The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-16
EVENING STORY
Miss Charity.
tBy Sylvia Turner.)

Miss Charity, that ise what they
nicknamed her when she first went
Ito the Opera House as caretaker and
queen of the scrub ladies'" That was
the way Charlie spoke of her, and the
rest of the Opera House employees
took their cue from Charlie. From
his point of vantage in the box office
he welded almost as much power
as Daniels, the house manager.
The old theater had fallen into a
forlorn state that year. Then Col.
Moulton came on from New York.
saw its possibilities and took the lease
over He had the place remode,ed,
sent on east for a first-class opera
company, and sat back jim an orches-
ira chair at rehearsals watching the
result.
1t was here that Miss Charity first
saw him, a slender old gentleman. in
a light gray suit. wearing a pearl
Fedora with a black band. Remark
ably gentle in his way of speech, and
courteous in his manner-even to
scrub ladies'" When she reached
home she told Marie Jocelyn about
him, and the child listened gravely.
Some day, Eliza" she answered,
you shall take me to see him, ard II
like him, too may sing in his COM
pany."
Miss Charity had laughed and pet
ted her, in just about the same way
as she might pet her canary or the
waif of circumstance which she had
| taken in to care for. 1t was three
| years since she had received NJ lrie
Jocelyn as special consignment
from Fate. She had been wardre be
woman at the opera house then, back
in the good days of the stock com
pany, and there had been Nine.
Jocelyn-"Eloise Jocelyn" on the
program-with her twelve-year-old
child. 1t had seemed very natural
\ ~,
| of the fortune awaiting there for
| Eloise that she should leave her
/ little girl with Miss Charity until her
return.
For nave you not been our good
angelo" Eloise said fervently "In this
most lonely land of heartaches l have
no woman to call friend but you, so
1 leave to you my dearest treasure
Marie. In one, two, maybe three
months ] shall return and then we
money. / will pay her board, out alsn
you shall receive the gift that shall
make you independent, dear madam,
for your kindness and sheltering OF my
darling"
And Miss Charity had believed her.
Besides, she was glad to have Marie
for a while, even a few short months
! But the months had stretched to years
and no word had ever come back
from France of Eloise Jocelyn. Miss
Charity never told the child char he1
mother might be dead, but simply thai
she was detained and would surely
return some day. So Marie had grown
like flower. with her mothers great
dark eyes and blond hair. And how
she loved the old opera house! 1t ha6
been her playground thru the years
She knew every foot of it, every box
every hidden corner in the balconies
each of the dressing rooms
When the rehearsa1s were ovel
Marie would steal out on the great
darkened stage and imagine hersell
each of her favorite characters, speak.
ing the lines as she had learned them
from listening to. the members of thu
company. And down in the big va
cant auditorium Miss Charity would
often stop her work to listen to the
j childish voice and smile. 1t reminded
her of Eloise Jocelyn. There was the
same sweet cadence, the same rich
infections.
Then came the opera company wher
Marie was Is, and with the added
work she helped Miss Charity aftel
school hours So it happened that on,
day when the colonel fell asleep after
! prolonged rehearsal of Faust" h
was awakened by voice sinein.
Siebers Flower Song" 1t was a voice
so clear and fresh. so thrillingly swee
that it seemed as tho youth and sprins
had suddenly burst into song
God bless my heart. and soul,'
gasped the colonel. who is that 2
Miss Charity was listening too
=, thinking herself the only audience
She hurried down the side aisle t,
where he sat, trembling and anxious
explaining in her little hesi1ating wa,
that Marie Jocelyn meant no harm a
all.
Harm ?" Numbered the colonel
rapturously. Il wouldn't nave MISE,
| it for $4,000, my good woman. Tel
, her to sing more-try the Jewe
Song my dear"
Marie Joce1yn took her good for
tune very calmly. quite as il it wer
only her Just due. She listened t
the excited ordinations of the oil
gentleman in gray and to Miss Char
| ity's gentle approximations il. quite tn
, same spirit. Why should she not b
!, able to sing and act? A. the nam
the colonel Strengthened his shoulders
: looking down at the brilliant eyes o
the girl. Then he told Miss Charit
that he would educate Marie for oper;
} and sign a ten-year contract with her
! "Oh, but Colonel Moulton.' crie'
| the little woman. How dare I permi
, the child to sign away the best year
of her youth SO. without her mother
permission? I do not know whethe
she is dead or alive"
And you'll waste time waiting t
, find out" answered the colonial impa
: tiently- THE child has voice and
personality. She belongs to opera"
: So against Miss Charity's wishe
. Marie prepared for her career. Pre-
pared according to the colonels idea
: and notions, a hit old fashioned. blu
thoro and shrewd. Her year at Ian
guages and instrumental music cam
| in New York, to be- followed by thre
abroad. She would have harmon
with one teacher, technique with an
other. dramatic expression with an
| other. and lastly. he would open witt
her in Paris for a season in order [
make the American pubiic's moutl
water with anticipation of the trea
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