The San Francisco call., 1896-04-27

SUNS singing teacher. He is thus men
tioned IN the first chapter of the story:
Later they heard that he had gone to Nice.
lhen tnat he had entered conservatory of
music, was studying the violin and musi-
Cal composition, and then that he was going
On the stage as tenore robusto. Jack always
a saia mat he would rather hear Ned's voice
'nan any other music in the world.
society buds laughed so heartily over
this reference to ''Ned's" voice when they
tnought of the amateur operatic enter
talnment that the tears made little rabbit
paths through the powder that hid the
roses In their cheeks. Then the story
went on:
Again they heard that his life was sadly
changed, that moody and listless he wandered
ABOUT the world, trying little of one thing
ana another, but accomplishing nothing,
seeming to have no ambition or aim in life.
Ned arrives with Jack, the betrothed of
Bessie. Here is what Bessie thought of
him:
He was one of those men whom women in
stinctively adore, and who as instinctively
dread the alteration to which they are sub
jected. He was. she felt sure, not woman
lover If he was not woman-hater.
Next morning Jack says to Bessie:
"Bessie, it seems almost selfish to thank God
for having given you 10 me. What have done
to deserve 1t? You make or mar us, dear. We
are all, all in your hands,"
"Oh Jack, don't say such dreadful things.
You terrify me when you put such response
bility upon me. What shall do?"
Nothing" he answered, sit is not what you
do, but what you are; dear love-"
Then, although he said no more, Bessie
thought she knew what it was that had warped
out of all usefulness the life of his friend.
1t was evident that Ned had been crossed
in love.
Helen's sister, grass widow deserted
by worthless husband, appears upon the
scene. She finds some pages of an opera
written by Ned ana she sat down to the
piano and sang it, as women always sing
in novels. 1t had its effect.
When she began to sing Ned slowly rose and
moved like one enchanted down the room. He
stood behind her, and when the storm was ris-
ing and the cry OF the wind was like the wall
of lost souls his violin took up the strain and
joined in the prayer with Its indescribable
pleading. When they reached the end Helen
rose and looked at Ned.
"You," she said. ais il you who have made
this wonderful, fearful, glorious thing?''
No." he said, looking with eyes of flame
into hers. ut did not live until tonight"
Ned goes exploring a cave on the beach,
falls into hole and breaks his leg. He is
nursed by Bessie and Jack, just as Gades-
den with his broken leg was nursed by his
friends in Santa Cruz. Helen before this
had become frightened because. on wax
ing from an afternoon siesta in ham
mock, she had found Ned's eyes fastened
upon her with an amorous gaze. Where
upon she packed her Saratogas and skipped
away on the overland train. She is, how.
ever, badly 'gone" on the handsome
tenor. This is what she writes to her
sister Bessie:
o God! can it be that this is what is called
temptation, ana that have dared to despise
those who have yielded to it? kneel before
the altar and press the sacred crucifx to my
lips, and while my lips repeat the prayer for
forgiveness of sin my wicked heart cries with
awful exultation, che loves me; he loves me.'
Bessie, my more than sister, 1 am fallen, fallen
SO low that know if 1 should see him would
rush to his arms. What shall do? Where
shall go? Pray for me and pity me.
Then Jack tells Bessie that Ned was
man. The story was that be took
for row on the lake. A fog came up and
lifted at daylight. Then he took the girl
nome weeping.
Her father was angry and said that his
daughters good name was gone forever
because of the night ana the fog. and so
Ned. to make everything all right, married
the girl then and there. Then he gave the
old man ga note for f100" for Alice's ex-
penses until he should be heard from
again, and without word or look for
the bride he left the house and went to
Paris.
After Ned's broken leg got well he went
to Milan and saw Helen. Although she
loved him she treated him coldly because
her husband was living, and she being a
Catholic could not be divorced. So Ned
departed with bee in his ear and Helen
went to nunnery.
Finally Ned meets Alice, his wife, and
this is what occurs:
She was indeed "fair as the moon, bright as
the sum-" but also terrible as an army with
banners"
the faint dawn of a smile. She came forward
and put her hand into his. He bowed low as
he took it, saying al hope you are quite well.''
That is as stiff and as uninteresting as
was Tenor Gadesden's acting and singing
in the amateur operate performance in
San Francisco. Soon afterward and in the
last chapter he sings his love to Alice, and
the novel ends in rapture and in rhapsody
as follows:
His eyes were fixed on her, and when the
last sound ceased she turned and met his gaze
with all her tender soul in ner face. AS the
strong waves OF the sea rush to the shore, so
his love surged out to meet the sweet, dear
passion in her eyes, ana he knew that TIE old
heaven and earth had passed away and that all
things had become new.
Some San Franciscans doubt that Ned
Harlow of the novel and Valentine Gades-
den are the same person, because the novel
makes Ned Harlow fine singer. But they
should remember that there is such thing
as poetic license.