The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-02-24
SELECTED STORY.
Romance Of a Singer.

The Warwick street flats were always
dismal OF bright day they looked
more gloomy and grimy than ever; and
when the sun beat down strong and
yellow upon the dull red bricks it
seemed to be crushing out the life, and
sitting the breath of the human beings
who fought and struggled and laughed
and wept inside.
To-day the heat was almost unbear-
able. 1t beat down upon the ugly,
narrow, squalid street until the
poverty-stricken neighborhood ap-
peared loatbsome, even to its hardened
inhabitants.
In one of the flats woman who was
little more than a girl wandered list
lessly backward and forward, or strum-
med with weary effort upon her little
piano. She was pale with the heat,
and restless with dull foreboding that
had entered her heart. For the first
time since her marriage she felt lonely
and miserable, and she had been mar
ried just ak months. During that
time nothing had occurred to mar the
harmony of their lives. For six months
they had been perfectly happy. Every
thing had gone smoothly. Ralph, who
was singer in one Of the theaters, had
had continual engagements; and al
though the salary he earned was very
small they had lived comfortably upon
it and been content.
But now there was a gnawing fear in
her thoughts jarring anxiety that
refused to be stilled. She had seen
Ralph grow paler and thinner day
after day he had noticed the WEAKNESS
grow in his eyes, the tired look that
was fast becoming habitual to his face
and she was afraid. What of, she
scarcely dared own even to herself:
but she knew that Ralph was working
too hard, and that the summer heat
was undermining his strength.
She sat down presently to practice.
Somehow to-day her voice sounded
clearer and stronger than 1t had ever
done before. The keys seemed to fall
with scarcely an effort beneath her fin
gers, and she found herself singing an
old song that she had known years ago
at home-a dull, pathetic little air that
made her suddenly break down and sob
she scarcely knew why, except that
the gloomy foreboding had gripped her
heart, and something in the song
seemed, absurdly enough, to apply to
her.
Suddenly an idea occurred to her.
She sprang up, with scarlet flush on
her cheeks, and sudden Frightening
in her eyes.
A few minutes later she was making
her way rapidly through the narrow,
reeking street, and out into the broader
thoroughfare beyond.
She stopped before house bearing q
brass plate and then the flush in her
cheeks began to fade away. She hest
tated for q moment before she rang the
bell, and then, in her nervousness, gave
such q peal that the professor, slumber-
ing peacefully inside, started up in at.
f,i hit.
Zach, Himmell' he remarked. swat
is it?"
The reply came in the form of o
neatly dressed servant, who announced
that young lady was waiting to see
him, and, the professors curiosity over
coming his usual dignity of manner, he
gave orders that the young lady should
be admitted.
Nellie came in nervously. She
glanced at the big, bearded man in
front of her and wished she had not
been so hasty. She was more than half
afraid of the professor-who had such
reputation for eccentricity-and she
hesitated before she plunged into the
story she had so carefully planned to
tell him.
When she spoke, all her nicely word
ed sentences, all her carefully calcu.
lated eloquence vanished, and she could
only stammer helplessly:
ell wanted to ask you" she be-
gan, "to-to test my voice."
The professor smiled-a grim, signi-
ficant smile-and she felt in very truth
that she was boarding lion in his den
ooh, 1 know it's a strange thing to
ask you to do" she said nervously
/" but 1 thought thought"
The professor grunted through his
beard.
swell, WE'LL" he said grufly. I" will
you take a seat?"
ooh, no." said Nellie, excitedly. 'It
you please, I'd rather stand; I'm toe
anxious. l want to know Tiff 1 coulc
make some money"
She paused. A sudden horror at hel
own temerity overlook her. She hat
come to one of the most celebrated pro
fessors of music in London and boldly
asked him to test her voicel Surprising
he asked her guinea or two for doinl
it. She could not pay him, and h'
must be told 30 at once.
81 think perhaps / ought not t,
have come" she said nervously. &c.
am very poor. / should have no none,
to pay for your opinion; but-but
never thought of that when / came.
forgot-I only thought of-of Ral--o
myself.
Her voice broke a little, and whel
she looked up she found the professor
small, twinkling eyes fixed keenly upo
her.
He said nothing. He stood immovs
bly, watching her, and, as if in repl
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