Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-14

tuner struck UP in the drawing room. 1
| left off suddenly, and fed from the house
| But there is no escape from these fiends.
L believe they are swarming about in the
| air like so many bacteria And how, in the
| name of goodness, you should deliberately
choose to be one of them. and should be so
| enthusiastic over your work, puzzles me
| beyond all words. Don't say that you car
~ a black flag. and present cards which
have to be filled Up at the most inconven-
| lent time; DON'T
He stopped suddenly, for the little girl
was convulsed with laughter. She laughed
| until the tears rolled down her cheeks; and
then she dried her eyes and laughed again.
Excuse me-" she said, II can't help my
self; it's so funny"
1T may be funny TO you" he said, laugh
ing in spite Of himself; but it is not funny
| to me-"
| "Of course it isn't" she replied. making
| a desperate effort to be serious. We'll tell
me something more about these tuners"
| Not another word, he said, calamity.
| Il am ashamed of myself as 1t is. Come
to the end of the garden, and let me show
you the view down into the valley"
She had conquered her fit of merriment,
but her face wore settled look of mis-
chief, and she was evidently the possessor
| of some secret joke. She seemed in capital
| health and spirits, and had so much to say
| that was bright and interesting, that Os-
wald Everard found himself becoming re-
conciled to the whole race OF tuners. He
| was amazed to learn that she had walked
all the way from u, and quite alone. too.
"Oh, don't think anything of that" she
| said; II had a splendid time, and 1 caught
| four rare butterflies. l would not have
missed those for anything. AS for the GO
| ing about by myself. that is a second ma
| ture. Besides, 1 do not belong to any one.
| That has its advantages, and suppose its
disadvantages;bu but at present have only dis
| covered the advantages. The disadvantages
| will discover themselves
Il believe you are what the novels call
| an advanced young woman" he said.
| Perhaps you give lectures on woman's
| suffrage or something of that sort?"
| Il have very often mounted the platform"
| she answered. I'm fact, l am never so
| happy as when addressing an immense au-
dience. A most unfeminine thing to do,
| isn't it? What would the lady yonder in
| the horse cloth dress and billy-cock hat
| say? Don't you think you ought TO go and
/ help her to drive away the goat? She looks
| so frightened. She interests me deeply.
| wonder whether she has written an essay
on the feminine in woman. / should like to
| read 1t; it would do me so much good"
| You are at least a true woman" he
said, laughing, 'for 1 you can be spite
full. The tuning has not driven that away"
"Ah, L had forgotten about the tuning"
she answered, brightly but now you re-
MIND me. l have been seized by great
| idea"
Wont you tell it to me?" he asked.
NO" she answered. Il keep my great
| ideas for myself. and work them out in
secret And this one is particularly anus
| ing. What fun l shall havev
| But why keep the fun to yourself?" he
said. I'VE all want to be amused here; we
all want to be stirred up; little fun
would be charity"
Very we'll. since you wish it. you shall
be stirred up" she answered.: "but YOU
must give me time to work out my great
Idea do not hurry about things, not
even about my professional duties For 1
have strong feeling that it is vulgar to be
always amassing riches. AS / have neither
a husband nor a brother to support, have
CHOSEN less wealth. and more leisure to
| enlOV of faf G.
l take my time about everything And to-
morrow I shall catch butterflies at nv
| leisure, and lie amongst the dear old pines
and work at my great idea"
| Il shall catch butterflies" said her COM
panion; And | too shall lie amongst the
dear old pines"
Just as you please" she said and at that
moment the table d'hote bell rang
The little girl FASTENED to the bureau and
spoke rapidly in German to the cashier.
"Ach. Frauleln!' he said. You are not
really sericus?'
| Yes, l am" she said. Il don't want
them to know my name. 1t will only wor-
ry me- Say am the young lady who tuned
the piano.
She had scarcely given these directions
and mounted to her room when Oswald
| Everard. who was unusually interested in
his mysterious companion, came to the bu-
reau and asked for the name of the little
lady.
'l1s list das Fraulein welches das Piano
| gestimmt hat, answered the man, return
ing with unusual Quickness to his account
| book.
| No one spoke to the little girl at table
| d hote; but, for all that, she enjoyed her
dinner, and gave her serious attention to
| all the courses. Being thus solidly occupied
| she had not much leisure to bestow on the
conversation OF the other guests. Nor was
| it specially original; II treated of the short
comings of the chef, the tastelcssness of the
| soup. the toughness of the beef, and all the
many failings which go to complete a
mountain hotel dinner. But suddenly. SO
| it seemed to the little girl, this time-honored
| talk passed into another phase; she heard
the word music mentioned, and she became
| at once interested to learn what these peo-
pie had to say on a subject which was dear
| er to her than any other
For my own part" said stern looking
| old man, II have no words to describe what
| a gracious comfort music has been to me
all my life. 1t is the noblest language
And Il sometimes think that those who
know it, or know something of it, are able
at rare moments to find an answer to life's
| perplexing problems.
| The little girl looked up from her plate.
! Robert Browning's words rose to her lips,
but she did not give them utterance-
God has few of us whom He whispers
in the ear;
The rest may reason. and welcome: it's We
musicians know"
81 have lived through long life" said
another elderly man, "and have therefore
had my share of trouble; but the grief of
! being obliged to give up music was the
| grief which held me longest, or which per
! haps has never left me- / still crave for
| the gracious pleasure of touching once more
| the strings Of a violoncello. and hearing
| the dear tender voice singing and throbbng
| and answering even to such poor skill as
mine. l still yearn to take my part in
concerted music. and be one Of those privi-
| legged to play Beethoven's string Quartets.
But that will have to be in another in
carnaton, i think"
He glanced al his shrunken arm, and then
as though ashamed of this allusion to his
| own personal infirmity, he added hastily:
| But when the first pang of such a pain
| is over, there remains the comfort of being
| a listener. AT first one does not think II a
comfort; but as time goes on. there Is no
| resisting its magic influence. And Lowell
| said rightly. that one of Gods great char
| tiles is music"
II did not know you were musical, Mr.
| Keith" said an English lady. "Iou have
never before spoken of music A"
Perhaps not. madam" he answered
| zone does not often speak of what one
cares for most of all. But when / am in
| London. L rarely miss hearing our best
players"
| At this point others Joined in. and the
various merits of eminent pianists were
| warmly discussed.
what wonderful name that little En-
glish lady has made for herselfr said the
major, who was considered an authority on
all subjects. Il would go anywhere to hear
Miss Thyra Flowerdew. We all ought to
be very proud Of her. She has taken even