The Exeter Advocate, 1892-4-7, Page 2'the Modern Selma). Tear:her.
It was Saturday night, atid teaeher sat
Alone, her task purening ;
She averaged this,. aed elle averaged that
Of all her doss was doing.
S'he aeoltoned percentage, so many boys,
And so many girls are eountea.--
Anti mariXed all the tardy and absentees
And, tO what all the &thecae() amounted.
Names and residences wrote in full,
Over many celumne and pages;
Canadiaa, lambent% Africae, Celt,
And averaged all their ago,
'.I.`he rate of admission cif every one,
,And cases or flagellation.
And. prepared a list of graduates
-For the county exanunation.
Iler weary head sank low on her book,
And. her weary heart still lower;
For some of her plias had little brains,
And she could. furnisa no more.
She Slept, she dreamed; it seemed she died,
And her spirit went to Hades,
And. they met her there with a question fair,
" State what the por cent. of your grade is t"
4.es had, slowly rolled away,
_Leaving but partial traces,
A.nd the teacher's spirit waked. one day
In the old familiar plaoes.
A mound, of fosailized school reports
Attrocted her observatio n—
As high as State Bousa dome, d as wide
As Boston since annexation.
She came to the spot where they buried her
• bones,
And. the gronnd was well built over;
But laborers' digging threw up a skull,
One planted beneath t he clover.
• A disciple of (aaleu, wandering by,
Paused to look at the digger,s
And, pielang the skull up, looked through the
eye
And saw that 'twas linedwith figures.
" Just as 1 thought," said the young M. D.,
"How easy it us to kill 'ern!"
str,etisties ossified, every fold
Of cerebrum and cerebellum."
"It's a great curiosity, sure," said Pat
"5y the bones you can tell the ore4re
0 nothing strange," said the &tater, that
Was a nineteenth century teacher."
—Educational Gazette.
BARITONE'S DEVOTION .
OR A TALE OF SUNNY ITALY.
So the two set off together, arriving
somewhat late, and having to content them-
selves with places at the very back of the
church. Carlo felt strangely tired, but he
was very happy in having met Clare and
Mr. Britton once more, and he was glad
Sordoni had volunteered to come with him.
The beautiful building, and the music and
the service, which were always associated in
his mind with Naples and Francesca, would,
even in their mere external aspect, have
been a refreshment; and he was gaining
the rest he much needed when
the sermon began, and startled
him back into his working:day existence.
For the preacher, sitting te his country
vicarage, and well conversant With all the
•pleasures of the country, which seemed. to
him the only pleasures worth enumerating,
had written a fierce diatribe against the
pleasures of the town, and notably against
theatre -going. Perhaps it had not occurred
to him that members of the obnoxious
theatrical profession might be nambered In
his flock; apparently he considered them
aU to be reprobates, for he spoke of them
in no measured terms, and denounced their
profession as an unhallowed calling.
Feeling, somehow, that the sermon had
shut him out from the fellowship which he
expected to find in a church, and had made
him an alien even in the body to which he
rightfully belonged, he made his way out
again into the dark, dreary street, up
which the Mareh wind blew gustily. A
sense of intolerable fatigue came over
him.
" What a paee you are walking at,
Jack !"he exelaimed. "One might think
you. were blessed with the seven -leagued
boots, and were keeping up with Sirocco l"
Sordoni modified his pace ; and Carlo,
glancing at • him'saw an expression about
his mouth which boded no good:
"I'm sorry we came in for that sermon,"
• he said.
"Well, at any rate, it will serve to show
you what British prejudice is 1" said Sar-
doni, speaking more fiercely than the occa-
sion seemed to warrant. I don't know
what effect it will have as to theatre -going,
but I know that I shan't't darken the doors
of a church again in a hurry."
CHAPTER XXIV.
AN BNCIASII ROME.
The next day, according to his promise,
Carlo went over to Merlebank.
"How good of you to come," •said Clare,
-hastening forward to greet him as he was
• shown into the drawing -room; "1 was
• afraid this gloomy afternoon might frighten
you away. I must introduce you to Fran-
cesca's cousins, whom you have so often
heard of."
"You can stay a nice long time,' hope?"
said Clare. " Mr. Britton will be coming
• in soon, I think, and he especially wished to
• see yon. He so midi enjoyed your singing
on Saturday."
"This is my off day," explained Carlo,
" so I am not bound to be back by any
special time. It is Fro Diavolo ' to -night,
and I have no part in that."
"Is that your only chance of a holiday?
• Do you mean that you sing all the other
nights of the week?"
•"That just depends on whether the en-
gagements dovetail into each other. Very
often they do. When the town is import-
ant we generally stay a week, and then the
round seldom varies. Arrive on Sunday,
Fast' on Monday, 'Fro Diavolo Tues• "
day, ' Sornnambula ' Wednesday, Lucia '
• alursday, Barbiere ' Friday, ' Rigoletto'
Saturday, on to the next place on Sunday."
"Is the traveling always done on
Sunday ? "
• "Not always, bet very frequently. You
ee it is the only day you close your the-
atres. Now with us the theatres are shut
on Friday, but we play our best operas in
• our best style on the,festa. There is some-
thing to be said for both sides of the ques-
tion. Last week we had engagements of
two and three nights only at small places,
and traveled here in detachments, the bulk
• of the company by special train on Friday
evening, the rest of us on Saturday after-
noon. So at Ashborough the days are
slightly varied, and on Thuredoy we move
on to Queenbury for two nighte."
While he talked he watched with the in-
terest of a foreigner all that was going on,
wondered for what reason the footman ap-
peared with a trivet and a bright copper
kettle, and speculated as to the little fold-
ing table which was being set up on the
other side of the fireplace. A daintily -
worked cloth woe spread over it, then came
the explanation in the form of a beautifuly
inlaid ebony and silver taa,y, with the most
fascinating of silver tea.services,and delicate
blue and white china cups,
"This is just like Salem," announced
Gigi. "W&ve never had real proper tea
since Salem."
Carlo, fleeing that Kate had SoMO
titi-
known designs on thecopperkettle,hastened
to offer hia services.• ,
"Tea -malting is a precess I have never
seen," he said, wondering what on earth he
was to do with the kettle now that he had
• valiantly seized upon it.
"You don't mean to say Francesca haen't
introducecl aftenoon tea at Casa Bella ?"
There was a, general exclamation.
" You the in Italy we naturally enough
go in more "for cooling drinks. he waS
ver' clever at making letnonacle."
There mutt have been a brain -wave be,
tween him and, Kate, for at that Moment
she startled itim with the queetion, "
suppose they have new neighbors now at
Casa Bella? Who took your house when
you left ?"
"It was taken by Count Comm," he
replied. "Mr. Britton met him at Naples
on Whit -Sunday. He has a yacht not
uulike the Pilgrim, and was anchored close
remember now, father mentionedhitn.
What sort of a man is he? Will Uncle
Britton like him ?"
"1 believe he was much taken with
replied Carlo, hearing his Mu calm replies,
with a sort of astonishment.
" Uncle is dreadfully fond of people with
titles," said Kate. "It is his one weakness.
Is the Count Carossa really nice, •do you
think ?"
"t have only met him °nee," replied
Cark. "He is quite young and very rich,
rather an original port of man, has travelled
a great deal, and is a good. raconteur."
He ran off the list of his rival's merits un-
falteringly, but was secretly relieved by an
interruption.
In the hall there was a little bustle of
arrival and welcome. The return of the
father and son from business made one of
the pleasantest of the daily events in that
quiet country houeehold. • They brought
with them a sort of atmosphere of the world
which was refreshing. Geuerally there were
commissions to be delivered, or library,
books to be eagerly seized upon, and inva-
riably there was some sort of news to he
discussed. Carlo realized something of this
as Mr. Britton came into the room with
.Lucy, his favorite daughter, clinging to his
arm, and the dog Oscar, son to the elderly
Bevis, at hit heels.
Harry Britton had not yet acquired,
however, his father's easy, genial way of
talking ; he seemed not quite at his ease
with the Italian ; and, after the greetings
were over, moved away with a perceptible
air of relief, which. tickled Carlo not a
little, and began to open the shiny black
bog which he held in his left hand. From
this he prooeeded to dole forth various pur-
chases which the girls had asked him to
make, ending with the evening paper,
which he as usual brought dutifully to
Clare, with a little time-honored joke,
which had for them all a halo of happy
associations.
He felt a great wish to do something for
these people, and knowing that etiquette
forbade them to ask him to sing, and that
Clare was anxious to hear him, he took ad-
vantage of some reference which Mr. Brit-
ton made to his singing in "Faust"to
offer to sing them " Dio Possente."
The unmistakable look of real delight
which greeted the suggestion,_ and the
eager way in which Molly and Flo ran to
open the piano, pleased him more than the
loudest public applause could have done.
He sang very well, and entranced his hear-
ers, rousing even Harry out of his shy
reserve.
"Do you ever sing English songs?" he
asked, when the chorus of thanks had
ceased, volunteering his first unealled-for
remark to the Italian.
"Not very often," replied Carlo, wonder-
ing whether he could get through "Love
for a Life," and after a moment's debate,de-
ciding to risk it tor the sake of pleasing
Francesca's cousin. "There is one song by
my old maestro with English words. .Per-
haps you know it ? "
He struck a few chords, then broke into
the introduction to the song, which trans-
ported him once more to that first happy
day of his betrothal. To sing it was hard,
and yet his very emotion gave him a power
which he would not otherwise have
possessed—it made him able to bring tears
into the eyes of more than one of his
listeners—it set kindhearted Mr. Britton
weaving plans for a reconciliation, and
imagining a happy ending to Francesca's
love story.
"He seems a nice sort of fellow 1" was
Harry's comment when. the guests having
departed, his natural manner returned to
him. "1 say, it didn't matter, did it, my
asking him if he sang English songs? I
thought none of those operatic fellows did."
"Oh des r, no," said Clare. "Nothing
pleases Carlo so much as to give pleasure."
" He is far too good for that company,"
said Mr. Britton. "1 shouldn't be at all
surprised if he did leave the stage before
long. I hope he may—I hope he may
There's something about him which quite
fascinates one, thoughI do wish he could
have been an Englishman."
rnhe laughter evoked by this truly British
remark was only checked by the warning
clock, which made Clare and the younger
girls beat a hasty retreat to the school -room
and sent Kate to read to her invalid grand-
mother, and to moralize in her own mind
over Carlo's mistake in choosing sounworthy
a profession.
CHAPTER XXV.
A LAST STRIP:IGLE.
On the Wednesday morning, after a very
restless night, he woke much worse than on
the previous day, and feeling positively
sick at the thought that he must either get
through the trying part of Figaro that night
or confess his illness, get a medal certifi-
cate to prove his inability to appear, and
give all into the hands of Gomez and
Comerio. For he knew too well that no
doctor in his senses would permit him to
sing in his present state • that he would in-
fallibly be ordered to met ; and for this rea-
son, while taking every possible precaution
throughout the winter, he had avoided doc-
tors as he would have avoided the plague.
It was still just possible that he might
struggle on until the warm weather mune;
then in June Merlino might, and probably
would, '
d, renew the contract with him, and he
should go to America with the troupe and
once more baffle Oomerio. If he could only
hold out
He lay in bed as long as he dard, then,
knowing that Gomez would publicly com-
ment on the fact if he failed to make his
appearance, and that Merlino invariably
wanted him if he happened to be late in
the morning, dressed hastily, noticed with
relief that he did not look nearly so
ghastly as he felt, and went down to this
crowded coffee -room. The hotel was full of
people who had come down. to Ashborough
for the races ; they were a noisy, dis-
reputable crow; and as Carlo entered the
room where they were all breakfasting
before going to the race -course, it seemed to
him like coining into a pandemonium. His
head Was aching miserably, but his ears
seemed preternaturally alive to the slightest
sound, and he could distinctly hear several
comments on "one of those operatic
fellows" as he Steered his way through the
throng to the fireplace, nodding to Merlino
and.Tatinini as he passed them.
"Good day, Ponati ; how are you ?"
said a voice at hikelbow.
Ile looked round and saw the Spaniard's
=Mous face.
"Good morning," he replied.
"How are yea 2" repeated Gomez.
" Pm eold," field NH°, drawing nearer
to the lire, and determined that Gomez
should gain nothing from his catechism.
They Idon't knew how to build up fires
in this place."
At he spoke he felt the Spaniard's search.,
ing gleam, and ktiew that Goinez ivaa far
too shrewd not to find out the true Etate
of the case. For although his rich, ruddy,
brown cOloring dtheiVed Many people, yet,
keen ebservere naiiht easily note that day
by day hie cheek e grew more hollow, and
that there were lines of pain about his
rnoutla and eyes, There was to him a sorb
of horrible Inunillation, abont it, for he had
never been ill in his life, had thought it
impossible that his perfect health should bo
broken, had almost laughed when Captaiu
Brittoa had suggested the idea to him. It
was useless, however, to blink the fact any
longer ; and when the place was quiet mice
moro—the noisy guests gone off to the
racea, and Mediae and Marioni to the
theatre—Carlo gave way, shivering from
head to foot almost like cone in a fit of ague.
"Cold morning, sir," mid one of the
overworked waiters, putting fresh 0004 on
the fire. "Have you breakfasted, sir'?"
"1 won't take anything, thank you,"
ainclina-
bainf
a ooarfood,aia,aeeling not the slighteat
io
He sat down to write to Clare, and Gigi
ran back to his beloved soldiers, menet°.
nously chanting, in his rather pretty little
voice:
"Pray, Mr. P.m, will you give us a song,
But let it be something that's not very long,"
"Indeed, Mrs. Modse,' replied Mr. Frog.,
"A cold haft made me as hoarse as a hog.'
Carlo was .fain to confess that day, that it
was a relief to get rid of his little com-
panion. He sent him off to Merlebank with
a friendly scene-shifter'and sat in a great
arm-ohair drawn close to the fire, bearing
miserable headache and backache, yet find-
ing a sort of relief in the consciousness that
he could cough and shiver to his heart's
content now that no one was near.
He must have dozed for a few minutes,
for on suddenly opening his eyes he found
that Nita, had come into the room, and was
looking down upon him with her beautiful,
heartless face, and once again that look of
suppressed excitement which had pained
him so much at Birmingham.
"Ton are ill ?" she said, breathlessly.
"Yon are not going to sing to -night 2"
He was on his feet in a moment.
"Certainly I am going to sing," his- said.
" Marioni advised me not to go out this
morning, to save up for the opera, as I have
a cold coining on." He was sitting
crouched up by the fire, his head resting on
his hands, when Domenico Borelli came
into the room. She was tall and stately,
with something both in her face and in her
way of walking which revealed her charac-
ter—a noble -minded, upright WOMan, WhOM
to know was to revere. She was some years
older than he was, and off the stage her face
bore the stamp of its 30 years.
"1 thought, perhaps, you would just go
through Dunque lo son' with me," she
said, as she crossed the room ; then as she
drew. nearer, and could see his f , ore
clearly, "but I am afraid you are really' I;
you don't look fit to be up.
"1 would rather not try the duetto now,
if you don't mind," he said. "Don't say
anything to the rest ; I may be better to-
morrow."
"Bat you ought to see a doctor," she
said; "you ought to have a rest, I am
sure. Signor Merlino must find a substitute
till you are fit to sing again, since Fascia is
able to take so few of your parts."
"It may come to that," he said, with a
sigh that was almost a groan. "1 wish I
had a respectable under -study, who could
at any rate do the work on occasion."
Domenico. Borelli had a woman's quick
perception ; she instantly understood the
whole story, that story to which Merlino
was deaf and blind, though it concerned
him so nearly. For the first timeshe under-
stood Carlo. Hitherto she had liked him
as a fellow -artist, now she felt that she
longed to be his frond.
Is there anything I could do to help
you 2" she said, and there was sontet., in
her kind, quiet, unsentimental tone ich
conveyed to him perfectly the sense of that
true friendship whioh, though many deny
it, can most assuredly exist between man
and woman.
In his great distress of mind and body
her help was precisely what he needed.
"Indeed you can," he said, with tears in
his eyes. "If at any time I should be
obliged to leave the troupe—if I should fall
you be a friend to my sister and to
Gigi ?"
It was asking a hard thing of her, for she
particularly disliked Anita, but, guessing
his reason for asking her, she could not pos-
sibly have refused him.
"-There is one other thing," he continued;
"1 am unhappy about Sordoni; he is in
some trouble, I think. Be hia friend, too,
as you are mine."
She left hini to prepare as best he might
for the evening, and to count the quarters
chimed by the clock in the town -hall, much
as a prisoner might have counted them
while waiting for the hour of execution.
Sounds of bustle and confusion in the
street warned them that the races must be
over ; he left the sitting -room, feeling quite
unable to meet the scrutiny of Gomez, or to
endure the talk of any of his confreres, and
dragged himself up to No. 62; and here,
after a while, Gigi found him.
" What 1 gone to bed so early; San
Carlo ! " he exclaimed, trotting up with his
merry little face, but growing grave and
gentle as the truth began to &von on his
childish naind. "Are you better now ?" he
asked very anxiously.
"1 am only resting. Don't look so fright-
ened, mio caro."
"They sent you some flowers," said Gigi,
patting a lovely bunch of snowdrops and
aconites on the bed ; "and here is a letter,
too."
"You must go down to dinner, little
one," he said, after a silence, in which Gigi
hasat sat watching hitn with big, solemn
eyes. " If anyone asks why I don't come,
say I have a bad headaohe, and shall rest
till it is time to go to the theatre."
The hours passed by and Gigi did not
return. Carlo imagined that Domenico.
Borelli had kept him, and was grateful to
her. The clock struck seven ; he prayed in
brief, disconnected sentences that he
might be able to get through his work, that
no evil might befall Anita, but he might
judge rightly as to what, could be done.
Again, with a quickness which abutted him,
the quarter was chimed; he tried to think
of Figaro sang a snatch or two of " Zitti,
and felt that he would have given
anything to be able to escape front the
night's performance.
He made his way to the sitting -room and
looked in to see if Sordoni was there, but
heard that he had alreadr started. Merlino
trotted up to say good -night ; and then,
feeling like one in a bad dream, he found
himself walking through the street among
jostling passengers, and getting a sort of
confused vision of the bad faces whieh
alwaye Make their appearanee in a town
where races are being held. Tho distance
between the Royal Hotel and the theatre
was quite short, but it seemed to hitn that
night almost endless; it wan only by, a great
effort that he kept up with Merlino, and
when he reached his dressing -room he felt
as if he coati not have stood another milaute.
" 3tou are ill, sir ?" said Sebastiano, the
droner, with anxiety.
"It's all right ; I Will rest a minute," he
replied, breathlessly. " Wheats is Signer
Sordoni?"
"In the greenroom, signor; he dressed
earlier that. Usual. Let roe call him."
" No, no," said Carlo, gniekly. "1 am
better alone."
• And so perhaps he Was, yet Sardeni't de-
fection pained him—his friend had studi.
joined him in a grurab ing humor, Gigi
ously avoided, hint the whole day., The
dresser proposed all sorts of remedies, anff
Carlo patiently endured the well-meaning
chatter till he was thoroughly equipped in
his Spanish costume and had Joe= duly
"made up " ; then he begged data no one
might disturb him till the very last moment,
and sat crouched up by the little fire, hear-
ing in the distance the familiar sounds of
the overture and the succeeding choruses.
At laet his hour came.
"Quito time, signor," said Sebaatiano,
rapping on the door. We threw it open and
walked slowly along the winding peones,
arriving at the wings just in tirae to en-
counter the chorus as they came off the
stage, Some rumor as to his illness had got
abroad, and many good wishes and inquiries
were made in the quick, silent Italian fash-
ion frorn his friends among the chorus -
singers. With very few exceptions he Was
extremely popular in the company, and
much sympathy was felt for him when it be-
came apparent that he was far more fit to
be in bed than at the theatre. An attend-
ant handed him a guitar, he heard the
orchestra begin the introduction to his song,
and his thoughts flew back from this
• miserable present to the sunny past. He
remembered how on his last day of un-
alloyed happiness he had 'sung this very
song in Piale's room in the Strada, Mont'
Oliveto, and how the old maestro had been
in despair over his refusal to go on the
stage,
Thank Heaven, he is not here to -night
to be tortured by any bad performance 1"
was his last reflection, as he drew himself
together and walked on to the stage. The
house woe full, but by this time he had be-
come rather discerning in the matter of
audiences, and perceived at once that it had
a larger proportion than on the previous
night of the rowdy element, introduced into
Ashborough by the races. He hardly knew
whether to be relieved or vexed at seeing
Mr. Britton and his son in the stalls, and,
indeed, was able to spare little time to think
of them, since he had to devote all his
powers to conquering the aaony of nervous -
mess which had overvvhelmed him. In Vain
he struggled to feel himself Figaro; his
head swam, every bone in his body seemed
to assert itself achingly, as though protest-
ing that it belonged to one Donati, who
ought to have been in his bed at that
moment, and not at all to the blithe, merry
barber of Seville.
" Courage 1" he said to himself. "11 I
can't get into my character, I'll at least
walk through the part like a man for Nita's
sake 1"
He set to work manfully, fully conscious
that the conductor was eying him with fear
and trembling, and anticipating some dire
mishap. Still he struggled on, exerting
himself to the utmost, and trying to disre-
gard the evident symptoms of disappoint-
ment which began to be manifest in the
audience. He would not be influenced by
them, though he was too keenly sensitive
not to perceive the sort of wave of
impatience and disapproval which passed
over the faces of the listening crowd.
Endless seemed the song! At each brief in-
terval it seemed to him more impossible
that he should ever get through it safely,
and the mockery of the oft -repeated words,
"Ab! che bel vivere, che bel piacere !"
made matters still worse. At, length the and
drew near; with relief at the prospect, and
with a desperate effort, he dashed off into
the final and more florid repetitions of "Ah,
bravo Figaro I" not without, even at that
moment, a humorous perception of the
effects such words from such a singer must
produce on the hearers. "Were I there
instead of here I should laugh till I cried,"
he reflected.
But it was almost over; he had survived
the last long florid passage; there remained
only four more notes. Exhausted, strung
up to the very highest pitch of endurance,
he tried to take the quick breath which was
indispensable at that moment, but to draw
it seemed impossible. He felt a sharp stab
of pain, as though a knife had beeusuddenly
plunged in his side, yet the fatal white stick
in Marioni's hand was raised, and with a
last effort he forced himself to attack the
high G.
What followed was to him ever after a
sort of nightmare recollection. His voice
failed utterly, and the high note, which
should haveasbeen the climax of the song,
broke into lat discordant sound that only
ceased to ring in his ears when overpowered
by a storm of hissing. Such a hopeless
failure was too much even for the patience
and kindliness of an English audience
hisses resounded on all sides, It was in-
tolerable to have paid money to listen to
such a miserable performance. The people
were really angry, and would not be paci-
fied.
For a moment or two Carlo stood looking
at the angry, contemptuous faces with. a
sornhearted sense of rejection and a keen
personal pain; than, seeing that they would
no longer tolerate his presence, he turned
and walked away, but had only gone a few
steps when a sudden remembrance that this
defeat meant Comerio's probable triumph
all at once overpowered him. The brightly -
lighted. stage became black as night, the
hisses were drowned by a rushing sound in
his ears, and he fell back in a dead faint.
CHAPTER XXVI.
PlItaND THE suniuss.
Sordoni and Gomez, the Almaviva and
Fiorello of the evening, were close at hand;
Fiorello's part was practically over, but be
had lingered near to rsee how Dolma would
get on; when he saw him hissed off the
stage a quiet smile stole over his dark
features, but when he saw him fall back
fainting he rubbed his hands with satisfac-
tion, lingered but a moment to assure him-
self that the baritone lay motionlese on the
boards with his guitar beside him, then
rushed as fast as hs could to his dressing
room'flung on a thick brown ulster'caught
up his hat, and hurried out of thetheatre.
Just outside the stage door he encountered
Mr. Britton.
Now Mr. Britton was one of those kindly -
looking courteous men who are constantly
stopped by patters -by in the street who
have lost their way or who need any kind
of hells ; Gomez instinctively turned to the
pleasant -looking stranger.
"Pardon me, air, but can you kindly tell
me whether it is too late to send a telegram
from the post office ?" he asked, •breath-
lessly.
" Oh no, you will find it open," said Mr.
Britton, looking at him keenly.
"Gomes thanked him and ran at full
d
speed down the narrow ile Street, and two
minutes later he might have been seen
standing at one of the little screened desks
in the post office, writing the following
message in Italian:
"Valentino ill ; was hissed off stage to-
night after Largo al factottun.' Get para-
graph put in one ot London papers. See it
to -morrow, and telegraph promptly to M.,
offering your serviette.'
Meantime Sordoni, far too much startled
and shocked to pay the slightest attention
to Gomez, rtathed forward to his friend's
help, flung the guitar mit of the way, and
raising Carlo's head, looked exixiously, at
his motioaleas &attires and pale lips, bit,
terly reproaching himself with the absorp-
tion its his own affairs which had made him
blind to all else. Bonne sense of the coa-
tinsti between that Still form and the noisy
confusion in the theatre first reminded him
that the °azimut audienee were Watching
this unexpected scene in the opera with
eager eyee ; and that, although the hisses
had changed into a babel of question and
surmise, Carlo was still exposed to every
sort of ruthless criticism.
"Tell those idiots to let down the our-
taiu," he said, impatiently, as Merlotti
came hurrying forward, with his pale face
and his bushy hair, looking more distraught
than usual, The little conductor had flung
down his baton and rushed from the
orchestra the instant Cerlo had fallen,
but he was too excitable to think, as Sor-
doni thought, of practical matters. And
yet it was a relief to him to be told to do
something; he rushed away to give the
order, and the next minute the curtain de-
scended, veiling from the audience the
crowd of adore and attendants which had
gathered around poor Figaro. Mr. Britton,
who had been admitted at the stope door,
was just in time to see Carlo borne into the
greenroom, and to follow with those who
°tune after; he had heard so much of
theatrical jealousies and quarrels and had
formed 'so low an opinion of theatrical peo-
ple, that he was surprised to see the real
synapethy and concern shown by every
creature present.
"He has been ill this long time " said
old Bauer; "but he he had too much spirit
to give in. Poor lad 1 those brutes ought to
have seen how it was with him,"
"Thought more of the bad bargain they,
had made than of the singer's feelings," said
Tannini, with his Yankee twang. Well,
'tis the way of the world."
"Are you the doctor'sir ? " asked
Domenico Borelli, noticing Mr. Britton for
the first time.
"No, I am it friend of Signor Donatias,"
he replied, glad to get speech out of her,
for he had noticet her quiet, womanly way
of helping Sordoni and Merlino to do all
that could be done for Coale. "Shall I
go and fetch a doctor?"
I think it would be well," she began.
" But, stay, he is coming to himself; per-
haps there 18 00 need, and I know he would
dislike having one called in."
"It's something new for every one to be
waiting on Valentino," said old Bauer. "A
reversal of the usual order."
"Yes," said Mademoiselle Damn '• " he
was the factotum of the troupe as well as of
the opera. But, see, he is reviving."
' (To be conttousago
BleCollones Rheumatic Repellant,
For the effectual and permanent cure of
Neuralgia. Rheumatism and Gout, is not
equalled by any other known remedy. Pre-
pared only by W. A. McCollom, Druggist,
Tilsonburg. Sold by wholesale and retail
druggists.
The Right Kind or iiGfrl.
Let a girl be ever so gracefulin the dance
let her be ever so elegant of walk across a
drawing -room, ever so bright in conversa-
tion, she must possess some other qualities
to convince the great average run ot young
men that she ca.n be the manager of his
home, the pilot that steers his ship of state,
writes Edward W. Bok in the April Ladies'
Home Journal. Frugality, womanly in-
stinct of love for home, an eye to the best
interests of her husband and the careful
training of her children—these are the
traits which make the good wife of to -day,
and which young men look for in the girls
they meet. Men may sometimes give the
impression that they do not care for com-
mon sense itt their sweethearts, but there is
nothing they so unfailingly demand of their
wives.
Syrup or Figs,
Produced from the laxative and nutritious
juice of California figs, combined with the
medicinal virtues of plants known to be
most beneficial to the human system, acts
gently on the kidneys, liver and bowels,
effectually cleansing the system, dispelling
colds and. headaches, and curing habitual
constipation.
New York's Unknown Dead.
Eight thousand unknown dead were in-
terred. in Potter's field last year. This ap-
pears to be about the appalling annual
average unidentified, and yet we hurry on
in life's journey unmindful of. the hearts
that are yet aching for those unwept, un-
hallowed 8,000—every one of whom was
surely some mother's darling, some loved
one. Eight thousand is a little lees than
the population of Dunkirk, N. Y. Imagine
the total obliteration of that city without a
vestige of its past remaining !—New York
Gazette.
The Rest in the World
The oil of the Norwegian Cod Liver is
nature's grand restorative, and is only found
in its entirety and and purity in Miller's
Emulsion. It is the most palatable and
wholesome preparation of Cod Liver Oil in
the world, and is now being taken by in-
valids, particularly those afflicted with con-
sumption, with the most astonishing success.
It is the greatest blood and flesh maker in
existence, and is a life saver to consump-
tives. In big bottles, 50c. and $L00, at all
drug stores.
His Future Assured.
Dr. Bumps (a phrenologist)—This boy,
ma'am, will never die in State's prison.
Mrs. Gimlet—I'm sure we ought to be
thankful for that.
Dr. Bumps—Yes the bump of longevity
is highly developed; he will live to serve
out his time.
A. Gloomy View.
"The total coal output of this country
exceeds it million tons," remarked the
optimist.
" Yes," replied the pessimist ; " but it
all goes up in smoke."
Probably, in March more than any other
month in the year are the ravages of cold in
the head and catarrh most severely felt.
Do not neglect either for an instant, but
apply Nasal Balm, a time -tried, never -failing
cure. Easy to use, pleasant and agreeable.
Try it. Sold by all dealers or sent by mail,
post paid, on receipt of price -50c and $1 it
bottle. Fulford & Co., Brockville, Ont.
• The Politician's Chance.
Boggs --A man asked me last night if I
thought a politician could be a Christian.
Foggs—What did you tell him?
Boggs—I said he could— if there were
votes enough to be got out of it to pay him.
F1TS.—Al1 FRS stopped free by Dr. Rline's
Great Nerve liesterer. No Fits after first
day's use. Marvellous cures. Treatise and $2.00
trial bottle free to Fit cases. Send hi Dr. Kline,
Sal Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa.
Mrs. Jefferson Davis had recently been
elected Honorary Vice -President of the
United StOes Daughters of 1812.
Bread in a good state of preservation
has been unearthed in 13ompeii recently
in the new rooms uncovered by the ex-
plorerg.
A cage of a meat being conscience-stricken
is reported by a physician of Arnprior.
Thirty years ago a physician titled a debtor
for $10 ; the debtor perjured hiniself and
the doetor lett the guit. bias week the
inan sent the amounti t� hiS creditor, saying
that he knew God had forgiven him the
deed and hoping tlae doctor would do the
same. The contoienceastricken man said
nothing about any interest, simple or cent,
pound.
A Woman's Good Natue.
Many people who would recoil with
horror froxn cutting a human ereature's
throat, which really does not hurt very
much and only latate a moment, will murder
a woman's good name without remorse or
compunction; and that hurts worse than
death for a life -time, It is a meaner crime
than murder, writes Robert J. Burdette isa
his department in the April Ladies' Hom4
Journal. We cry out and riglatly, too,
against the ;sensational and depraving habit
of making heroes of robbers and oat -
throats. It is a horrible thiug to do. And
yet I halve less of hatred and loathing for
the late Jesse James than I have for SOme
people who have never beep convicted of as
capital crime, yet Whose tongues, we know,
are worse than any knife that ever severed
it human jugular.
--Ife—Can you keep a socret? She—Yes,
hilt 1 don't want to. What's the good of
having a secret that you can't tell?
ISSUE NO. 14. 1892.
SOOTHINGe • CLEANSING,
EALI NG.
instant Relief, Permanent
Cure, Failure Impossible.
Many so-called diseases are
simply symptoms of Catarrh,
such as headache, losing sense
pf smell, foul breath, hawal tag
and spitting, general fealty
of debility, etc. H yea ave
troubled with any of titese ar
:neared, symptomn yam have
Catarrh, and sb.eitail hate no
time procuringa battle of
NASAL BeBwarned in
time, neglected cold in head
results m Catania -
followed
by consumption .4 death.
Sold by ntU dxuggists, or sent,
post paid, on receipt of price
(50 mats and $1) by addressing
FULFORD & ea. Brockville, Ont.
.f.esiVaa.4%,
Ty A
,Pate
EVERY FAMILY
School, Library, and Office
S -H -O -U -L -D
Have a Didtionary.
Care should be taken to
GET THE BEST.
THE INTERNATIONAL,
New from Cover to Cover,
Successor of the "1.7111mUDGED,"
IS THE ONE TO BUY.
le years spent revising.
10 editors employed.
$300,000 expended.
Sold by
A1113ookseners.
Send to
G.&C.Mininuarit Co.
Publishers,
Springfield,Mass.X.S.A,
for free specimen pages.
—VVIIESTER'S
INTERNATIONAL
DICTIONARY
'
xn WILL BUY THE GREAT LEWIS
SU, 1.11/ Combination Pump, made of poI
jelled brass. Makes 3 complete machines. Blew
trated book sent free.
W. H. VANTasis
Please mention this I_ Belleville%
paper when writing.' Ont.
110K AND VERMIN DESTROYER
MHE PROP—RIETORS HAVE PUB
chased. the formula at great ex
pense, and are now prepared to supnla
the trade with the genuine article and
at greatly reduced prices.
It effectually destroys Ticks, Lice, Worms or
Grub, to which sheep, horses and cattle are
subject, and enables the animal to thrive.
The proprietors will guarantee perfeetsnecess
when used. according to direction, as will be
found. on each box.
It prevents scurf and scab, and renders the
wool bright and clear.
Put up in tin boxes; price 30 cents each. One
box is sufficient for twenty ordinary sized sheep,.
It only requires to be tried to prove itself.
Sold by alldruggists. 0.0. BRIGGS & SONS.,
Wholesale Agents, Hamilton, Ont.
AN INVALUABLE RECIPE.
wOR LIVE DOLLARS I WILL TELL ANY
.12 one how to grow BATE.
JOSEPH LEONARD'
Bethany P. 0., Wash. Co., Oregon.
DE LAVAL CREAM SEPARATORS,
(Hand and Steam Power.)
Carter's Famous Rennet Extract,
Cheese and Butter Color,
Babcock Milk Testers,
Datry Utensils, Etc.
Wholesale Agent for Canada.
X T-.- es co INT .
Produce Commission Merchant,
Please mention this 33 St. Peter Street
paper when writing. f MontreaL
PENNYROYAL WAFERS.
• A specific monthly median.) for Mica
to restore arid regulate the menses;
101:=1. fig'aLlegtig aptdasiOn;
preach. Now need by over 3%000 ladies,
Once used, *pilaus() again. Invigorates
these organs. Buy of your druggist
only those with our signature across
face of leheL Avoid substitutes. Seated
particulars mailed 2c starnp._SLOS_per
box. Address, EUREKA t/EXIOAlEs
COMPANY, DErliorr. Near.
LeChuma's Tansy 85 Pennfroyal Pills
ft;ftictgillear:reicrgeli.2.1"aglli ill,:win it: Pi .11.111t$
Female Weakness, ete. EFFECTED 4_ EVER
VIM E. ThouSandit of testimon hits. Sold by all amnion&
or sons by mail, postpaid, oecure sealcd in_pktin wrap- .
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sraCIAT,TY 00., or Ohicago,"111., Sole Agents.
MICHIGAN LANDS FOR SALE,
1,200 Of good Farming La,nde, title perfect,
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churches, schools, etc., and will be sold on moat
favorable teRrni. xrs.. pa..ipHpRlyto
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Or to
J. W. CURTIS, Whittemore, Mich.
Please mention this paper when writing.
aa,,ataeaeaeaatareaeat.aaaataaataeawaaeat,awae.
1 A Wonderful Nutritive Nan.wary
ADAMS' NERVE:* FOOD TABLET
1101tall Nervous Complaints and byspep.
sia, trent Whateinst < Mtn° mrirting, Sold
by all Druggiate in 10o. package, or sample
hoxwin bo sent postpaid to any address on
receipt of price (so eentoby addressing—
AbAllitS ta. SONS Co.,
1t& 13 darVis •ToRcwro, ONT.
11. piete lot° r3taides and I00 Powder Song's
TR:RILL/NG lbstective Stories, 16 Com
10e,, BARNARD BROS, 26 McCord,
Wet. Tote:Ito, Ont.
itemed3r for Catarrh Is the
Best, Basiest to Use, and Cheapest.
t nydroggists Or sent ba meth
!tea la ff. 1l4stoIUne Wafted. 1,6.,