Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-03-04
I'm answer to my INVITATION, Mrs.

y y 4
be abe to pay me somethin to go on
with. I'm not a ard woman, as you
KNOW, but I've got a bedridden T.Es-
band and plenty of little ones as wen.
and l must think o. them as we'll as
O. other people. When can you seHtla?''
l tried ITO speak calmly, as I replied:
Very soon, hope. AT any rate, will
do my best. More than that, Mrs. Hulk
table, can't say
She mllmb,ed something, and was
about TO retire, when she drew out
from her pocket a small visiting card
'Talis must be yours, Mr.. Lennox,"
She said, giving 1T 10 me. 81 picked
it up in the room tllifs mornin after
maxim your bed. Good night"
| looked at THE piece of pastboa1'd.
Yes. 1t was one of my visiting cards,
and lit reminded me of the days when
my worldly affairs had been very differ
ent, and when people were glad TO have
me 1T their houses. long since | had
been without such luxury as card,
and at came upon me now as a mes
forgotten period Mechanically I put
it in my. pocket, and then eXtinguishtng
the candle, l went slowly down stairs.
thick fog was making all Things
pes,tilential, and it seemed to over
whesm my entire being with disgust Of
Mfe and Hiving. 1 cursed my hard fate
a thousand times, and in my heart there
rose despairing prayer-a prayer for
death. This world was uncomfortable
let the either begin when it would, for
surely no ALTER existence could be more
awful than this.
My WAY to the concert hail led me
throdgih the Strand, and near the Tenn
pie an irresistible impulse led me down
one of the marrow streets touching the
Embarrassment. Then / went and
leaned on the stone parapat, and Cooked
down into the fog-covered stream.
AS looked, there rose in my heart
a sudden and Overwhelming desire to
end my life then and there, and I
Climbed upon the parapet about to
fling myself down into the dark depths
below hesitated. The old, old
thoughts, which Hamlet has put into
words of Wondrous beauty-Wortls
which surely must represent the
Thoughts of all them that have con-
templated self destruction since the
world began-were with me now, and
1 said to myself: Suppose the here
after should be more bitter than the
present then? how then?
l drew back. A better hope sprang
up in my heart. I would live on and
fight life's battle ITO the end. Let them
who had cornmit)ted deeds of shame
seek such an end as this-for me, whose
only desire for extinction was born of
misfortune, a wo1tthier end. And so.
1.-THE better decision won the battle.
Ut was a great relief to pass from
the gloomy London street into the
cheerful and brilliantly lighted con
cert hail. Already a great crowd had
ass e1nbled, for the programme held
some of the worlds most famous
names in the musical world, among
others THAT of Signor Luigi.
Although his name was Italian, he
was as qnucn an Englisnman as M
self; but, like many singers he had
adopted the foreign title for profess
slional reasons. mad always been spe-
c.ally interested in listening to Luigi,
for many persons had told me that
my voice Tesembled his--in fact, some
had gone so far to say that If he aud
l were placed in competition, | should
=, no p1It T isr1
was fattered and courted, and OBJ
tained his hundred guineaS per song,
while I-well, those who have read
the preceding dimes will know the diff
ference between us.
Luigi received a tremendous recep-
ton ON this occasion, and sang two
songs. He was rather late on the pro-
gIamme, and when his performance
was ended, the bulk of the audience.
Including myself, rose to go. AS l
passed out into the street | ran Up
against a man walking rapidly. lie
apologized brusque[y, and catching
sight of him under lamp, recognized
the singer whom / had just heard,
Luigi.
A curious impulse took nOld OF me.
l wotlld ask Luigi to help me. Per
hsaps i'm the hour of his own triumph.
he would hold out a helping hand to
the stumbler on the way. | ran after
Qllim and soon came UP with him.
Touching him Nightly on the arm,
said:
EXCUSE me, but may have "a word
with your
He turned round very abruptly, and
said:
s'Who on earth are you? What do
you want?'
His tone was rough in tile extreme,
and all hope died within me as the
harsh tones fell ON my ear. But PUT
my pride in my pocNez, and said hasla-
ly:
"My apology for thus troubling You
rnq1St be that am absolutely ptnl:-
less. An, no, don't ask for charity
/ said quickly as saw his hand nfov-
ing in the direction of his pocket.
ask for aid of another kind. | am
singer. believe l have some mels-
ure of ability, but I can't find an en-
oorrrb boo Won KNOWS I'vt.