Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-08-02

SAID DIVA.
Poor BERTHE colored a deep red
which the darkness luckily cor
cealed.
Wei, you see, he's the sort 0
man you do learn to know quickly
$3.50 frank"
Frank" with a smile,
Well" he stammered, not ex
Olivia laughed.
acly frank. but
Never mind" she said "Wha
you mean to say is The you admire
him very much, and that, like papa
you have taken to him.
That's It," said BERTHE, with {
sigh of relief. 80 the squire likes
him, does he? Well, I'm not sur
prised. / hope they'll be great
friends. He'll cheer the squire up
and he wants it, dear old squire"
Olivia turned TO him with anxious
eagerness.
Then you have noticed that pa
pa has been duh and low-spirited
lately?" she said.
YES; II don't think he has
been quite up to his usual form
He looks bothered and worried
about something" said BERTHE. But
don't be uneasy, olivia; it can't be
anything serious. What could trouble
him."
Olivia looked vacantly at the
feathers nodding on Aunt Amelia
| hat.
q don't know Of anything" she
said, thoughtfulIy, No, there can
be nothing What Is Mr.. Faradeane
going to recite tonight?" she asked,
after a pause.
II haven't the least idea" replied
BERTHE. HE has said nothing to me
about it. Whatever it is will be
sure to be well done you may de-
pend Here we are"
The entertainment had evidently
been regarded as an event of some
Importance for there was a tolcr-
ably long string of carriages at the
door, and olivia as she entered the
school-room on Berte's arm saw
NlldL Lllc pace WIS u blililNus L utll
appearance was the signal for a
burst Of clapping and stamping, and
passing up q narrow lane between
the chairs they made their way to
the platform amidst a hearty wei
come.
Aunt Amelia, "al becks and mods
and wreathed smiles" ushered them
into chairs--all except Faradeane,
who took his seat in corner
amonst the audienee-and the per.
formpnce was proceeded with.
1t was Ike the usual village en-
tertainment. There was the church
choir with a part-song--sung by half
4 dozen girls and young men, the
former all giggles the latter all
hands and feet. Then the vicar,
with a vacuous smile, obliged with
solo on the concertina-by no
means badly played; and Faradeane
would have enjoyed 1t If the worthy
man had not opened his mouth at all
the high notes, and frOwned terribly
at all the low ones. Then pale
pohho lflNJ HhlltD a hShlililNlNtl VA
lad in a voice which only reached
the first two rows of chairs; and
following her, pale young gentle
man with narrow shoulders growled
Gus THE Village Blacksmith"
The audience, gentle aud simple,
applauded everything yoaiferously,
and when the pale young lady forgot
her words, applauded louder than
over. A lady and gentleman sang
the "Glou, Chou duet, which, though
they had practiced ii, say, two hun
dred times, was not quite IN tune
oven then; and then the vicar, ad'
justing his eyeglasses, announced
that Mr. Faradeane had Iindly con
sented to give them a recitation.
Every eye turned upon the hand
some, grave-faCed man in The cor
ner, and Olivia's amongst them.
He rose amidst the stamping and
clapping which welcomed every an.
nouncement and slowly and unob-
trusiyely mounted the platform,
For a moment he looked round, as
If to ascertain the size of the room.
Then in low but clear zones said,
The Dream of Eugene Aram."
Everybody knows the poem. 1t is
the best of Tom Hoods, far and
away, and he was q poet of no mean
order 1t is the confession of a
murder made to school-boy by the
usher, who pretends that he is only
telling a dream, whereas he is real
ly giving every detail of his crime,
and the remorse that haunts him.
Faradeane began, in a light tone
that reached the remotest corner of
the room, to describe the school and
the boys, and then gradually, and
yet as II seemed suddenly, 10 as
sumo the character of the murderer,
upon whose conscience the crime
rides so terribly that he feels con
strained to confess it.
Gradually the voice grew deeper,
graver, more intense and MS he APP.
preached the verse which tells Of