Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1909-04-09
F0rget-Me-NOtS
BY MISS CLARA UPTON.

The vast opera house was crowded
= 'aTous horseshoe Of boxes pre-
.eA.eJ a beautiful picture, the daz.
zling jewels Of the occupants flash
ing and scintillating in the light
Even the gallery was filled to its ut
rost capacity with people who had
stoud. some for hours, in the biting
old hoping they might be able to
get a seat. These we're the real
music lovers who could not afford
buy seats elsewhere. As the time
crew near for the curtain to rise
voices we're hushed and the very ali
seemed filled with breathless sus-
pense. for Marguerite was to make
her first appearance in America that
night. Many stories had reached
New York of her great success in
Europe, her wonderful beauty and
still more wonderful voice. At last
tUe curtain slowly rolled upward
and the people listened with ill-con
cealed impatience to the performance
OF a noted pianist in conjunction
with whom she was giving her con
cert. At last he had finished, anc
as the orchestra softly began th,
prelude of the Jewel Song" a husl
OF expectancy settled over the the
stre.
Five years before Margaret Cor
don had been the afianced bride Of
Philip Temple, a struggling younl
artist, and her cup of happiness a.
ffaf Tina had gaar,od o,-o.az -
How happy they had been. and whai
plans they had made for the future
What sums in arithmetic they hae
figured out together, mentally buy
ing each piece Of furniture for tn,
tiny house that was to be the cul
miha-ion of their dreams W
Philips work was recognized. n
garet, who had a beautiful thougl
unframed voice, was offered a posi-
ton to sing in a church, and anxiou.
to earn little money to add tt
Philips carefully boarded store sh,
eagerly accepted. But one day
noted musician heard her sing and
recognizing a voice of marvellous
power, urged f~ 10 work for some
thing higher anI better, and almost
before she realized it she was max
ing plans to go broad to study
Philip did all in his power to change
her determination to do this thins
which he instinctively felt woulo
come between them, but she was s,
anxious to help him and argued thai
iL was only for little while. that be
finally consented to her going. His
parting gift to her was a bunch OF
forget-me-nots. and the sight o.
these starry little flowers alway
brought back to him the picture of q
girl clasping in her arms buncl
OF forg et-me-nots waving to him
from the deck OF a fast recedinr
steamer.
At first Margaret's letters arrived
on every boat filled with love anu
plans for their House Of Dreams
Philip on his part devoted himself
asslduously to his work, his on,
thought beng Of Margaret and theil
future together Little by little, how
ever, her letters. which now came
very irregular, spoke less of her re
turn and more and more of her art
To Philips entreaties that she como
home she gave no heed, and wheI
he wrote releasing her. she seemfng.
ly gladly accepted. She often thought
OF Philip, she had heard indirectly
that he had never married, and
sometimes when she thought of the
old days her life seemed a very emp
ty thing to her. and art a very in.
sufficient compensation for the loss
of Philip.
At last the artistic appeared ana
as the glorious voice of the singer
rang through the theatre, a man sit
ting in the orchestra saw once again
the girl with forget-me-no In heI
arms. AS the singer smiliugly scan
ned the audience, bowling her ac
acknowledgements of their applause
her glance was caught and held, anG
in that brief instant a great longing
came over her for Life and Love
With an almost imperceptible start
she recovered herself, and the strains
of the beautiful old English ballad
Take Me to Your Heart Again.
fioated out on the air The great
audience listened ell-bound. for the
soul of the singer shone in her eyes.
bu. she cared nothing for the storm
Of applause which rang through the
hall, for she saw no one and sang
for no one, except the one she nov
knew she had been longing for
At the close of the concert when
spray of forget-me-nots, bearing
a card Philip Temple" was sent
to her dressing room, Margaret c ly.
con knew that the world had heard
for the last time Marguerite, the
Ouaan of Song - Pocfor poet