Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 35: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

30 BEAUTIFUL RIENZLI. about to hold an amateur concert on behalf of the soldiers of the battle of , who were crowded into the hospital at Washington without the means to cling to their shattered lives. The concert would realize, it was hoped, enough to build another hospital, and command the services of physi- cians and nurses. Would the two young ladies, Miss Isolina Rienzi and her sister, who, it was well known, were both accomplished musicians, object to render their ser- vices at such ashort notice, andsing some little piece on the occasion?” ‘¢ What date have you fixed for the concert?” asked my sister. : «The twenty-ninth of November.” ‘‘And this is the 19th. We should have ten days for preparation. If my sister is agreed, we shall be most happy to be of use, Professor Emerson.” ‘“What does my sister say?” said the professor, turn- ing his pleasant smile upon me; ‘‘isshe Yankee enough at heart to brave discomfort for the sake of the gallant fellows who braved death?’ ‘«She’s courageous for anything, if she thinks it’s right,” said my sister, with a fond, proud smile. The end of it was, that I slipped my hand into Isolina’s and said in a shy voice that | would do whatever she did; and Professor Emerson went away delighted, promising to send us our parts immediately, that we might commence instant practice. It arrived two hours later—a mammoth roll of music, and a printed circular of directions, which informed us how far from a sinecure our part was to be. I declared it an imposition, when I found myself and my harp introduced again and again, and declared that I should fulfill but my promise, which was to sing ‘‘ one little song,” thereby presenting an utter contrast to my sister. She plunged into her allotted part with almost fierce avidity, and from the hour in which the music arrived, devoted herself to mastering it. For three days I scarcely saw her. On the fourth day a gentleman called with a note from Professor Emerson, which laughingly he delivered. Its purport was that Mr. Ernest Lindhurst had been ap- pointed as tenor in ‘‘ La ci darem” (Op. Don Giovanni), CORNUCG OOO S (©)