, 1897-04-20


her quivering body till by degrees the
tortured soul began to still itself and
the overweight brain found relief in
such healing tears as had not come be-
fore in all those strained days of trial.
And now there was practicing and prep
aration of costumes, then the first ap-
pearance aud the many succeeding, all
j~ustifying the acumen of her friend the
impresario. Gradually all pressing
need, the Indebtedness, the grinding
care, disappeared, and she could have
been comparatively happy.
All day, save for the morning hour of
rehearsal, she kept Maizie beside her.
1t was Maizie who made n daily holo-
caust of unopened billets doux and
adorned her nursery with the flowers
that invariably accompanied them. 1t
was Maizie who first enjoyed, almost in
spired, the dances she invented, and
who first praised her ''sweet mumsie'
III her artistic costumes. Every evening
she left the child with a new pang,
though she could not but feel her safe
with good Martha, and flew GU the
wings of love to her bedside on her re-
turn. Resolutely she shut her eyes to
all that displeasod her in her new sur
r%oundings, and soon her dancing became
to her an infatuation. For the time she
was Oh the Stage all else was forgotten.
Her grief fell from her like "a dismal
garment, ana she stood the pcrsouifca-
ton of laughing youth, grace and JOY,
Always CARRIED in white and with "A
gauzy, winglike scarf-La Paloma they
called her after her first dancc-she
t1oated i'll an atmosphere chaste and po-
etc, too delicate to be misunderstood,
and, us before, even the women were
charmed. Yes, she might have become
content, but daily Maizie grew weaker
and more fragile, and her heart failed
within her. She would take the child in
her despairing arms and hold her so
close that the little one would cry out, |
yet was happy withal III the embrace,
for she loved her ''mumsie'' with Il deep
devotion and seemed with Il strange |
prescience to understand much.
One night-it was about three months
after her debut-she left home u little |
lighter of heart than usual. Maizie had
been foverish that day and had grown
quieter toward evening, and they had
had a royal game Of romps and u "big,
big hug and kiss when she left. To.
ward the close of the evening she began
to grow i'll ut ease, and throwing her
fur lined mantle about her, without
changing her costume, she left the thea
ter hurricdly and, jumping into Il han
som, was driven home i'll all haste. The
front door was open. From the hall
came the voice Of her physician:
$50 quickly, or she will not know
her"
"Who will not know whomF' she said
to herself. '.Whu will not know whom"
she reiterated to the physician as she
walked quickly into the house.
He took her in his strong arms, car
ried her TO the nursery and placed her
in a chair beside the child. The dear
little face, already famed by the wings
of the angels, flushed softly.
II was waiting, mumsie," she wills
pered. lyon will dance for me now,
will You not?'
She fell on her knees beside the couch
and took the little one in her arms.
"Sweet, lovely mumsie,' said the
child, kissing her bare arms, ''you will
be a real love in heaven
"Maizio, Maizie, do not leave mel"
walled the Trembling woman.
"No, mumsie,' answered the child.
"You shall come too"
The mother gazed at her, speechless
and wild with alarm
"Mumsie, " said the little one, trying
to raise the heavy little head with the
short, golden curls in damp ringlets on
the pale forehead, 'mumsie, dear, do
dance. Perhaps the angels don't dance,
and l love it so!'
With great sob and Il supreme effort
she rose from her knees, threw off the
heavy cloak which was still about her
and began to dance. Was ever such mar
tyrdom, ever such bravery? All, mother
and saint, in other days canonization
was often more lightly o On she
danced in the dimly lit death chamber,
those outside standing with bated
breath, moi daring to enter, yet seeing
it all. Sweetly the child smiled, lifted
the little hand once us if to thank her,
then the fluttering eyelids closed, the
long lashes rested on the pale cheeks,
and she was still. Closer and closer
danced the mother, till she leaned anx-
iously, breathlessly, over the child, fear
ing to stop abruptly lest she should
waken her. Then with a cry that rang
through the house, and rings now in the
ears of the two who waited outside the
door, she fell on the couch beside her
angel and the brave heart broke
Black and White.