Year: 1877

strong and reliant when singing, she would


have fled from the crowd who always await


ed her with congratulations. Sometimes


she would ask him to play while


she sang, and with a tenderness


and, beauty approached by none other,


he would make the violin echo her flute


like notes, and to reward HIM for his kind


ness she would sing for him alone the songs


he loved. When at last she was engaged to


sing In opera, his purpose unknown to her


he left a good situation to be near her, and


though he was in the orchestra yet nightly


he watched her and loved her, He was get


ting old, people said the gray hairs were


coming fast and the hand that held the bow


often trembled, but only when Nina sang


the love songs that he coveted to another


and when her white hand rested for mo-


ment in that of the great burly basso, he


wonld clinch his fingers until they snapped


the strings of his violin.


But the prima donna was growing rich


and the gulf widened between them. No


more did he offer her flowers; she could


wear flashing jewels now. No more did she


call him to play for her; she was occupied


with her characters and her costumes. Once


in awhile when accidentally they met she


would laughingly chide him for his neglect.


Poor Westell, il ever heart was crushed


with the weight of love surely his must


break. for every word that she spoke or sang


but made him worship her the more. Her


mother was deao, her sisters married. Ad-


die captured or rather Judge Vance cap
tured Addie, and Nina was alone. Between


the three sisters there had never been much


affection, for the elder ones had al


ways repulsed the youngest, and she


could not remember moment when she


had not been considered an interloper in the


family circle. Her money had started the


did not begrudge the means, provided they


were happy. Addie had teased her until she


had confded to Judge Vance all of her


money, and she held his notes for the


amount. He was getting along splendidly.


and had seemed to forget that he had ever


tried to win her for wife, and she was glad


this was so, for she loved his children, and


went now and then for days visit to her


sisters home. Addie professed to enjoy her


society very much, accepting the pres


ents given her, and allowing her children


to do the same. But Nina was not


altogether deceived, yet tried to forget her


past grievances Judge Vance continued


borrowing and using her money, always sat
isfying her of his safe financial condition
and bewildering her with technicalities.


When she was away Mr. Westell was moody


and morose, but never approached her on
, her return unless sent for. He knew she


regarded him as an elderly person, fair
, violinist, and that was all. And he loved,
5 worshipped her.


One night, missing her carriage. she
walked home through the snow; sore
} throat annoyed her the next day and though
, she was warned of the consequences she
. filed that evenings engagement, and
: consequently was i'll for a month
At the end of that time hel
e physician pronounced her doom, "You
will never sing again; your voice is hope
! lessly lost" It was like blotting the sur
t out of the sky, like turning the fairest day
s into the darkest night, and stunned anC
bewildered she received his words without
r groan or tear She sent the news to her sis
e tiers and awaited their reply. She was ricl
n enough TO take care of herself for her life
$ time, but she hoped they would offer her
t home with them. She was willing, yes anx
e ious, to pay literally for all she received, bu
J. she craved home, place with her kinderd
t After long delay the answer came. Clara
e house was too small, her children too man.
b and her husband unwilling, and she advises
n Nina to go to a good country boardin
l. house where she could live cheap
IS Z hope you have saved something, but yol
;. were so foolishly extravagaut imagine yol
e have not thought of a rainy day." MIN
70 thought bitterly OF her foolish generosity il
It spending hundreds of dollars upon her AM
II her many children and husband. Addie'
D letter did not reach her for month, an,
IS then Judge Vance wrote all but short post
y script He told her that they could not fin'
d room for her. that she had forfeited al
j. right to their care or love by entering he
y chosen profession, and lntimated tina
le the correspondence would close wit
sr that letter. Addie explained that he
d husband had been adjusting his financis
1T relations with Nina, and that countin
le board bills during her visits, and legal I'D
er vice from Judge Vance, they were abou
j. square, enclosing check for s25 the ba
ID ance. The notes were worthless, and striI
lie ped of every hope Nina faced the world wit
" nothing but brave heart between her an
to despair. Her fortune stolen, her voic


ruined, her family turned enemies, she ha
ut no one upon whom to lean. She decided
ne go to large city and teach music, an
Z, | thor,erI, aho had aold oil har iawairr her do