The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-07-09

| "YeS, indeed. 1 am going 10 sing IOf
Mrs. Calender presently"
"It is so long since heard you," Ran.
| dal Stacey went on dreamily. "Do you
remember those summer evenings when
you used to play and sing to us between
the lights? You are very little changed,
Stephanie, since those old days. How
long ago it seems! Is 1t four or five yearss
| Where have you been all this time, and
| what have you been doing?"
| Didn't you know where wasi" she
| asked quietly.
| "Ye-es, I heard at the time, butt
"But you thought 1t best not to 60 and
see for yourself, she put In, with tinge
| of mockery in her clear, sweet voice.
She lifted her eyes to his and met hit
gaze In silence-a silence that made him
vaguely unoomforta BILE.
"I was young and foolish" she said
presently, speaking In q calm, matter Of
fact Tone "and at the time did not un
derstand what was perfectly plain to me
afterward. 1t was extremely dense Of me,
admit"
"You are speaking In enigmas," he re-
Joined trife brusquely and awkwardly.
"I wish you'd be little more explicit"
There was a pause, during which the
thoughts of each had flown back to that
past he had conjured up.
"Five years ago-how long IL seems.
Much can happen in that time, and much
has happened. You are changed, for in
stance. You have grown visibly older by
those five years."
This was not the Stephanie he had
known In "those old days." and yet how
sweet and altogether desirable she seemed |
Eyes" she went on, "you were different
then, or else glamour lay over you that ]
was too infatuated to see through. Re
member how worshiped your beauty,
how believed you to be all that was grand
and noble'-the laughing mockery in hei
tones made him wince-"so painfully
youthful and foolish Of me, was 1t mott
You told me fortune lay in my VOICE
do you recollectp-and you were inclined
to rave over my little sketches Of charao
ter, but still, when was left alone in the
world. to sink or swim as best I might,
you refrained from holding out helping
hand to me, when word from you, who
had already won your way In the literary
world, might have saved me many for.
lorn, heartbroken hour, and"-
II didn't know - broke In Stacey eager.
ly. "Believe me, knew nothing, or ]
would have helped you. I would have
done anything for you, Stephanie."
"You didn't know' she echoed. "But
you yourself pointed out my capabilities,
Of which was ignorant"
"Yes, yes, / know, +" he protested. "Ont
says what one can to encourage, Of course,
but saw nothing to make me suppose you
would do more than others are trying &c
do. There is no royal road to success
either In writing or singing, Stephanie."
"You spoke differently then. but I sup.
pose your words had no meaning, any
more than the other things you said.'
"Stepbanie, you are hard on me, but
hear me before you condemn. Justice at
least should compel that much. did care
for you in those old days. don't think
you have ever been long absent from my
thoughts, but was struggling author,
and had no right to ask you to share 80
vague q future, SO took the wisest cours.
In going away ard leaving you free.''
"Still," she persisted in the same cold,
sweet voice. "you might have shown me
how to use tihe literary or musical powers
you told me possessed, might you nots"
"My dear Stephanie," he expostulated,
"what would you have dones You had q
certain aptitude for saying clever things,
and you had n pretty, fresh voice of the
average quality, but countless other people
have both too Where would have been
the use of putting out your poor little Of
| forts against some Of our literary and
musical giants? Did you aspire to be o
brilliant authoress like the celebrated
Mrs. vavasour, for instancs?"
"Perhaps did" she allowed, with an
odd smile. ~ was very ambitious In those
days. ! am still. should like to be
| greater even than Mrs. Vavasour.,,
The group at the end Of the room had
been broken up and Mrs. Calender came
toward them. Stephanie rose and followed
Mrs. Calender into the music room.
Stacey watched her disappear through
the door. What fool he had been to let
Stephanie Craven pass out Of his life In
those past days! Ho had not realized 1t
before. He had been miserable fool, but
he would do bettor now. And then across
his musings camc the sound of voice 30
rich and full and sweet that no started to
! his feet.
"A pretty, fresh voice Of average quail
ityW SO much for the keen penetration
on which he had pridcd himself.
An eager crowd surrounded her when
she ended her song, and Randall Stacey
could not reach her just then.
A tall, fair man was bending over her
with open admiration, and Stacey felt
vaguely annoyed with him.
Mrs. Calender was standing near. He
turned to her.
"who is that fellow talking to Miss
Cravenf"
Miss CravenS" she inquired. "wheref''
"There," he returned, "by the piano.
Don't you reei'
"Shei That isn't Miss Craven. She
was year ago, but now she II Mrs. vava.
sour, the autborcss, and that IL her hus.
band, Archie Vayasour. He brought her
out and gave her genius to the world. -
Home Notes.