew who he was, and he never told.
When Betty, with dramatic fervor, told
him he must give her up, and she must
give him up, and they must part and meet
no more, he would throw back his hand
some head and cry, "Aoh, mein liebchen,
nicht wahr, nicht wahr'
To his confidential friend and fellow
STUDENT he conhded the plan of action
mapped out in his mind.
He intended to wait till "die mutter"
was more inclined to be friendly and then
explain who he was and ask for Betty s
hand. The friend agreed that was good
idea.
Meantime Mrs. Delamater had little
plan of her own. The three years were
now gone, and she would steal away to
the States with the rebellious Betty, and
that long dreamed Of furore should be Gre
ated.
By an almost superhuman effort she got
Betty out Of Germany without her seeing
or being able to communicate with Fritz,
and, with eyes red with weeping for him
and after difficulties galore, she was finally
ov she ship sailing for New York.
Betty, who ordinarily was never seasick,
took to her bed and refused to get up.
Efitz was in Germany.
Captain Trevelyan would be looking for
N enthusiastic young lady, brimming
ever with plans and inwrapped in her art,
like the Chinese woman in her kimona.
What had she to show him. A limp
young thing, wailing for a person named
Fritz
Happily Captain Trevelyan did not
meet them in New York, and Mrs. Della
mater felt thankful for the time thus
given her. She went to Washington with
her daughter and took as nice a house as
she could afford. Betty began by taking
pupils in music and made an excellent
teacher.
Captain Trevelyan was duly astonished
ct the change in his once ardent young
protegee. He was blunt and old fashioned
IN his expressions. He merely said, "Well,
she seems to have petered right OUT
This was the last straw, and Mrs. Della
mater broke down, but not to the extent
Of explaining about Fritz.
Meantime Fritz was wondering what
could have made him SO stupid as to have
deferred his explanations SO long.
Tho terrible change from their compare
tive affiuence In Germany and their addi-
tional wants since travelling and seeing
and having so much made their present
mode of living doubly unbearable, while
the great disappointment each felt, one In
her daughters career and the other in los
lng her lover, gave rise to many bitter
verbal skirmish that only resulted in wild
'oning the breach between them.
One evening, when Captain Trevelyan
-was at the house, he somewhat startled
them by announcing that he was going to
Europe. y,s
Betty grew pale, and yet had presence
Of mind enough when her mother left the
boom for a fow minutes ask him il she
might give him a notc TO one of her
friends, WHO, shs thought, would make il
pleasant for him in Leipsic.
Betty began to evinee some interest III
life from the minute the captain said he
was going abroad, and when her mothe.
xe-cntcred tho room, she ran to her onthu.
slastically and expressed her joy that Cap
tain Treyelyan was going to dear old Ger
many.
She even sat down at the piano and re-
galed them Yith some brilliant music that