The Lamar register., 1897-11-27

came to the boading- housre on the
square. He was young and his au.
diences-they were largely feminine
declared that nowhere else was there
q singer who carroied out songs and
sobbed out ballads so knowingly.
Whether or not he was peerless is a
question, but al any rate he had made
a greaI success. and people wondered
that he should come to the dlngy
abode OF the boarders and the Old
Maid. Some said that Il was because
he had lived there in the days before
he was known to fashion. and some
whispered knowingly that the lady TO
whom the Singer sang lived over the
way in the stone house with the bal
.,s1ies at the window and the guard
.ns lions at the door. Be that as II
may. It is a fact that when ths Singer
came to the city for his series OF con-
certs and recitals he sanetifed the
abode of the Old Maid with his pres.
ence for a whole week. And the Old
Maid was agitated mysteriously by
his presence. though II Is doubtful II
he even saw her shabby little figure.
One night she erept down the stair
way when the house was still aud
slipped a paper beneath the Singers
door sill The paper bore set of
verses written in the dne hand of a
woman who was educated a quarter
of century ago. and n little note that
read:
III you should sometimes and this
worthy to sing | would be the haPpiest
woman on earth"
Now. the Singer felt brutal Indif-
ference about all happiness save his
own. which had been sorely tried tha,
night by the lady OF his songs. So he
merely muttered; ~Confound Imbeciie
women Then he looked at the verses
and then he went gioomily TO bed. But
through the night. as he reflected upon
his blighted hopes aud the hardness OF
his fate. some OF the Old Maids lines
sang themselves through his mind:
I'll see thee in each flower that Erows.
Thou art not lost while lives the rose.
Not lost while lives the rose.
the foolish refrain insisted
In the morning the silly rhymes
would not be banished. He found him
self humming them to an air. and by
and by--so weak was he. owing TO the
GTAtl lhuA ne sat uVNn AZ Aut H]aus'
and played the air softly
II was the same week that he gave
his great concert at the hall uptown.
With indifferent generosity he offered
the landlady tickets to be distributed
and so It happened that the Old Maid
and went together -
The Old Maid was very pink and
very tremuioHs. and. not being in her
confidence. could not understand her
state After all there was nothing In
successful singer OF 3s TO excite a
spinster stenographsr of 50.
The Singer had sung grand opera
arias and the music from masses. He
had sung Scotch ballads and German
love songs. But he could not sing
enough to satisfy his audience. After
each properly numbered selection he
was recalled again and again Finally
he came out and snid:
Il wish could tell you the author
of the words ! am going to sing. They
were sent to me anonymously in man
uscript, and have no means OF giving
credit TO whom IL Is due.
The Old Maids figure quivered. She
breathed soebinsly and drew closer
to me. and wondered II she were go
ing crazy.
Then the Singer sang the simple
verses They ney have been very bad
as verses. but as song they were a
success The audience listened In
tentiy. the women looking up. as wo-
man Tnnk xrhen 1ourarsd ayeIfds would