The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-11-25

clock like regularity each day, wheI
twelve was the figure at which tn,
clock pointed, to go to lunch, if he die
not eat these small crackers cut int
ones, twos, threes and fours
Her active imagination saw his stom
ach and head both. lined with nothing
but figures
As the busy day wore on. into the
/ rush and noise of business there came
/ the sound of music from the Auditor
/ ium, across the way. Some one was
| practicing vocal lesson. In an instant
one pen in the Office stopped travelling
! The pretty face of the young girl next
to the ambitious fellow on the stool
was turned wistfully and dreamily
toward the window. She rested the
end of the penholder against her lips as
she listened, absorbed, following the
voice in its wanderings among the
trills. "IShS 1latted there" Unconscious
ly tho girl spoke aloud.
81 beg pawdon, did you speak to me,
Miss Quivey?"
mo, oh, mol was just thinking
aloud, 4" replied the musical voice. Then
she bent again to the work before her.
''Thinking" Mr.. Groovelet-the ma
chine-looked at her in puzzled, COM
miserating sort of way, as he carefully
dipped his red penholder into the red
ink and returned to his figuring.
At last the clocks long finger pointed
downward to six and the short finger
hurried along and posed between the v
and VI. The scene changed. Down
went the pensI The clicking of the
typewriters ceased. Machinery and ma
chimes all stopped.
Quietly, Miss Quivey walked into the
ladies' toilet room, where the group of
stenographers were noisily talking
''shop'-wondering who would get the
next raise" and il Ibis royal nibs"
would give them ''vacashe."
Out and away from it all walked the
young girl, humming as she hurried
down the street to the doorway marked
Entrance to the Elevated" Up the
stairs she ran, running a scale at the
same time in low, sweet uudertonc,
each step tone to her music-loving
fancy. She was soon in the train. On,
on, on whizzed the elevated, down
alleys and past the back windows Of
houses of all sorts and conditions On,
on to where it was stiller and rents
were cheaper.
At last our pretty little music-box
left the elevated and, walking quickly
down a street, was soon climbing more
stairs in flat" building. Up, up she
went, not humming now, but going
softly down the hall and into d room at
the end
Margaret Quivey was Scoteh-Irish-
American Born Of amusical family on
both sides, small wonder that her soul
vibrated to all melody. Her mother
had sung always, it seemed TO Margaret
with the ease of bird The father had
been an organist in their home town
and musical composer. He had rec
ognized Margaret's gift and always
called her his little music-box. He died
without the means to show his precious
little music-box how to use her gift.
After the fathers death, Margaret
and the mother turned their faces to-
ward Chicago.
The mother gave piano lessons at the
conservatory, but overwork caused
nervous prostration, and it now became
Margaret's duty to care for the mother.
They struggled on together One of
the professors at the conservatory had /
heard Margaret sing and said: go 10 1
Costello. the tenor
So Margaret went daily to the Office /
% help her on her way to Costello. /
How she struggled! How much the
esSons of all sorts cost heri A wealthy /
,olOred family lived some blocks away.
Margaret gave their little boy singing
essons in the early mornings before
he went to the office
She prsctieed nights. her mother
'laying her accomplishments
Lately an advertisement had appeared
n one Of the leading dailies- WANT
d: A position as soloist in a church
hoir; q soprano voice sweet and sym
Margaret's teacher told her she had
hmbed to the point where she was
worth twenty-five dollars Sunday, so
e had written the advertisement for
er. Day after day passed and no an
wer came.
The night on which Margaret had
ONE back from the days weary grind
the office, her mother held up let
er with smile. saying: Perhaps it Is
God news, daughter. for it looks like
erdinand Costello's writing"
II was good news, for it said:
'f,nme TO my rooms at yonr lunch !