The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-10-28
A Blight That Bl0SSOmed.
BY ELIZABETH PULLEN.

~ "a
That winter it was the fad in GER
tain clique of young girls to take
lessons in singing from NJ. Anatole
Fleury. He was very elegant almost
to handsome, with great black eyes
that seemed to express whole past,
and mustache whose pensive droop
was due either to disillusions or to
artistic waxing. He had delicious
baritone, of what might be called
ssparlor organ" size, and trick of
singing exclusively to any number of
feminine individuals at once He was
rather amiable, or he could not have
tolerated the vocalization of some of
his pupils. Upon his left wrist he
wore slender gold circlet, padlocked.
The girls wished that they had the key
to that romantic mystery, when his
fine linen cuff, pushed back in playing
their accompaniments, displayed the
bracelet. He declared that now-one
thrilled to imagine what an abyss of
grief the "now" might indicate!-now
he lived only for art. This, however,
did not prevent his asking and receiv-
ing prices equal to those of that noble
ex-prima donna, Signora Stella, and
Of that expert discoverer ond de-
veloper Of voices, Mr.. Bass. lately of
London-to them very sincere COM
plimentsl
Among the best pupils of N. Fleury
were Alice Broughton and Lily Van
sittart, both extremely pretty, and
both singing with great good will
Alice in full but breath-clouded con-
tralto, Lily in the thin -and-clear-born-
of-elaand type of North American high
soprano. Naturally, Alice fancied
Herself in dramatic selections, while
Lily had aspirations toward vocal feats
On the high trapeze. Both were the
only daughters. Lily's father was
rated at two millions. of dollars; Alice's
ct three millions. Now you know
which is the heroine of the story.
Alice, in fact, had two admirers-M.
Anatole Fleury and her second cousin,
young DR.. Fred Millard, assistant to
that famous and dear old practitioner,
DR.. Pardoni The name is lost in
the ink bottle-pray supply that of
your family physician, the foremost in
New York.
N Before the advent of NJ. Fleury
Cousin Fred had had a very good
time; he, however, ought TO have com
prehended that Alice liked him too
much to love him. They lacked the
romance Of perspective in their
cousinly courtship. Their parents
would have been we'll pleased if the
young people had wished to marry;
so that there was lacking also the spur
of opposition.
4 Alice, accepting the subtly indicated
devotion Of NJ. Fleury, was not with
out anxieties. For Lily had tor
menting way of telling the praises
given by the teacher to her light So
prano, topless, real Eiffel Tower of
notes in alt. But the cloud was dis
sipated when, during Alice's hour-11
10 IL Tuesdays and Fridays-he told
her that the depths of sentiment, the
tones that vibrate from and to the
heart, were reserved for the grand
contralto register.
"a voice of soprano, a thread of
silver, strung with pearls if you will
touches it the soul? All non, To
make weep, one must have tears IN
the voice, the beautiful voice of the
chest!'
/ And Alice felt herself consoled. In
short, master and pupil were spinning
q perfect idyl. Until one day Alce's
mamma-who, though not understand
ing the rapid, conversational French,
was always present at the lessons, as
q dutiful chaperon ought to be-was
called for moment out OF the room.
She re-entered so softly-being
graceful, lightfooted creature, in some
ways her daughters iuuior-that her
step was unheard What sight! NJ.
Anatole Fleury on his knees, kissing
with rapture the hand of Alice. Mon
angel Ma belle fancee"'
Tableau. Then exit NJ. Fleury by
the street door; exit mamma. driving
Alice before her, upstairs. Il don't
know what your father will say,
Alicep'
If he was like the usual American
father he left his wife to do most of
the talking. But Alice was forbidden
to see again N. Fleury or to hold any
communication with him. The only