The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-05

London was growing emptier every day
so said the grumblers whom necessity
conv enence obliged to stay in town, when
June had given place tc July, and their more
fortunate neighbors had fled to Cowes or
! Scotland, some foreign resort of fashion
But one or two were determined to keep the
ball rolling, as long as there was a hand left
to give it an impetus; and Lady Hexham's
musical evenings every Wednesday were still
we'll attended, if not quite SO crowded as had
been the during the previous weeks
! Lady Hexham was rich, and her house in
Brook Street was spacious, and II her guests
had sometimes to listen to music that was
mediocre, they occasionally had treat in
! the shape of a really beautiful voice, or eX-
icepticnal violin playing; so that to those who
were musical, it generally seemed worth
while to go on the chance; and to the others,
who formed the majority. there were the at
| fractions of a good supper and smart dresses
and amusing talk when the music was over.
But it was the 14th of July now, and Lady
Hexham was nurmuring to her intimates
that she was afraid, that next Wednesday
must be her last for the year.
! Positively the last, dear Lady Mary, for
fthere will notc.be a voice- left in town; while
as to a violin or a cello, you might scour
Lordon from end to end without finding
one
| A tall man standing behind the speakers
| chair smiled at the exaggeration, but sud-
denly, his attention was diverted by the
sound of an exquisite contralto voice, which
filled the large room with waves of purest
chatterbox to silence.
| He could not see the singer from where he
stood; tall Japanese screen cut off the end
| of the room where the piano was placed and
he hardly felt any desire to do so at first, SO
keen was the delight Of listening to that per-
| feet voice
| What time upon the wing
! A swallow needless flies,
Love-birds forget to sing
| Beneath the lucent skies.
| For now belated spring
With her last blossom hies
When time upon the wing
A swallow needless flies"
| Every word was distinctly uttered, adding
to the charm of the singing, and the man
waited breathlessly, with folded arms, for the
second verse, dreading lest some profane
chatter should break in and spoil the ex-
quisite effect.
But the little symphony was delicately
played, sounding like the flight of the swal-
lows wing of whom the singer had sung and
then the rich full notes rang out again in
a plaintive minor key
what summer hopes shall bring
To wstful, dreaming eyes?
What fateful forecast fling
Before 1ife's last surprise?
When tine upon the wing
swallow needless hieS!''
Directly the song was ended, and the buzz
of conversation burst out more furiously for
the brief cessation, like torrent when a
temporary dam has been removed, Lord In
gram bent down to his hostess, and asked
Who is the lady who has just been sing
irg?"
she is a Miss Bruce. Haven't you heard
her sing before? Has she not lovely voice? ?''
She is surely not PROFESSIONAL" Lord
Ingram exclaimed.
Lady Hexham laughed. "Oh dear no. far
from it. She is an heicess. She will have
five thousand G year and lovely old place
in Hertfordshre when she comes of age in
another year. 1 believe. She is unfairly dow
cred, consider Riches, beauty and such a
voice! She might have done very we'll with
out the latter, at any rate, and it would have
brought a fortune to some less fortunate
girl Then, smiling at Lord Ingram's inter
ested face she added: Would you like to be
introduced to her? Come with me, and we
will If crcat L