Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-11-18
] Is he still as hungry for music as in

naYenb kept up my music,
7drs. Montgomery replied, wit
burning cheeks, "though haV
reason to believe that Dick is just a
fond of it as he used to be-"
81 think / have heard that yel
played in public" Mrs. La Fore
inquired, slight wonderinent ap
parent only in her fine old eyes.
! "Yes, little" !" I -
Ibid you enjoy it?"
Bertha's eyes kindled with rea
| pleasure. @ 1lH5
sit was the keenest enjoyment
had ever had" she answered. "l
expected to be entirely overcom,
with fright, but / never felt more
at home in my life" A
''Yes, Bertha played without
notes, and with an orchestra" Mr.
Montgomery remarked, with con
siderable pride.
"Well, that was something to at.
tain to" said Mrs. La Force.
After dinner Mr.. Montgomery
had an hour or two's business to at.
tend to, and the ladies were left
alone. ag-
Mrs. La Force examined the
nuinberless pretty things in Mrs.
Montgomery's drs wing room, spoke
of the pictures with critical appre-
citation, and at last halted at the
music-rack. As.il E.
81 see you have all my pets" she
remarked at last. uq
Mrs. Montgomery was somewhat
astonished. She made point of
purchasing all the new music by
the best authors, and one of Mrs.
La Forces especial admirations was
difficult and wonderfully weird
selection from LOhengrin.
"And has 'the music of the future
found admirers in Colorado ?" the
hostess inquired. 4ol
Colorado has kept pace with the
times in music as in everything
else,n the old lady replied, putting
on her spectacles as she spoke, "and
all good music is necessarily the
music of the future"
With this she seated herself at the
piano. atl -aia
''I have enjoyed this selection
more than / can tell you," and now
the wrinkled old hands came down
on the keys with power which
made her companion thrill with as
tOnishment. On went the perform
er with clearness and depth of ex-
preston, and facility OF execution
which would shame many profess
sional, until Bertha, trembling i'm
every nerve, drew near, to see well
as to hear. H -t.il. ~ I.s 4
"Oh! dear!" she exclaimed, as
the old lady struck the last chord
of the bewildering fms. "Oh, dear
me, how beautifully" and then the
self-possessed and dignified
Bertha Montgomery buried her face
in her hands, and wept bitterly.
"Why! why!' said the old lady;
"what is the matter?" -
"Oh nothing-I don't know -
was the incoherent answer. "Don't
mind me. Go on playing, please"
81 think we had better talk a
while" !" said Mrs. La Force, taking
a seat by her companion. "If l |
were nearer your age it might per-
haps be safer for our continued |
if I ignored the real |
cause of your breakdown. 1t wasn't |
LOhengrin, my dear, neither was it |
my Interpretation of the selection. |
1t was a heart-wail over the grave |
Of your lost talent. / feel if / could |
weep with you, for to me such a
grave is the saddest OF all graves"
"But, Mrs. La Force, you must |
know something of my duties, my
as wife, mother
md housekeeper, and all the rest of |
=" Mrs. Montgomery sobbed. II
hOugM 1 was doing my best"
emusic was my one talent" Mrs.
La Force resumed" and to that l
nave clung with all the energy I
possessed. Perhaps some of my
IDEAS in this connection may seem
strange to you; but, my child, a
,reat share of my work has been
lone with reference to another state
If existence. / don't know that /
'an give you any reason for this
ceiling except the faith that is in
ne, but it is clear to me that the
anne rules of harmony and musical
obtain the sphere to
which we are tending as in this
me. The musician here must be
he musician there. You see, my
ear, that [ have very laudable
mbition to start right" a. |
"But do you really believe all
his ?" Mrs. Montgomery inquired,
er eyes bright with wonder and
ears. .#..
"From the bottom of my heart. /
annot conceive of a world where
nowledge is not obtained by labor.
III that have achieved in music ,
as been by hard, persistent toll,
nd it is impossible that such labor
an be wasted. Some one might
nsWer that the growth of the spir-
in patience and the other virtues
,as compensation enough. 1t does !
OF appear so to me. If / am given
talent, and cultivate that talent S
} the best of my ability, it is mine
,rever for all it is worth. / am I
ire of it," #.l u e ".H {
"But, my dear Mrs. La Force" |
ertha took one of the old lady's
ands in hers and tenderlylkissed it,
if you are musician in Heaven t
ou cannot play with these hands. :
0 what will it avail that you have G
rought them to this state of per- c
'cti0n of execution ?"
"My dear, L shall have hands, t
nd they will be all the better for t
~ purpose because of what these /
ave accomplished. This is one of
le details that does not disturb me
the least. This is all that con-
rms me; / was given talent, and
have done the best could with it Y
nder the circumstances. To my t
lind the conclusion is as logical as
is comforting" U
The next day Mrs. Montgomery 4
ent to work i'm earnest; and Fl
lough there We're no condolences {
atWeen husband and wife in the a
after there came to be a better un- c
Mr.. Montgomery e
metimes heard the piano as he en- .,
red the house, but the sound of hls v
cps was sure to put an end to the Il
,acticing. After a while Mrs. D
ontgOmery used occasionally to Il
vite her husband to listen to some ii
wv piece, or an old favorite, and "
ter a few months of dilligent prac- d
,e the lOnged-for improvisatIons fe
ere resumed. At this crisis Mr.. e.
ontgomery's delight was pathetic h
witness. cl
Mrs. Montgomery found Tess time h
r embroidery, and there were al
wer tucks i'm thechiidren's clothes, Il
It nothing suffered that needed her in
re. The dinners were well ap- ca
inted, and guests as Hospitality H
forfainnd in fhn haNS uyhoT1 |