Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1917-07-28
MISS CHARITY
BY SYLVIA TURNER.

named her when she first went to the
opera house as caretaker and queen OF
the "scrub ladies'"
The old theater had fallen into
forlorn state that year. Then Colonel
Moulton came ON from New York, saw
Its possibilities and took the lease
over. He had the place remodeled,
sent ON East for frst-class opera
company, and sat back in an orchestra
chair at rehearsals watching the re-
suit.
1t was here that Miss Charity first
saw him, slender old gentleman, In
light gray suit, wearing pearl Fedora
with black band. Remarkably 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, and If
| like him, too, | may sing In his COM
pany'
Miss Charity had laughed and petted
her. in just about the same way as she
might pet her canary or the maltese
| kitten. 1t was three years since she
| had received Marie Jocelyn as q spe-
cial consignment from Fate. She had
| been wardrobe woman at the opera
house then, back In the good days of
the stock company, and there had been
| Nine. Jocelyn-"Eloise Jocelyn" on the
program-wlth her twelye-year-old
child. 1t had seemed very natural that
when the call came from France of the
fortune awaiting there for Eloise that
she should leave her little girl with
Miss Charity until her return.
"For have you not been our good
angel?" Eloise said fervently. In one,
two, maybe three months | shall re-
turn. and then we shall all be happy
and with much money"
And Miss Charity had believed her.
Besides, she was glad to have Marie
for while, even few short months.
But the months had stretched to years.
and no word had ever come back from
france of Eloise Jocelyn. Miss Char
ity never told the child that her mother
might be dead, but simply that she was
detained and would surely return some
day. SO Marie had grown like flow
err with her mothers great, dark eyes
and blond hair. And how she loved
the old opera house 1t had been her
| No
When the rehearsals were over
Marie would steal out on the great
darkened stage and imagine herself
each of her favorite characters, speak
Ing the lines as she had learned them
from listening to the members of the
company.
Then came the opera company when
Marie was fifteen, and with the added
work she helped Miss Charity after
school hours. So 1t happened that one
day when the colonel fell asleep after
Ia prolonged rehearsal of Faust" he
was Weakened by voice singing Sic
bells "Flower Song" 1t was voice
80 clear and fresh, so thrillingly sweet
that 1t seemed as though youth and
spring had suddenly burst into song.
"God bless my heart and soul "
gasped the colonel. "Who Is thatT
Miss Charity was listening, too,
thinking herself the only audience. She
hurried down the side aisle to where
he sat, trembling and anxious, explain
ing In her little hesitating way that
Marie Jocelyn meant no harm at all.
"Harm?" Numbered the colonel, rap
turously. II wouldn't have missed 1t
for $4,000, my good woman. Tell her
to sing more-try the Jewel Song,
my dear"
Marie Jocelyn took her good fortune
very calmly, quite as If 1t were only
her Just due At her name the colonel
Strengthened his shoulders. Then he
told Miss Charity that he would edu-
cate Marie for opera and sign a ten
year contract with her.
"Oh, but Colonel Moulton," cried the
little woman. "How dare | permit the
child to sign away the best years OF
her youth So without her mothers per-
mission? | do not know whether she
is dead or alive"
"And you'll waste time waiting to
find out" answered the colonel impa-
tiently. "The child has voice ana
personality. She belongs to opera"
So against Miss Charity's wishes
Marie prepared for her career. Pre-
pared according to the coloneFs ideas
and notions q bit Old-fashioned, but
thorough and shrewd. Her years at
languages and instrumental music
came In New York, to be followed by
three abroad.
II was while they were still In New
York that Nine. Alvani, Marie's teach
err. permitted her to sing once for
charity. Suddenly as she began to
sing the "Chanson de Florian" there
came a smothered cry from the audi
ence.
"Marie"
Always thereafter Miss Charity con-
tended that If Marie had not been a
true artist she would have stopped her
song, but the girl went on, even though
she could see the figure In black with
outstretched arms, and the piteouS