The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-11-04
A BURIED TALENT.

Marriage seemed to have entirely ex-
tinguished Mrs Montgomery musical
talent. This lady's ability had seemed
unusual, and had been carefully
fostered and developed by wise parents
and the most accomplished teachers at
home and abroad. She had thoroughly
mastered the principles of harmony,
and had even taken to looking into con-
trapuntal depths, than which nothing
more need be said to show her devotion
to her art / She had more than once
enjoyed the honor of playing for the
most distinguished musical society in
the country, and had acquitted herself
with the greatest credit But now, af-
ter eight years of married life, this lady
was in the habit of declining all invita-
tons to play by the repetition of the
hackneyed and exasperating excuse,
that she was ''entirely out of practice ="
Mrs. Montgomery cares could hard
ly be responsible for this serious remiss-
ness. She was the mother of three
healthy, happy children, and the wife
of a man whose interests we re conferred
in his family, and with means enough to
supportit in luxury. Mrs. Montgomery s
musical talent had been the first at
traction to the gentleman who after
ward became her husband. He was not
MUSICIAN himself, but extremely fond
of music, 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 coaXed, and reasoned, and some-
times scolded He had used all the in
tluence he possessed 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, and, more
than this, that she was entirely indif-
ferent to his feelings on the subject.
If Mr.. Montgomery told himself some
times that he had been cheated. it is
certainly not to be wondered at.
This gentleman was in the habit now
of declining all invitations to muStcdleS,
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
cozy room where Mr.. and Mrs. Mont
gomery and their children were taking
breakfast.
''Well," said the wife, after examin-
ing the programme, 'you can 60 if
you please
Her uiS-a-ris responded, with ring
in his voice which was easy to inter-
pref,
% But shall decline"
There is going to be some good
music" said Mrs. Montgomery, rand
it seems pity not to 90"
''It is pity" the gentleman re-
sponded, with considerable bitterness,
"but you are wholly to blame for it.
"Oh, Dick! how unreasonable you
are" was the deprecating answer 81
wish you could put yourself in my
place for just once. You have no more
conception of my work and response
bilities than little Dick has" And
Mrs. Montgomery drew the urchin' S
high chair little nearer the table.
"Why, Richard, there is something to
. do all The time. | 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
90 hpiN "iiA 90 uiii SLllbIiiEll us l. 90.
Bertha, could endure to see the
children in calico, and sometimes not
quite tidy. l could manage on one
meal day very nicely, indeed, and
l could live comfortably without
visitors, but shall never be-
come accustomed or reconciled to
my wife as housekeeper
and mother only. Twas 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.
Montgomery eyes filed with tears.
"But, Richard" she began again,
after little pause, "every one will tell
you that it is impossible for wife and a
mother TO keep up her music. No one
ever does. Ii you had more compre-
hension of woman's work you would
see it was out of the question:
" You were given talent of a very
high order, Bertha, and you have DELHI
erately buried it. / seem to be the
only sufferer at present, but this will
not always be so, am sure. There must