Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-05-05
TEN MINUTES A DAY.

though she only played snatches of ne
old pieces, and those indif1erently well
and papa's requests for his favorite melo
dies were too often met with the unsatis
factory answer that "Mollie couldn't pla
them now-she was all out of practice.
Brother Tom grumbled when she failed Ii
his accompaniments, that, after all th
time she had spent drumming on that oil,
| piano, if she could not play simple thing
| like those it was pity" His sister full,
agreed with him, and did not change he
mind as time passed on and she wa
| asked TO play at several little gathering
| of her friends, where "Mollie's music
! had always been one OF the pleasantes
features of the evening, and she wa,
/ Obliged to decline on the tiresome plea o.
mot playing without her notes"
Il think it's too bad, exclaimed Bes
sic Arlington, one of her special cronies
"Molle used to play SO lovely, and she
was always so nice and obliging about it
and played whenever she was asked; and
there's no one to take her place but Eve
| Harris, and she has to be teased SO lons
before she will strike note that it spoils
all the pleasure.
$50 it does" said another voice. "And
now that Mollie's out of school she ought
to have time to practice three hours q
day, il she wanted to."
''Oh, Rose Newtonr" cried Amy Leslie,
"you don't know anything about it. Just
wait till You leave school, and see how
many hours you practice or do anything
regularly. It's awfully hard. You don't
accomplish rs much in a year as you
would in three months of school"
"An owing to a lack Of SYSTEM" said
Bessie, with the tone and manner of one
who had been through varied experiences
and acquired vast stores Of wisdom there
from. The girls laughed.
81 suppose it's so," said Amy, "but
Mollie is systematic; rather, at least, she
means to be-" she added, not feeling quito
sure of her ground. 'And she is busy al
most all the time"
''She is dear girl, anyway" said her
friend Helen Starr. ''And know she is
too busy to practice, for it does take lot
of time. Only it seems Il pity"
So it did, and no one realized It more
than Mollie. When she left school the
year before, she had congratulated herself
on the fact that her time was her own,
and she could spend it RS she pleased
But, for that reason she would not waste
she should not study in the summer, she
would continue her music. She had a
fair touch, was rapid reader, and played
with expression and accuracy; her one
great failing was a dislike TO steady prac-
tices--a lack of perseverance. Such being
the case, perhaps il was not strange that,
amid the vacation gayeties, her hours Of
practice grew less and less frequent and
-. Il l.a,. H. a
to her memory and former instruction for
her present skill. And SO the days slipped
by, bright with pleasures, that by 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. SIT seemed as if she never
had any time;;" which often meant she
did not take il. But, to Mollie's credit,
be it said hers was a busy winter; she
studied French and German, attended a
literature class, and was member of a
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 Moliie
knew il; 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 start
to the fact that the last day of the year
had arrived, and that she was utterly un
able TO play a single piece correctly. For
fifteen minutes she sat silent. wrapped in
n brown study; then she took from the
table note book and pencil, and, as the
result of her reverie, wrote down the fol-
lowing
RESOLVE:
"That /, Mollie Winthrop, aged is, on
this 3lst day of December, will, on each
day of the year, commencing tomorrow,
devote ten minutes to the practice of five
finger exercises and scales.
sin the year of our Lord eighteen hun
dred and eighty-five."
Moilie read the paragraph aloud, with
an amused expression. ''It sounds as il
were making my will" she murmured.
"Well, so i 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 to the "Mer-
chant of Venice, v the next subject for the
Shakespeare club She had read but a
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" 1t
met with Amy's cordial approval; Helen
echoed her opinion, but Bessie looked in
credulous. In answer to Mollie's ques-
tioning glance she said. bluntly, II dol.
believe you'll keep it, and don't see the
use of it if you do
why, Bessie Arlington" cried Amy.
''Of course she'll keep it,''
81 suppose you've made resolves be-
fore" said Bessie, shortly.
Yes said Mollie.
'.And broken fhemy''
YES said Mollie again. "But /
really mean to keep this one, and think
| shallf
Bessie's bright eyes softened at the look
Of determination on her friends face. II
hope you will" she answered. But ]
don't see the use of it now / should
your lovely old pieces"-
"And new ones, too" interrupted
Helen.
why. so dc" returned Mollie. And
that's the very reason I'm going to prac-
tice them thoroughly, and review my
pieces occasionally, shall keep my hand
m as people say, and not lose anything,
IL I dpnit Uain much ~
"Of course" answered Helen.
But" persisted Bessie, 'ten minutes
Is not any time at all. You ought to
practice an hour at the very least. and
can see you are too busy to do that
"Ten minutes is better than nothing"
argued Mollie. "And you can do good
deal in even that TING if you give your
mind to it, and really work and don't
fuss. And another thing-I just detest
those scales, and think it's kind Of weak
minded TO hate q thing YOU have TO do