Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-03-05
LOVES VICTORY
BY BERTHA NJ. CLAY.

You maze l.J. tne slightest knowledge of
arithmetic. AS for knowledge OF higher
class. y0ii have none. Yoa are |dreadfully
deficient You say that you have read Au-
guste Comte. but you do not know the an
swcr to the first question in your church cat
echism.. Your education requires beginning
all over again. You have never had any set
tied plan OF study, | should imagine"
mo. / learned drawing from Jules La
croix. Talk of talent, Miss Hastings. You
should have known him-he was the hand
soonest artist | ever saw. There was some
thing so picturesque about him."
Doubtless" was tho dry response; "but 1
think picturesque is not the word to use in
such a case. Music, / presume, you taught
yourself?"
The girls face b~rightened-her manner
changed.
"Yes, l taught myself; poor papa could
rot afford to pay for my lessons. Shall 1
play TO you, Miss Hastings?'
There was a piano in the study, a beauti-
full and valuable instrument, which Sir Os-
wald had ordered for his niece.
II shall be much pleased to hear YOU"
said Miss Hastings.
Pauline Darrell rose and wentto the piano.
Her face then was as the face of one inspir.
ed. She sat down and played a few chords,
full, beautiful and harmonious.
81 will sing TO YOU she said. 1--WE often
went TO the o~pera-papa, Jules, Louis, and
myself. / used to sing everything | heard.
This is from III Puritani.'"
And she sang one of the most beautiful
solos in the opera.
Her voice was magnlf cent, full, ringing,
vibrating with passiOn-a voice that, like her
face, could hardly be forgotten; but she play
ed and sang entirely after a fashion OF her
OWN.
Now, Miss Hastings" she said, II will
initiate Adelina Patti"
Face, voice. name all changed; she be-
gan one of the far-famed prima-donna's most
admired songs, and Miss Hastings owned TO
herself that If she had closed her eyes She
might have believed Madame Patti present"
This is a Ia Christine Nilsson contin.
ued Pauline; and again the imitation was
brilliant and perfect.
The magnificent voice did not seem 10 tire,
though she sang song after SONG and imitat-
ed in the most marvellous manner some or
the grandeSt singers of the day. Miss Hast
ings left her seat and went up to her.
"You have a splendid voice, my dear, and
great musical genius. Now tell me, do you
know a single note OF music?'
Not one was the quick reply.
You know nothing OF the keys, time, or
anything else?'
"Why should ! trouble myself when | could
play without learning anything of the kind?'
But that kind Of playing, Pauline, al
though il is very clever, would not do for
educated people"
is it not good enough for them?' she ask
ed serenely.
NO; one cannot help admiring ii, but any
educated person hearing you would detect
directly that YOU did not know Your notes"
''Would they think much less of me on
that ACCOUNT she asked, with the same Sc
renity.
Yes: every one would think it sad 10 see
so much talent wasted. You must begin 10
study hard; you must learn 10 play by note,
not BY ear, aud then all viii be well. You
love music, Pauline?'
How the beautiful face glowed and the
dark eyes shone.
~ love il" she said, because l can put my
whole soul into it-there is room for ones
soul in 1t. You will be shocked, l know, but
that l. why | liked Comics theories-becsuse
they filled my mind, and gave me SO much to
think Of"
Were l in your place / should try to for
get them, Pauline"
wn1npPP ts3asaTnNAM M RaYhHa aff Fad eo 9SEa sssha b tlGe
win. He positively grosned aloud"
And she laughed as she remembered his
misery.
II feel very much inclined to groan my.
7 els ~ al AfseH IIo,z w.. -l.I 49,
theories, or facts, higher, more beautiful
nobler, grander far than any Conlte evei
dreamed. And now We must begin TO worl
I'm real earnest"
But Pauline Darrell did not move; her darh
eyes were Swallowed, her beautiful face grew
sullen and determined.
you are going To spoil my life" she said
"Hltherto IL has been a glorious life-free
gladstone, and bright; now you are going Il
parcel 1t out. There will he no more sun
shiny hours: You are going TO reduce me Il
a kind of machine, TO cut of all my beautiful
dreams, my lofty thoughts. You want t.
make me a formal, precise young lady, wht
will laugh. speak, and think by rule"
IL a to make you a sensible woman
my dear Pauline" corrected Miss Hastings
gravely.
WHO is the better or the happier for beinl
so sensible?' demanded Pauline.
She paused for a few minutes, and thei
added suddenly:
Darrell Court and all the wealth of tn,
Darrells are not worth it. Miss Hastings"
Not worth what, PaulineT
"Not worth the price / must pay"
what is the price?' asked Miss Hastings
calmly.
"My independence, my freedom Of actor
and thought, my liberty OF speech"
DO you seriously value these things more
highly than all that Sir Oswald could leave
YOU
u do-a thousand times more highly sh,
replied.
Miss Hastings was silent for some few
minutes, and then said:
W must DO our best; suppose We make
compromise? l will give you all the libert,
that l honestly can, In every way, and yoi
shall give your attention to the studies / pro
pose. / will make your task as easy as / cal
for you. Darrell Court is worth a struggle.
YES was the half-reluctant reply, .ft |.
worth a struggle, and l will make it,"
But there was not much hope In the hear
of the governess when she commenced he
tass.
CHAPTER ".
THE MADE nv THE puprv