The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-26
TEN MINUTES A DAY.


clGred herself to be in a musical mood,
though She only played sna'ches OF her
old pieces, and those indiuerently weui
and papa's requests f0g bis fayorite meio'
dies were too often m-- With the unsatis-
factory answer tha. "MOllie couldn't play
them now-she was oil out Of practice
Brother Tom grumCled when she failed in
his accompanlments, "that, after all the
time she had spent drumming on that old
piano. II she could not play simple things
Ike those II was q pity" His sister fully
agreed with him, and did not change her
mind rs time passed on and che was
asked 10 play at several little gatherings
OF her friends, where "Mollie's music"
bod ALWAYS been one OF the pleasauest
features Of the evening, and she was
Obliged to decline on the tiresone plea OF
mot PLAYING without her notes"
~ think it's too bad" exclaimed Bes-
sic Arlington, one OF her special cronies.
"Nfollic used to play 20 lovely, and she
was ALWAYS so nice and oblging about it,
ond ployed whenever she was asked; and
there's no one 10 take her place but Eva
Harris and she has 10 be teased so long
before she Will strike a note that 1t spoils
all the pleasure"
''s.Q III does. NNlQ aDOlLti WIN AhO
now that Mollic's out Of school she ought
to have time to practice three hours
day, II she wanted TO- ~
;.Oh. Rose Newton" cried Amy Leslie,
'you don't know anything about il. Just
wait TIN yCu leave school, and see how
many hours you practice or do anything
reeulety rs pwrully hard. You don't
eccomr, d 0s much in n year as You
would % three months Of school"
"Ali 0Niut toa I.cls Of system said
BESSIE, with the tone and manner Of one
who hl3 been through varied experiences
ana econ. rl vast stores Of wisdom there
from. Iae girls laughed
Il suppose it's So said Amy, "but
.,0llic Is systematic; rather, at least, she
lpc7ns to be, she added, no, feeling quite
su:e of her ground. And she is busy al
most al the tme"
she "a d.9r airl, anyway" said her
f...ud Helen -tAr And know she IS
ls1 Dgsy 10 practice, for 1t does take q lot
.ttimc Only 10 seems a pity"
80 did. and Do one realized it more
tan Mollio. When he left school the
,..r before, she had CONGRATULATED herself
a.. the fact TINT her time was her own,
rAi she could spend it rs she pleased
i.a,. Tor that rc0 On she would not waste
ii. SIZE wOald le very diiigcnt, aud though
shc should not study in Tie summer she
wonld continue her music. She had Il
fair touch. was rapid reader, and played
with expression and accuracy; her one
great faiiiug was dislike TO steady prac-
tice-a lacl, OF perseverance. Such being
tho case, perhaps it was not strange that,
amid the vacation gayetics, her hours OF
practice grew less and less frequent, and
finally ceased altogether and she trusted
10 her memory ana former instruction for
her present SKIN. And 50 the days slipped
bv, bright with pleasures, that 10y and by
would have glIded into joyful memories;
and the autumn came, and Mollie re-
turned to her home, but the music was
not resumed. ut seemed as ii she never
had any time" which often meant she
did not take IT, But, 70 MOllie's credit,
be ii said hers was busy winter; she
studied French and German, attended a
literature class. and WAS a member of q
Shakespeare club; and It IS probable she
might not have realized that her musical
talent was decreasing, but that one day,
when she was playing TO her friends, she
broke down in the middle Of her piece and
had to leave the piano. Faithful practice
was the one thing needful, and Mollie
knew f.; but, like many older and wiser
souls, she resolved aud planned, and
failed TO execute.
And the months rolled on, until one
day in December she awoke with a start
to the fact that the last day OF the year
had arrived, and that she was utterly I'M
able to play q single piece correctly. For
fifteen minutes she sat silent, wrapped in
brown study; then she took from the
table note book and pencil, and, as the
result Of her reverie, wrote down the fol-
lowing
RESOLVES
THAT /, Mollie Winthrop, aged IL, on
this Dist day Of December VIII, on each
day of the year, commencing TO morrow,
devote ten minutes TO the practice of five
finger exercises and scales.
'In the year of our Lord eighteen hun
dred and eighty-hve"
Mollie read the paragraph aloud, with
an amused expression. 1T sounds as II
were making my will, =" she murmured.
"Well, so | am--disposing Of my time
instead OF my money, for my own benefit
instead Of other peoples" She laid the
note book aside, and turned 10 the "Mer-
chant of Venice, " the next subject for the
Shakespeare club. She had read but
few minutes when she heard light foot
steps on the stairs and the sound Of girlish
laughter, and presently her three special
friends entered the room.
well, Mollie, my dear, how are you"
said Amy Leslie. II have not seen you
for perfect age What have you been
doing with yourself all this long day."
Wbereupon Mollie produced her note
book and read them her Resolve" IL
met with Amy's cordial approval; Helen
echoed her opinion, but Bessie looked in
credulous. In answer 20 Mollie's ques-
tioning glance she said, bluntly, II don't
believe you'll keep it, and l don't SEQ the
use OF IL If you do"
"Why. Bessie Arlington cried Amy.
"Of course she'll keep itv'
81 suppose you've made resolves be-
fore' said Bessie, shortly.
"Yes," said Molle
And broken themf"
Eyes" said Mollie again. But /
really mean 10 keep this one, and think
shall
Bessio's bright eyes softened at the look
ot determination On her friends face II