The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1900-10-04
Saved by Her Voice.

year seemed laden with fragran
promises of bloom and color, while owe
the woods was stealing fairylike man
tie of green.
On such a day, and In such scene a
this, Evangeline Rohan felt as thougl
the world should hold nothing of strifi
or pain or ugliness; indeed, the particu
| lar world In which she moved ant
breathed and had her being held littl'
but the surface knowledge that sucl
| things existed, for fate had favored
Eyangeline, and not content with be
slowing on her beauty Of person ant
mind, had lowered her with the grea
gift Of song in its divine perfection.
Now she sauntered down the wind
ing pathway that led from her castle
terrace to a copse beneath.
A man followed her with hesitatinf
steps, as though he feared a repulse il
he presented himself too suddenly, tool
courage to approach when the tree.
veiled them from the castle windows
and. though she made him welcome b5
neither word nor sign, walked at hel
side until the whim seized her to sea
herself on a bank and search for the
desultory flowers that were beginning
to peep here and there.
1t was at this moment that visitor
who had driven up to the castle in Q
dOgcart descended and asked for Mile
Rohan.
Il am afraid she Is unable to see any
one this morning." said the butler; "she
is resting for tonight.
Dr. Harrowden knit his brows In per
plexity. He remembered that the sing
er had generously offered to throw open
her castle to the public on that night
and to give the first entertainment In
her new theater for the benefit Of O
fund for wounded soldiers.
All the country were clamoring fol
tickets. Fabulous prices had been paid
even for standing room, and report said
the diva, having spared no pains nor ex
pense to make the occasion a success
was about to eclipse herself In a new
part, specially written and composed
for her, In an operatic adaptation OF
"Othello."
THE matter is very urgent one, y
said DIR. HarrOwden, after pause. 81
have request to make of Mlle Rohan
that can only be made personally. II
You will risk her displeasure and allow
me to make my way to her I will take
all the blame. may say 1t Is Ques-
tiOn almost Of life and DEATH"
The man, who knew DIR. Harrowden
as one whose reputation, even In a vii.
lage practice, gave weight to his words,
yielded, and, telling him that made
moiselle had taken the path toward the
copse, led him through the conserva-
tory and directed him to the shortest
way.
He came SO suddenly upon the little
clearing where Evangeline was that
neither she nor her companion per-
ceived him. She was standing up, a
singular look on her beautiful face,
which was bereft Of its usual color, and
both her hands were outstretched be-
fore her as though to ward of some
thing that she dreaded. and that yet
fascinated her.
His face, a dark-eyed, brown-skinned
one, with something In its southern in
tensity that marred its handsomeness,
must have worn threatening express
sion. for she recoiled with a little cry
of alarm, and. turning. saw DIR. Har-
rowden as he stepped toward her.
"Ah, DOCTOR" she said, little shaken
still, but smiling, ut is long time since
l have seen you, which speaks well for
nv health, though not for my hospi-
tality. But you are coming tonight,
hOpe?"
You have asked me to the castle
most kindly" he answered quietly. ''but
l am q busy man, as you know. made
moiselle, and have to deny myself many
pleasures. l have ventured to intrude
on you, for which you must please lay
the blame solely on me, because have
n little patient down there in the viii
lage whose recovery seems to depend
entirely on you"
"On mew'
my patient is little child who has
been at deaths door through fever, and
whose one desire, night and day, has
been to hear you sing. We thought 1t a
delirious fancy that would pass, but II
seems that. had she been well. she was
to have come up to the castle one day
when you sang to the villagers, and
that she lost her chance through this
illness. She raves and weeps alternate
ly and will not sleep, begging always
to be taken to you so that she might
ask you to sing one little song to her."
where is she? Take me to her, doc
tor. and will sing to her at once"
Half an hour later, with all her soul
in her exquisite voice, she was stand
ing in the cottage singing song of life
and love to the bewildered villagers,
while the sick child, propped up by pill
lows to hear the desire of her heart
cried out that 1t was an angel who had
come in answer to her prayers.
1t was midnight, twelve hours since
Eva had charmed away the shadow of
death from the village home, and she
was holding a great assembly hushed
and spellbOund, while her voice, no
longer softened and subdued, rang with
all its glorious power through the large
opera hall which she had lately added
10 her castle.
1t was the moment Of her crOwning
triumph, the moment when Desdelnona,
to the full her danger. and the
infexible purpose of OthellO. trans
formed by jealousy into a murderer.
ceased to plead for her life. and in