The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-07-21
HOW THE BROWNS GOT \
PIANO.
BY MISS AMELIA THRopP.

| table. whilst he was reading the morn
ing paper, as he slipped his coffee. Il do
wish our girls had piano 1t Is too
| bad. john she continued. appealing
! ", ''that they are obliged to stay al
Mrs. Elmer's after taking their lessons
| TO practice. 1t is the only chance they
GET. poor things. and with such talent
as Mary has. il is disgraceful.
| Mr.. Brown was Il well-to-do mer-
chant. residing at the city of P, who
| spent so much for his own comfort that
his amiable wife and two pretty daugh-
ters We're Obliged to practice the strictest
economy.
You know. dear, persisted his wife,
1--WE have been doing our own house
work for the last two years. and have
| saved two hundred and eighty dollars.
| If you would add three hundred to il,
| we could purchase a very good one.
| Mary is now sixteen. and il is time She
was able TO entertain company as nicely
as other girls of her age. Besides, Tilly
| Higgins, our nelghbor's girl. quite gives
| herself airs with our Mary and Martha.
| and | am sure we are as good as the
Higgins"
Jane" replied Mr.. Brown. don't
| you think you are making an unreasou-
| able demand TO want such sum of
money these hard times to buy the girls
piano when il is all / can do to make
| both ends meet. 1t is unreasonable and
ridiculous. am not going to be ruined
| by my family. therefore. | will do no
such thing. Girls nowadays are alto
! gether too fine. The other day | went
10 a little country village to collect a
bill, and, going along one of the princi-
| pal streets. saw an old woman wash
| ing the sidewalk whilst the daughter
was within the house playing on the
| piano. III have no such nonsense here
Our girls are good, industrious and
saving, and they shan't be spoiled. Be-
| sides, have not the money and that
settles it.
oh said his wife eoaxingly, IF
you would give up your club, wine and
| cigars for one year you could easily
save the amount; and only think of the
| pleasure a little self denial on your part
would be giving yonr children. Now
/ do consent, John. That S dear, good
man, that you are.
| If milestone had been hung around
| Mr.. Browns neck he could not have
been more surprised at his timid wifes
audacity. Give up his club, wine and
cigars, Was his wife crazy? Or did
she think him so? Well, well, this was
pretty business! He would like to
know what women would be at next,
with their assurance, and his wife was
getting as badly spoiled as the rest of
/ her sex.
He dashed his clenched hands on the
! table with such force that some of the
| dishes waltzed off upon the floor,
1 l.; 4 II
| hall, and left the house, pulling the
street-door to behind with Il bang. He
was heated and excited, regarding him
self as very much insulted and abused.
1t was true, he thought, he must admit,
''his wife was always amiable, kind and
unselfsh, but the idea of her asking him
| to give up his club. wine and cigars for
whole year to buy the girls a piano,
such demand fairly ehoked Mr.. Brown
with indignation. ''As if, ;" he said to
himself. "a man who worked hard did
| not need these comforts. As he was
thus arguing to himself, with tie air of
martyr. turning Il street corner he met
| the Misses Mccain. who, approaching
him, said:
'.Glad to meet you. Mr.. Brown. We
want to have a little talk with you. Our
school closes now in two weeks. and the
| exercises terminate with a grand con-
cert. The best PLAYER is TO pet hand
| some gold medal for a prize. Every one
| thinks your Mary or Tiliy Higgins will
| get it. but ii will require great deal OF
| practice for the pieces are very difficult
| Tilly thinks she is sure of it. fer she
| says, YOU have no piano ut Your house.
| and Mary won't be able 10 practice
much. but is YOU live next door. we
are going to try and coax lilly into
| generosity. and ask her TO permit Mary
! to use her instrument little time each
! day, and let the contest be a fair one. Ii
| she won't consent we viii try some one
! else.
You need do no such thing, ex-
claimed Mr.. Brown; .'she should not
touch Higgins piano if they were will
ing. which know they wouldn't be-
As he continued his way he muttered.
81 won't have my girls going around
asking favors, they can just stay at
homen However, the idea of the red
headed lilly Higgins playing at the
concert. probably getting the prize,
whilst his little Mary had to stay at
| home because she could not get the OPP
portunity to practice. troubled Mr..
| Brown in spite of himself.
II might try doing without it year,
he finally said to himself Il don't see
| that nv club, wine and cigars do me
much good anyway. besides year soon
rolls around. III just take walk down
| Chestnut street and take look at one,
that won't be buying it.
As he entered the ware-room of his
friend. Mr. C., and asked to be
shown some instruments. he felt some
what annoyed when his friend expressed
| surprise at his not having an instru-
ment remarking: Il have heard your
eldest daughter is a first-class player,
she must have labored under great dis
advantages
Mr. Brown colored at the remark.
and said ..She shall have one. poor
child, / want you TO send good one
to my house Immediately.
If he had not wished TO have been
shaken in his resolutions he should have
staid outside and contented himself by
looking within. Like an old gentleman
of whom | once heard. who, when he
went with his daughters shopping.
would stand outside the stores. take his
cane and knock upon the window.
When the clerk would appear and ask
..what he wanted, and for him to please
walk in" he would reply. NO. thank
YOU. Won be so good AS to send me that
and that. and that, with the bill. point
ing with his finger to what he wanted
When his girls would demonstrate with
him on his singular way of doing, he
would answer: when | stay outside
they can't coax me into taking what
don't want and can't afford
In the evening when Mr. Brown ar
rived at home. and saw the happy
faces of his wife and daughters. and
heard his girls play. upon the instru-
ment, be enioyed himself SO much that
he entirely forgot all about his club,
wine and cigars
And on the evening of the concert
when his little Mary took the prize. and
The was complimenfed on her beauty
r and talent. there was not in all that
great city happier man than our once
Injured Mr.. Brown On his way home
I he said to his wife:
s-Jane. ! am very thankful for one
: thing
.sAnd what is that, dear? asked his
wife, suspccfing, but not willing to un-
: | derstand.
..Why, bless my heart. woman. Cam t
. you guess? II is that bought our girls
that piano
Japan. according 10 the new census
has population of -. 80, ,QoQ