The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-11-02
A BURIED TALENT.


fostered and developed by wise parents
and the most accomplished teachers at
home andsabroad. She had thoroughly
mastered the principles of harmony,
and had even taken to looking into CON
trapuntal depths, than which nothing
4noFe-need be said to show her devotion
to her art She had more than once
enjUyed the honor Of playing for the
most distinguished musical society in
country and had acquitted herself
with the greatest credit. But now, af-
ter eight years Of married fife, this lady
was in the habit of declining all invita-
tions to play BY the repetition of the
hackneyed and eXasperating excuse,
that she was entirely out Of practice.
Mrs. MontgOmery's cares could hard
lE be responsible for this serious remiss-
ness She was the mother of three
healthy, happy children, and the Wife
oIs a man whose interests were centered
"a his family, and with means enough to
sHpportit inluxuly. Mrs. Montgomery s
nausical talent had been the first at
traction to The gentleman who after
ward became her husband He was not
MUSICIAN himself, but extremely fond
Ofmusic, and an excellent critic. Mrs.
Montgomery had played occasionally
for her husband for the first two or
three years, but these treats had be-
come less and less frequent, and had
finally ceased altogether Her husband
had eoaxed, and reasoned, and some
times scolded. He had used all the in
fluence hepossessed to induce her to keep
up her practice but to no purpose 1T
seemed to Mr.. Montgomery that his
wife was totally Indifferent to the art
she had once Worshiped, aud, more
than this, that she was entirely indif-
fereut to his feelings on the subject.
If Mr.. Montgomery told himself some
times that he had been cheated, it is
certainly no. to be wondered at.
This gentleman was in the habit now
of declining all invitations to nIUSEcGZeS,
and it was only when the old longing
for sweet strains became Unsuitable that
he allowed himself to live over the past
again at concert or an OratOriO.
One morning an invitation TO a
musical soiree was brought in to the
coy room where Mr.. and Mrs. Mont
gomery and their children were taking
''Well,' said the wife, after exarnin-
ing the programme, you can go If
you please.
Her r6s-alrjs responded, with a ring
in his voice which was easy to inter-
pref. 6s Hz
. But shall decline.'T
There is going to be some good
music" said Mrs. Montgomery, "and
it seems pity not to 90"
1T is a pity" the gentleman re-
sponded, with considerable bitterness,
''but YOU are wholly to blame for it. >
"Oh, Dick! how unreasonable you
arer' was the deprecating answer. -
wish YOU could put yourself in my
S.
conception of my work and response
bhties than little Dick has" And
Mrs, Montgomery drew the urchin' S
high chair little nearer the table.
"Why, Richard, there is something TO
do al the time. l try TO keep your
house nice, dear, and your company
well entertained, and your children
sweet and presentab'e. There isn't a
servant in the establishment who works
rs hard and as unremittingly as l dc"
Bertha, l could endure to see the
children in calico, and sometimes not
quite tidy. / could manage on one
meal a day very nicely, indeed, and
] could live comfortably without
visitors, but / shall never be-
come accustomed or reconcied to
aud n mother only. 1 was given the
right to expect something more, and
while / may be Obliged to live my life
without it, you may as well understand
that l am not and never shall be salts
fed"
These were hard words. and Mrs.
Montg omery's eyes flied with tears.
{. But, Richard she began again,
after little pause, "every one will tell
you that itis impossible for a wife and a
mother to keep up her music. No one
ever does. If you had more compre-
hensiOn of n woman's work you would
see it was out of the question:
You were given a talent of a very
high order, Bertha, and you have DELHI
erately buried it. 1 seem TO be the
only sufferer at present, but this viii
not always be so, / am sure. There must
be penalty proportionate TO that Of
Tense rs to others"
That morning after Mr.. Montgomery
left the house his wife sat down before
her grand piano and attempted one
Of the simplest of Mendelssohn's LiedcT
obRe Horfe, but though the old expires
sion was there the once supple fingers
were sta and awkward, and after hell
hour of practice she rose, and closedthe
instrument in disgust.
-Four hours day for year might
bring back little OF the old power OF
execution,'' she told herself But what
would become Of the house and the
children should she set herself to such
taskp Impractieable; impossible.
A day or two after this Mr. Montgom.
cry brought home friend to dinner.
The guest was an Old lady whom Rich
ard had not seen since his boyhocd.
She had lived for score of Years in
Colorado, and was now seventy wears
old. The conversation turned naturally
to music Bertha was too straight-for-
ward and honest to be in the least adroit,
but she did use all the tact she pos
sessed to turn the tide of talk into a
more agreeable channel. No use. II
fingered awhile, and swayed irresolute.
IL hither and thither, but only to re-
turn with redoubled force to the old
place.
II felt so happy, my dear, the old
lady at last found a chance to remark,
owhen / heard that my boy Richard
had married musician. / can remem.
her when he used to sit in my parlor,
and sit. and sit, listening TO my playing
till was often obliged to send him
home. i used to tell him that he woulC
fatigue a musical giant. 1t was always
more, please, more, more. Is he sti.
as hungry for music as IN those ole
daysP'
~ haven kept up my music, Mrs
Montgomery replied. with burning
cheeks, though have reason TO ne
lieye that Dick is just as fond OF II as ne
used to ben
Il think have heard that you playet
in public" Mrs. La Force inquired,