Yet more applause, and again she stood before them, gracefully bowing her
acknowledgment of the compliment.
Again the sweet notes filled the hall, and Randy leaned eagerly forward to
catch each silvery tone.
When the song was finished, Helen said "Was not that a wonderful bit of
music?"
"Oh, yes," said Randy, "how I wish that I could tell her that I think her
voice is like the violins."
"I know her very well," Helen replied, "and I will tell her how her
singing has entranced you."
"Tell her," said Randy, eagerly, "that I think nothing in all the world
was ever half so sweet."
Then another number by the orchestra held Randy's attention and thus
through the afternoon until she felt as if her pulses were throbbing with
the rhythm of the music. She marveled that between the numbers many of the
vast audience talked and chatted merrily. The lovely little girl across
the aisle was fast asleep. Why were they ready to talk after listening to
such grand music, and how could anyone, even a child, sleep when there was
yet another witching air to be sung, another composition for those
wonderful musicians to execute!
Miss Dayton found it an interesting study to watch Randy's face, and to
see portrayed there the varying movements of each composition.
Just before the last selection was rendered, Helen penciled a hasty note
upon her card, and giving it to an usher, bade him take it to the great
singer and wait for a word in reply. The man took the card and hastened to
the room at the rear of the stage returning almost immediately with the
card which bore upon the reverse side these words,
"A cordial welcome after the concert to Miss Helen Dayton and her friend."
Leaning toward Helen, Randy read the invitation signed by the name of the
singer, and she caught her breath as she realized that she was about to
meet one who seemed to her so far above the realm of ordinary mortals.
When the audience began to leave the hall and Helen led the way to the
dressing room, Randy walked beside her, sure that no girl was ever before
so favored. To hear the wonderful voice was rapture, to talk with the
singer,--Randy could hardly believe that in a few moments she should
experience so great a pleasure.
When at last they reached the pretty room, they found the great vocalist
chatting merrily with the lovely child who had sat opposite Randy and had
slept through half of the afternoon.
"And so you became tired," the lady was saying.
"Not when you were singing," said the little girl, frankly, "but when the
violins and flutes and all the other things had played and played, they
made me sleepy, and I just lay back in my seat and shut my eyes a minute
when mama said:--
"'Come Marguerite, it is time to go, if you wish to see Madam Valena.' and
that made me open my eyes wide, I did so wish to see you."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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