The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-03-15


sing no more She picked up small
part OF the flowers they showered upon
her. she bowed cnce more and retired.
Early next morning Il man came to
her ana handed her purse full of gold.
de told her it was hers for her songs last
night Then She wanted t. take it all
with her and 80 home to her Vermund
The man smiled
This Is only the beginning he
said when you have learned to SIM
more correctly. we will travel through
man. lands. and YOU will get money
eholSil to ny great estates.
/ hen came Il maestro who taurht her
how I" read music. Another taught her
how 10 walk. how 10 stand ana how to
carry herself gracefully. Then came
lailors and modistes They brought
dresses and bonnets. and all told her
she must buy jewelry She learned and
she sang. She travelled with a man
whom they called an inpresario She
went from city TO city, from country TO
country She acquired foreign Ian
guages. she cultivated taste for cham
pagne and other dainties which were
distasteful to her at the beginning. She
sang in operas Kings and cmperors
listened to her. Diva Evina had be-
come an idol. Wherever she appeared
she was overwhelmed with flowers and
presents Money came fast and went
rapidly. She knew not its value. She
ordered that some he sent to her father
and was notified that he had died. Dur
ing the summer she used to live in her
country house iii the mountains
Time flew. Years passed in this mode
OF living. and she had nearly forgotten
her youth as poor girl on the lake.
One night she sang again. The house
was filled from top to bottom The i'm
perial box was occupied by the emperor.
the empress and the princess. and the
highest court functionaries were about
them. AT the most sublime part Of her
song she involuntarily looked up. High
up III the topmost gallery she saw a
face that was bending down toward
her. She beheld Il pair of eyes riveted
upon her Her blood rushed to her
heart Something made her think of
Vermund. perhaps this youth only
resembles him, she thought. But for
the rest of the time she was on the
stage she was unable to take her eyes
from this face. She must needs look at
him. at him only. That Vermund
should be sitting there appeared to her
as impossible as if the lake itself should
have come to the city.
The longer she looked the more strik-
ing became the resemblance. 1t must
be Vermund. He carried his head al
ways in that way No one else could
listen to her SO eagerly. Her voice be-
came thrilling. powerful. grander than
ever before. She saw the young man
pull out blue checkered handkerchief
and wipe first one eye, then the other
was Vermund. Her blood went rushing
to her head. She felt jublant. She ran
up close to the footlights. and she began
in her native tongue:
''Vermund. Eermund Come. oh,
comet Come over-over-over-tO mel
The emperor rose and applauded. The
whole house shook with the acclama-
tions. Seven times did they recall her.
and while they were still clamoring for
her appearance she had gone She had
found Vermund. and she took him with
her in her carriage.
He told her how he had longed for
her. How he yhad. patiently waited,
waited and waited till lie could endure
it no longer. Down in the village they
had read in the newspapers that Evina
had become great singer. They told
him so. and he went from city to city
in search Of her. Questions came thick
and fast. and they talked about things
at home of which Evina had not thought
for years. She wanted to ask him about
thousands Of matters. when the carriage
drove up in front Of her hotel She in
sisted upon Fermund's coming up to
her rooms. SO that they could gossip. A
stream of prominent people swept un
ceasingly through her apartment They
found no time to be alone She asked
him to come early next morning. She
would be free then
Eyina spent Il sieepless night. She
thought Of all the news she had heard
about the home of her childhood. She
thought Of Vcrmund. and she wished
for the dawn She was anxious to show
him all the wonderful and beautiful
things she now possessed. She wanted
to tell him about how she lived. AS she
lay on her couch she fancieti herself at
home again lying Hat in her boat an
Cling for trout. She felt as if she were
rowing and rowing, but could make no
progress. Her line was caught in the
reeds She had never noticed them be-
fore.
When Vermund came on the next
morning they began to talk. They talk
ed about old things new at home. where
the two huts yet stood on the opposite
banks of the lake. She had forgotten
nothing. her recollection was as vivid
as if she had left her old home only on
yestereve She was ready to begin to
sing ''Vermund. Vermund. come
over. when she suddenly remembered
where she was. He felt that there could
now be no question about marriage and
such things She took him out in her
carriage, she showed him the wild ami
mails, the lions. the tigers and the
snakea She nointed ont fO him all oh.