New-York tribune., 1896-05-03

Oh he continued easily, you HiuSl 'o' NC
offended. A tall woman is much more effective
on the stage. When we get to the house you'll
sing to me-
"Dd Miss Runciman wish you TO near me
sing?" asked quickly.
This mans air OF command excited rebellion In
my mind.
"She did not tell me So
"Then you'll have to excuse me- responded
with decision.
He smiled as II he said: "We'll let this child
think she has +er own way-snce to think so
amuses her"
And did not sing to him. let him stay in
the sitting-room while l hurried to my own
chamber In less than an hour l should be on
my way to the city and to Miss Runciman
But now there was mothers letter. My own
homo seemed in a country that very far
off" unfolded the sheets and gazed blindly for
an instant at the illiterate. painstakng hand.
But this time the writer had expressed herseif
nuently, not hesltating for words as knew she
was usually obliged to do. There were several
written pages At first could not quite put my
mind on the lines, and l seemed to myself to be
wicked for that reason My thoughts would fly
away to Miss Runciman to the man down stairs.
n the future. and l could not help singing, In
my mind:
Lace up my shoe,
Put on my basQuina.
though I was not in the least thinking OF the
song: II was that sort of sub-consciousness which
after all forms 50 large part Of our lives
But in q moment everything else dropped from
nv thought; was absorbed In what was read
ing: was sitting again on my little footstooi Dy
my mothers chair.
.A1v depr Wilhelmina did not write to you
last week tried three times. but when i'got my
tabl nd m
body came to disturb me. To-day your ia'nel .h i
taken Lowizy over to Great Medows; -mo.nei ol
was never quite certain about her spelllng- anu
I am all alone In the house. Even the cat Ism
here. The cat Is dead l know you VIII De Nel!
sorry to hear that. We think she must nave ea'
some poison that your father put In the parn GEL
lar for rats. She is buried at the head OF the
lane. under the Wild apple tree -.
My heart swelled as read TINS news. me ca'
had been given to when she was 1our-
weeks-old kitten. and | was a child always run
ming about the yard She was part OF my cniius
hood. and that wild apple tree al the heau a oa
the lane-did not know every crook IN me
branches; and just where the ROBINS had Duiil
for so many years; and the sharp, puckery qual-
ty Of the small. blood-red apples? / smut my eyes
and for the moment l was back there. smelling
the scents of the river banks, hearing the frogs:
holding the cat in my arms while she pufreu anu
narrowed her eyes in the sunlight A Keen pahs
went through me- Presently l went on with the
reading:
'It's Just as still here to-day as can be, and
somehow | feel as II could write freely; can't
do that usually: my pen seems like something
that stands In the way or my thoughts. crled
about the cat. thought how you'd feel. You,
father laughed at me. He said the cat was rea
old and that there were plenty more He SAID
] was foolish. and know was. Seems as II your
father had grown old. All to once, you Know
folks begin to look old. Maybe something
troubles him; he don't speak or anything troup-
ling him.
How curious It's for me to feel just as If my
pen wasn't stopping from saying things 10
you guess it's cause there amt anybody else
in the house | can hear the sound OF the falls
real plain, though the windows are all shut
II wish you felt like writing home more about
how YOU get along with your singing. You DON'T
mention much of anything. somehow. suppose
You don't have time Your father gets a daily
paper sometimes wheh ne goes to the village.
Twice Iye seen things In praise Of Miss Runci
mans singing and acting. wish l could peeve
in that woman more You know. dont peneVe
in he-. though she does make you feel so pleased
with yourself somehow. But hope you've got
sound principles to make you straight wherever
You are don't spose she gambles, or drinks or
any of those things. ] think of you all the time.
Billy bear you in my heart. I've got so dreem
almost every night about you. i wish oldnt
Always I'm trying to save you from somethihg
from fire from drowning, from some dreadfui
thing: and / struggle after you, and reach out my
hands to you. and can't quite get TO you; ana
wake up all covered with cold sweat Then
pray and pray for you until fall asleep again
and go all over the same thing. so don't get
so much good rest as ought to have But You
needn't think I'm complaining. Last night my
dreems were more real than ever. but so con-
fused you know. I was trying 50 hard 70 get 10
YOU You were with man who had such strong
eyes and he had you IN his arms. and was carry
ing YOU off all the time only he was always just
the same distance away. And was screaming 10
him to stop. and he smiled and wouldn't stop
You had your arms round his neck, ana you
looked at me over his shoulder and you Kept cry
ing Mother. mother can't you save me-? And.
the man changed into that young singer named
Hildreth and all the time tried TO run after you
and I couldn't run, till 1 thought was going TO
die Finally / woke up groaning ana your
father had TO get me a few drops OF brandy IN
some water | was Frustrated. j can't get
over that dreem. It hasn't been out of my mind
a minute all day, and the more think OF IT the
more that man was carrying you on makes me
think of the man that came here and bought
horse of your father last summer, and just as
much of the Mr. Hildreth, too; how odd that Isl
II makes me feel sick. He had great diamond
in q ring on his finger. He was handsome ana
guess he always has his own way. i don't s'pose
you remember him; perhaps you'd forgot all about
him. and you won't be likely to see him How
he'd call It silly, and so It's But. on, II you ieit
like coming home. | feel as II you wasn't safe
where you are. But know that's all notion
tell myself twenty times day that It's all no
tion wouldn't speak OF IL to your father. cause
he'd call IL silly and so tis But. oh, II you felt
like giving up trying to sing. and would come
home! You could sit in the seats Sundays and
sing. My dear little girl my own Baby that I've
prayed over ever since you were born. do be good
do be good. I'm trying to be good; every day
try When the Lord comes-and Hes coming.
env day He may come-I want we should go to-
gether TO everlasting Blessedness. feel as II
Couldn't be Blessed no. couldn't take Blessed-
ness from the Lord II He didn't give 1t to you,
too my dear daughter
Il sha'nt dare to read this over. for fear
sha'nt think ought to send It. don't know what
your father would say II he should see 1t. I'm 60
ING to sill by the window and watch for the baker
when he comes from Great Medows and ask him
10 mail It for me. I want It to go now. feel as
II couldn't wait a minute for 1t TO go.
Laura Lincoln Is going to marry John Has
kell You know they were engaged two years
ago and she broke 1t Off cause she got bewiched
with that book agent But the agent left her. and
new John Haskell has begun going with her
again and they are engaged. The minister called
here last week He asked particular about you.
He said he always understood that a singers
life was one Of great temptations. told him
hoped you had good principles. and he said no