The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-10
A LADY vIOITS #.

There was to be concert. 40 ~ little
seaside town of Sludgeleigh ST Mary
and, through some local acquaintance
had made here, had been offered apart
in the entertainment. The novelty Of
the attraction to this primitive little
| place OF a lady violinist was the apology
for an offer which was gladly, and even
gracefully, accepted.
| Indeed it was a godsend, for had
| been offered liberal terms for my SER
| vices. This sounds very mercenary,
but the fact is / was in sad straits, and
had urgent need of the little help that
/ anticipated from this engagement
[ had lost my husband only few
months since, and was left dependant
apon my own resources for myself and
my little son-our only child. The boy
was sickly and delicate, and it was for
his benefit that was sojournine at this
quiet little South Devon watering-p place.
To add to my troubles, the child had
been lately seriously i'll, and was now
only slowly recovering; but vet need
ing careful nursing, beside many little
indulgences, which sorely taxed nv
means to provide.
One of his special wants was some
thing to amuse and interest him, some
thing fresh and Inspiriting, and which
he would not soon get tired Of The
worst thing that threatened him now
was lassltude and WEAKNESS, and the
doctor had said that unless he could be
reused to make an effort to overcome
this he might sink under IT after all. /
played to him upon my violin; that
cheered and pleased him for time, but
he was too weak to bear it long, and
,aracavatlxv ,o1, a, L e.
ed him.
On the day of the concert I sat by my
little Theo's bedside, playing to him and
telling him what L was going to do, and
SO on, until it was nearly time to go.
Then as 1 kissed him and prepared to
leave said that if he was good till
came back-for he was wont to be some
what fretful while was away-I would
go out tomorrow and buy him some
thing pretty with the money 1 should
get for playing at the concert. So he
must make up his mind what he would
like to have and tell me when L came
home.
mind nowl" he cried. "I should SO
like little dog"
GA little dog, Dory?" I said. "Oh,
tA<hO a NC1y tL1nk W MdA1b MllliC
YOU so Ill. You must wait till you
get well, and can run. about and play
with it Little dogs are of no use to
little boys in bed.
"Oh, yes, mamma can nurse him
and play with him in bed. / mean
very little dog, mamma dear little
white baby dog. like the man was sell
ing on the sands one day."
L knew now what he was thinking OF.
Before he fell i'll we had one day seen
ON the beach here man offering for
sale couple of ladies lap dogs, little
white curly creatures, resembling china
ornaments, and equally useless. Dory
had wanted me very much to invest In
these canine specimens, and could
scarcely be made to understand that the
price was prohibitive, and that china
ones would do as well. But ever since
his mind had run on white dogs.
"Oh 1 understand now, Dory, /
answered. "Well, mamma viii see To-
morrow what she can do; but l am
afraid the man viii have sold those By
this time. However, we must look about
and perhaps we may find another, On
something as good"
This contented him, and so L kissed
him again and went away to the concert
I here premise that had sadly mlscalcu-
lated nv powers for the trial awaiting me-
MY late trouble and anxiety about my
boy had quite unnerved and rendered
me altogether unequal to it. 1t was my
first public appearance, too, as violin
ist, though / had taken part IN many
entertainments as pianist and vocalist
The violin had been my husbands lead
ing instrument, but my proficiency upon
it, acquired from him, had never been
intended for anything more than our
own private diversion at home. 1t was
my first appearance, too, since my hus-
bands death, which circumstance, added
to long and wearisome delay waiting
to go on-for the management, regard-
ing me as kind of "best goods, kept
me in reserve to near the end of the pro-
gramme-was almost upsetting me.
Thoughts and memories, past and pres
emit, came crowding upon me, ending in
nervousness and tears; and when my
tune came to go on, my eyes were red
and swollen from weeping. 1 looked
more like breaking down than anything
else, and during my performance /
scarcely Lifted my eyes from the strings
OF the instrument till made my final
obeisance to my audience.
may say, with pardonable pride.
that did not break down, but won