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

/ ~a'i 'esfSeNtTuUCt.
"Hushn' cried Bessie. "I'm the chat,
woman. Come, girls, let's proceed tc
business. Mollie, you never know what
things are worth until they are tested, and
| SO we are going TO test you."
''Have pity on me-" pleaded Mollie, in
mock despair. SIS it to be by the ordeal
of fire, or thumbscrews, or whats"
| NO. said Bessie, grlvely. 1--WE are
| not quite educated up to that yet. But |
want to see if your practicing this past
year has amounted to anything, and so
| have brought over this sonata for you to
play as a kind of examination, you know. "
And Bessie seated herself in an easy
chair, with what was intended for a look
of judicial severity.
"But I've never seen 1t before" fall
tered Mollie. "And know can't play
1t nicely if l feel you are all watching
me-
"'Tisn't very hard" whispered Amy,
encouragingly.
81 think it's awful, sighed Helen. 81
tried it this morning, and couldn't get
through six measures.
Mollie settled herself on the plano stool,
turned up the corners Of the leaves and
began to play at first slowly and with
hesitation, and then with increasing clear
ness and strength and, as she became
more interested, with nicely of touch
and an intelligence Of expression that re-
vealed the benefit of the past years care
full practice As she struck the last chord
she faced her small audience with an air
Of pardonable pride, and asked triumph
antly: "Well, Bessie, what do you think
of ten minutes day nowf'
Bessie's look of severity vanished, and
she sprang from her chair and gave her
friend most undignified hug. you've
done beautifully" she cried. 81 knew
you would all the time But it's in me
to be perverse, and | thought II might in
spire you to have an unbelieving creature
like me around. did it for your good,
my dear" she added sagely.
That night, when Molle retired to her
room, she noticed ON her bureau two small
drawings that bore the marks Of Helen's
pencil One was the picture of little
girl perched on high piano stool and
practicing, with marvelously long fingers,
and an expression that was evidently in
tended for fierce determination. This
rather weak looking portrait was entitled
"Past Perseverance,. The other was the
figure of n tall and striking young lady in
a much beribboned and befiowered gown,
standing by piano, in the act Of making
a profound courtesy to an unseen audi
ence, while bouquets Of enormous proper
tions were falling at her feet. This truly
extraordinary work of art was labeled
Future Fame" Mollie had hardly ex-
amined them when she caught sight of q
paper fastened to pin cushion and bear
.ng these words, in Amy's delicate hand
writing, but signed with Bessie's name;
Ye lads and lassies musical,
Come, listen while ye may;
The only way to learn to play
Is to practice every day.
This is Miss Mollie Winthrop,
Who practiced faithfully,
And now she's the greatest prodigy
The world did ever see
And IL you would be like her,
You must with patience play,
Your scales and exercises
Ten minutes every day.
Mollie laughed merrily over these char
acteristic verses, and then she said,.
thoughtfully, "Yes, it's really been
succeeds, and it's such a very little thing
to do. Oh, [ wish every girl would try itl
I'm sure they would if they only knew
how well it's paid Christian Union.