The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1879-06-04
lescries at the entrance to the

she finds, to her dlsmay, that hei
roll Of music, which she had fam
cied safe in her muff, has vanished.
Tears rise to her eyes, and she
desires the conductor to stop, tor
she must 20 back to the station
and see-an iDinitcsimaI chance
If she has lost it on the way
from the platform TO the omni'
bus.
OF course she finds nothing
not q trace Of the precious docu,
ment, and, with dismay, she re-
members that she has committed
an imprudence 10 throw the rough
copy into the fire.
Poor Gerty! She asks one OF
two porters whether they have
found anything, but they only re.
ply with a stare Of Indifference
and half-contemptuous NO.
MISS and pass on; so there re
|; mains nothing for her but to re.
turn homo.
tOh, mamma, l am the unluck.
lest girl in this hateful world"
and she sohs forth her pitiful
tale.
well, my poor dear child, don't
cry about it, her mothor says,
soothingly.; 7of course it is very
provoking, but, after all, it only
entails a second copying, and that
I will do for you if you have not
the heart for it. Where is your
rough copy?'
Burned, mamma
But, Gerty, how silly. How
could you destroy it so thought
lessiy?'
oh, don't scold, mamma. Never
mind, it's gone-and-1ll-I'l!-
never-write- another poor Ger
ty sobs, in great woe.
Nonsense, you'll remember eve-
ry note Of it, and just write it out
again, that's ALL
Never, mamma. 1t is a bad
omen it tells me that am not
to succeed as a composer, so
there's an end to that dream.
And now let US have some dinner
and then | must go up to the
terrace, and give my lessons at
Mrs. Harmon's.'
And Gerty dries her tears. and
tries to put on cheerful face, and
to do justice to the frugal repast
that is presently set before her.
In the afternoon she departs
rather heavy.hearted, and with
tagging steps on her daily duty of
teaching. At the Harmons she
finds her two pupils, the twins,
Winny and Ethel, in a state of
glowing excitement.
Oh, Miss Carnegie, papa has
consented to our giving such a
jolly party on the fifteenth, our
birthday, you know. There's to
be a dinner party first, and then
we are to have music and singing,
and wind up with a dance. And
you must come. 1t would be so
kind if you would just sing a song
or two, and Winny and J are to
sing our duet, and then you must
stay and join in the dancing with
the rest of us-do!'
4 don't dance at present, you
know, Ethel, butt will, come with
pleasure, and help you all l can to
amuse your guests, and III play
for the dancing; then you need
not trouble to engage any one.
The fifteenth, you say? That's
to morrow week. Very -well-it
will suit me perfectly
And then the lessons arc given,
and Gerty returns home in the
dark, drizzly January evening,
forgetting all about the party,
and thinking Of nothing but her
lost song.
The week goes by, and on the
eve Of the party Mrs. Carnegie
asks:
'By-the-by, Gerty, what are you
going to sing tomorrow evening
at the Harmons"
Oh, l don't know, mamma.
Anything that comes into my
head at the time. It does not
signify in the least. The people
the old ones | mean-will have
eaten 80 much dinner that they'll
be content to doze at any ditty,
and the young ones will wish it
over as quickly as possible, so as