Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-05-18
CHApTER LII.

been one of those vivid, bright creatures
who had set all the other girls by the
cars at boarding school, and had finally
Como off III schoolgirl version) blaze
of glory in search of career. Priscilla
had never heard how she had succeeded,
nor what she had developed into, but
she had secured home newspapers for
foreign correspondence concerning her.
and finally had come to the conclusion
that she was pursuing modest if mono
the less cnviably perfect experience
abroad.
AS she and Mary were ushered across
IN evil smelling antechambor into a
dark and mustv salon oyerfurnished
with chairs and sofas evidently bought
en- occasion, artificial flowers grown
dusty. and clock under a glass case
with the hands pointing five hours out
Of the way, it occurred to Priscilla that
Constance had most certainly mastered
the art of self abnegation with the rest
the crest" Stornmouth had spoken of.
She had known COnstance's homo be-
fore she had lost her parents and with
their death, all means Of support. 1t
had been on the south side of Long Is
land with beautifully clipped lawn i'll
front, wide cave rooted piazza, il
Queen Ammo interior, and a little white
nest of room for daughter, " which
overlooked a gigantic honcysuckle, a
rose garden planted and tended by Con-
stance own hands, and a glimpse of
the Great south bays blue waters dane
Ing like live lapis lazuli between the toss
Of silver gray maple leaves at the foot
OF the garden slope. This was indeed a
contrast.
The door opened slowly, and figure
slipped quietly into the room. "Oh
PRISCILLA" said a voice
Priscilla stepped forward quickly and
kissed the tired, pathetic little face lift
ed to hers. Then she rcseatcd herself
very suddenly, with queer tight feel
ing about her heart.
"Why, Constance" she calculated
"How thin you've grown!'
Have To- said Constance's familiar
voice indifTerently. "Worl, presume.
"Where are you singing" demanded
Priscilla nervously. Il must 60 and
hear you.
j
now, said Constance dojectedly. Its
the most forlorn business in the world.
"Why don't you 90 to Geoifroy and
let him hear you:" suggested Priscilla
hopefully. "You have such lovely
voice " Geoffroy was the manager Of
the Grand Opera.
"It is very evident you have just
come over " remarked Constance, with
b faint smile "Where are You going
for the winter? To Rome or Nice"'
"Didn't you know" began Priscilla
eagerly, 81 am going to sing in grand
opera. " Then she checked herself sud-
denly. To her establishment and chagrin
Constance was looking W her with ex-
actly the same expression of benevolent
amusement she had seen on Storm
mouths face that first day they had
made each others acquaintance on the
steamer
CON- said Constance. "What for?"
Priscilla blushed. because | wish
10 become a prima donna, she explain
ed little lamcly.
"Why:' asked Constance.
"You should know why" returned
Priscilla roproachfully "You know
what it is to have a voice and to be
consumed with tine desire to sing"
81 know it to my cost, )" said Con
stance bitterly. 600 to Geoffroy!
have sung for Geoffroy. ] have sung for
them all. l have spent all my money,
have used up all my friends, [ have eX-
haustcd my strength, | have waited,
lonaed, passed sleepless nights, lived
through tortured days Of imagining
starvation and total annihilation, auC
still am looking for an engagement. D
els your voice gomez"
"No," said Constance "Ihere are
too many of us; that's all. Besides
there is prejudice against foreigner
over here. They don't want us. 1t il
not the way it is at home, We receiy,
anybody who has merit and foreign
reputation. Here ii is different, 1t take
oh, Priscilla it takes SO many thing
] have never suspected. it takes tn
strength to withstand temptation, jeal
ousy, spite, Indifference. Besides, Their
are only ten stages III Europe toda.
worth singing on whore the director
pay. They don't desire ladies on them
they say. And yet we girls are coming
over and coming over, some for littl
work, more for vanity, many for tina
mad search after All unattainable chi
nera.
"And yet, when / sing"-tho littl
figure had risen; the gentle oval face
with its pretty uncertain outline an
its hopeless eyes, took on color an
life which made it look once more tn
way it used to look-"and yet, when
sing everything is forgotten. You don
know what rapture it is to hold 5, 90
people with note or a cadenZa, to hea
the applause which sounds far off lik
the patter Of rain on tin roof, to fee
that wonderful power in You whic
comes with the sound of your own volc
iva great space where the acousti
prpperties reward it for its best etfor
YlNkan't Imagine what it is to fec
that, after the days and months an
years of strife and strain and inapprt
citation, you are at last in your onl
normal condition, the condition of sons
All art is an uplift but it seems to II
thelX is no art so captivating as the Al
Wi returns to your listening ears I'll
cad ces of your own voice 1t is RAJ
turoils, novel sense which puts out fo
ever the memory of past heartaches, a
belt only for the time outliyed and col
oupred -