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

-,S eanIug, wnen, AFTER repeated kisses
ona caresses enc many earnest enSfeaties
to "write real often and tell " every
thug" the girls departed.
1t is needless 60 relate the varied pleas
ures Of the next three months; suffice it
that Mollie considered it the loveliest
summer she had ever spent, and the few
minutes practice had become such mat
ter of course that she felt no temptation
10 neglect it.
The months glided rapidly by, and, al
most before she knew it, Mollie found
herself on the threshold of another year.
She was playing over some Of her old
pieces, with happy sense of her recov-
cred power, when Bessie Arlington ap-
peared, followed by Amy and Helen.
"We're the visiting committee" she
explained. "Come to inquire into the
state of your accomplishments. I sup
pose you've not forgotten that your year
is up?'
NO" said Mollie, laughing. "But I
shall commence another one Tomorrow"
"Good' cried Amy. CHATS what I
call perseverance.
Hush" cried Bessie. 'I'm the chair
woman. Come, girls, let's proceed to
business. Mollie, you never know what
things are worth until they are tested, and
so we are going to test you"
''Have pity on men pleaded Mollie, in
mock despair. SIS it to be by the ordeal
of fire, or thumbscrews, or what?'
"No," said Bessie, gravely. "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 kind of examination, you know"
And Bessie seated herself in an easy
chair, with what was intended for look
of judicial severity
But I've never seen it BEFORE" fall
tered Mollie. "And l know can't play
it 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 piano 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 a day nOw%
Bessie's look of severity vanished, and
she sprang from her chair and gave her
friend a most undignified hug. you've
done beautifully" she cried. 81 knew
all L. - T..
to be perverse, and thought it might in
spire you to have an unbelieWng creature
like me around. l did it for your good,
my dear" she added sagely.
That night, when Mollie 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 tall and striking young lady in
a much beribboned and befiowered gown,
standing by piano, in the act of making
profound courtesy to an unseen audi
ence while bouquets of enormous proper
tons 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
ing these words, in Amy's delicate hand
writing, but signed with Bessie's name:
Ye lads and lasses musical
Come, listen while We 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 if 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, Eyes, it's really been a
success and it's such a very little thing
to do Oh, wish every girl would try It'll
I'm sure they would if they only knew
how well it's paid. christian Union.
Fire In Wasps' EesUs.
1t is curious fact that wasps' nests
sometimes takes fire, as is supposed by
the chemical action of the wax uDon the