“‘And what is my little Senorita dreaming about now?’ he asked.
“‘I was just thinking,’ I said, ‘that my boy would have been almost a man now had he lived, and now that I must give you up soon I would have had some one to love me.’
“‘Oh, don’t worry, little girl,’ (he always called me little girl), ‘I guess some one will love you.’ He seemed to forget that I was growing old. I have forgotten to mention that my musical education had been taken up and I had learned to sing fairly well. I had been thinking how I might earn a living and when he came in I told him my quandary. He suggested that I take instruction in French dancing and come to America and join the profession.
“I hesitated, I could not bring myself to the point of considering such a proposition, while such joy as I now possessed lasted. Then the necessity of supporting myself again forced itself into my mind, and we laid the plans which later brought me to this city. I gained a fair knowledge of heel and toe dancing, and believing what my teacher said, I considered myself competent to fill an engagement in America. As a last farewell trip my Prince concluded to sail with me, we would take in the sights of the World’s Fair here and he would then say goodbye and leave me in my native land, older, wiser and as unhappy as when he found me, but it must all end. He had done all and more for me than he had promised. It was such a rarity for a man to keep his word with me that the novelty of the thing was entrancing.
“The Fair and all its glories were viewed and absorbed by us. Then came the sad bitter end of all; we must give up all pleasures. I shall never forget the last few days of his stay. We sat up late into the night, reviewing all our travels.
“Then goodbye—I lived days in blank despair. Each time I looked on some treasure he had given me, tears would flow so freely as to indicate no control of the flood gates which my eyes appeared to be.
“At last, more to attract my mind to other things, I made application for a position. I did not need to work yet, for the Prince had left me with a well filled purse. I had no trouble in getting an engagement. I rehearsed all day, performed in the evening, went to my room at night and looked at this poor little picture and cried myself to sleep. My boy would have been nineteen. I used to try and imagine what he would have been like as a full grown man.
“One night as I was doing my turn I saw in the audience Professor Singleton. He did not recognize me, and fool like I left the stage and cried. I arose the next day with that long reaching determination and desire to see him and talk with him. It was an easy matter to search the hotels. I found him. He failed to recognize me at first, but a few words from me quickly convinced him of my identity. I learned that his daughter, who was nearly seventeen, was attending a musical college here. Then I wanted to see her, but was careful not to let him know my wishes in that direction.
“I soon found her and managed to make her my friend. She was a sweet girl; I often closed my eyes and took her in my arms with brain afire and ears strained, almost expecting to hear her call me mamma.
“We grew fond of each other. She was filled with a desire to go on the stage.