San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-04-26

WITH expression ana accuracy; 'ner one
great failing was q dislike to steady prac~
tice--a lack of perseverance. Such being
the case, perhaps it was not strange that,
amid !the vacation gayeties, her hours of
practice grew less and less frequent, and
finally ceased altogether, and she trusted
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 it. But, to Mollie's credit,
be it said hers was busy winter; she
studied French and German, attended a
literature class, and was a member of
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 it; 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 single piece correctly. For
fifteen minutes she sat silent, wrapped in
a 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 I, Mollie Winthrop, aged 49, on
this 31st day of December, will, on each
day of the year, commencing tomorrow,
devote ten minutes to the practice of five
finger exercises and scales.
''In the year of our Lord eighteen hun
dred and eighty-five."
Mollie read the paragraph aloud, with
an amused expression. ut sounds as If
were making my WILL" she murmured.
"Well, so 1 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, 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 girlsh
laughter, and presently her three special
friends entered the room.
well, MOllie, my dear, how are your"
said Amy Leslie. II have not seen you
for perfect age. What have you been
doing with yourself all this long day."
WhereupOn 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 don't
believe you'll keep it, and don't see the
use of it if you do"
"Why, Bessie ArlingtOnp' cried Amy.
"Of course she'll keep it"'
II suppose you've made resolves be-
fore?" said Bessie, shortly.
YES" said MOllie.
"And broken them?'
Eyes" said Mollie again. "But l
really mean to keep this one, and l think
| shall"
Bessie's bright eyes softened at the look
Of determination on her friends face. II
hope you WILL, she answered. "But l
don't see the use of it now. l should
think you would want to learn to play
your lovely old pieces
"And new ones, too" interrupted
Helen.
"Why, so do, returned Mollie. ''And
that's the very reason Pm going to prac-
tice them thoroughly, and review my
pieces occasionally, I shall keep my hand
in,' as people say, and not lose anything,
if don't gain 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 1
can see you are too busy to do that"
"Ten minutes is better than nothing"
argued Mollie. "Ahd you can do a good
deal in even that time 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 a thing you have to do
every day of your life, and so I'm going
to try and like them. Perhaps by the end
OF the year l shall quite enjoy them. Who
knOWS?'
Bessie looked at her with admiring eyes.
She often opposed her for the sake of get
ting her into an argument, for she liked
to hear MOllie talk "Do you know what
my brother Harry said about you the
other day? He called you "a real little
enthusiastic
Mollie looked slightly puzzled. ~
don't know whether to take that as q COM
pliment or not" she said. HE might
have thought made too much fuss over
little things"
The girls laughed. II should call it
decided compliment" said Helen, "and 1
should be charmed if any one said it
about me.'
Don't be alarmed, they never WILL"
said Bessie.
Helen sighed. 81 know it," she
answered, in a mock melancholy tone.
''NO one appreciates me- Nobody under