The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-04-14

ON HENS.
more turned to chat at her ease with
the elderly beau at her shoulder. Mu-
sic held no charms for her.
The girl. too. stared in but listlesS
fashion at the stage where Sigmund
lay exhausted by the dying i~e. What
significance did it hold for her? Once
she had loved music. but now The
girl shivered slightly. feeling That al
emotion lay dead in her heart. Hence
forth luxury, comfort was to be her
desire. G'ancing NJ 1t the gallery
gods, where they leaned in ecstasy,
her lip rurlcl i'll memory of the times
when she, too, had sat there. contrast
Ing those times unfav0rlbly with her
present position. And that cold little
room that she called home.
The man beside her could give all
that heart could wish; the countless
resources OF immense wealth lay mt
his command. And tonight she had
been brought here that he might ask
her to share all this. Tamely she sat,
awaiting his pleasure For Il moment
the girls pride revolted. A hot flush
burned her face. 1t had not been like
this when Randolph had begged her to
wait for him.
Il love you. love youw he had said.
his clear blue young eyes looking
straight into hers. And when l have
won home l shall come for you"
But that was year and more ago
now. And matters had been growing
steadily worse with her. First had
come the long illness, using up her lit
tie board, then her difficult struggle to
resume work. How different every
thing would have been IL her father
had only lived. Her mother was a
meie, vague, beautiful memory. There
was only Aunt Ella left And Aunt
Ella, though she meant to be kind, was
not generous. Then Granville Whitta-
ker had appeared on the scene and to
her aunts unbounded triumph had
been captured BY the girls high bred
beauty. thereafter morning, noon and
night Aunt Ella had impressed upon
her the duty Of accepting this opportu-
nifty.
Think of all you can do with such a
fortune" she urged. "all the people
you could help skillfuIly striking the
effective chords, "all the good you
could do And Mabel, tired, exhaust
ed, felt her resistance breaking. \
month ago she had written Randolph
few lines telling him that they were
too poor to marry; that an engagement
between them was not fair to either
(Aunt Elias suggestion, this. And
there had been no answer. Somehow
she had not expected him to let her g
quite so easily. 1t was not like him.
Aunt Ella must be right in saying that
men forget lightly. She had waited,
hoping for she knew not what. But
now she felt that the crisis could be
put on no longer, and Internationally
she awaited the crucial moment.
But in spite of herself the glorious,
wondrous harmonies sweeping through
the orchestra began to assert their an
Client sway, On the stage Sieglinde, all
In white, came creeping down the
stair, and Siegmund sprang to his feet.
The girl felt the starved sympathies
within her awakening. And then, with
sudden soft preluding of exquisite
sweetness, Slegmund broke into the
full rush and swing of the spring song,
winter Storms Now Wane to the
Wlnsome Moons"
The notes poured out in a very flood
OF eXultant joyOusness. Mabel's throat
contracted; her eyes glowed. Thou art
the spring. rang Sieglinde's rapturous
answer And the girl, utterly oblivious
of all else, bent forward, her lips part
ed, her breath quickening, absorbed,
enthralled by the mighty weaving web
of melodies. Whitaker spoke, but she
did not hear Her aunt frowned. But
the girl, conscious only of a sudden
passion for outdoors, for the eternal
verities, for life. was beyond the reach
of criticism
The curtain fell, and with a little
:.gh Mahei cal s.o'r.y l,@eh - assh.
qt.eE, cyu e t. ral her
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