Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-05-06
THE HUMBLED PRIMA DONNA
-aO


forlorn little station beside the track.
The road ran south from the plat
form, skirting the edge OF a mysteri-
GUS brown wood. and losing itself over
the top OF hill. The prima donna
led the way with the air Of an In
trepid explorer. Her fine eyes bright.
ened. an unwonted color flushed her
cheek, and she made naive remarks
about the scenery. They passed
through a field where the whitening
stalks foated pennons and the ground
was silvery with stubble, and reached
the farmhouse, where a child's pale
little triangle of face peered eagerly
from the window.
'She will surely come" Fleurette
had said. "She will come. You do
not know my ma 'selleL She never
forgets. She will comeF
"Fleurettel Fleurette. 1t is I, your
own ma ms elle. And here is a gen.
tleman who is dying to make your
acquaintance, and a beautiful puppy,
so new he is not even namedp'
Il knew you'd GOMEZ said Fleur-
cite.
The prima donna and the doctor sat
by her sofa, and she looked from one
to the other wisely.
-Do you miss ma, ma'am'sellef
How do you get along without me at
the performancesT
Eyes, yes; miss you, Fleurette;
and we get along very indifrerently
indeed without you"
Listen. They are kind to me here
kind. But l cannot love them as 1
love you and Chum and Nine Bar
toll. l miss you 30 that l lie awake
in the night to cry. Do yeu think l
shall get well soonl And have no
more painT
II am sure OF it." said the pri,ua
donna smilingly.
And may l return and not be hone
ly any more. but very happyT
mot be lonely any more, but very
happy" repeated the prima donna,
still smiling, but biting her lip.
Later they were in the kitchen. The
prima donna was making Cruel. and
the doctor was making love. She had
a brown Bingham apron about her
waist, and also the doctors arm. She
gazed into the saucepan, sighed deep.
ly, and stirred the meal ard water.
"Can nothing be done" she asked.
Perhaps. win consult with a
specialist butt have never seen you
like this before. dearestw
This is not my real self. 1 am
masquerading In q new role, that IA
ALL"
why would you appear to be Gym
icalY"
Conscious that she was not pretty
when she really cried. the prima don
ma tried to wink back her tears, but
unsuccessfully, and was reduced tc
wiping her eyes with the apron.
Il love you" said the doctor. VI,
was so strong she felt like a child IL
his hands.
How sad life isg' she murmured
her head against his breast, and sh,
wept-a little at the sorry pagean
Of humanity, and a good deal for hel
own JOY
They then went back and CAV,
Fleurette the Cruel. which as mer,
Cruel was not a success. Not tina
Fleurette cared She was engrosseC
with the puppy, who. irresistibly Il
unnygienically. licked her cheek ant
then the porridge bowl BY and b,
she was humming and beating tim,
J with her thin little hand.
/ ''To see you as Marguerite
/ C'era un re di Thule
To hear you sing 1t once again
) ma selle, what happinessw
= Smiling at her the diva began I,
sing, at first very softly. The notes o
J Marguerite's plaintive ballad fell clea
5 and sweet upon the twilight. Tn
4 round red eye Of the stove glove,
upon the little group about the child
b sofa. and the shadowy, motionles
]. forms that had gathered In the door
= way to listen.
0 The girl at home replenished tn
l fire and lit the gas. A moment after
ward she heard the prima donna a
: the door. She went to meet her an
d unfastened her coat Her friend wa
v painting and wore an April face, al
= the girl suddenly exclaimed:
y Darling. Not reallyT'
o "He is so strong-and dear. O
course I'm a fool. and it's all prepoi
d ferrous and romantic and Arcadial
and too good to be true In this worl
ing day world; but" And the prlm
d donna dimpled and smiled and weI
again.
II "Since you are bent on making
o fool OF yourself. you could do It [
much better advantage. you know
the girl reminded her, laughing an
crying In sympathy. - New Yor
/ News
.
r An lrreparable Lo~.L
e "Have you heard the --latest
RroUn'a wife has run off with n