The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-07-14

players, Oswald Everard by name, stroll
led down to the bank where she was hav-
ing her frolic.
"Good afternoon" he said, raising his
cap. II hope the goat is not worrying
you. Poor little fellow This is his last
day of play. He is to be killed tomorrow
for table d'hote"
"What shame !" she said. "Faney to
be killed and then grumbled at r. s
"That is precisely what we do here, he
said, laughing. ave grumble at every
thing we eat. Aud l own to being one Of
the grumpiest-though the lady in the
horse-cloth dress yonder follows close upon
my heels"
"She was the lady who was annoyed at
me because | turned the piepo," the little
girl said ''Still it had to be DONE; 1t
was plainly my duty. | seemed to have
come for that purpose"
at has been confoundedly annoying
having it out of tune he said 'I've had
to give up singing altogether. But what
strange profession you have chosen
Very unusual, isn't it?"
"Why, surely moi" she answered, anus
ed sit seems to me that every other
woman has taken to it. The wonder to
me is that any one ever scores success.
Nowadays, however, no one could amass a
huge fortune out of it.
''No one, indeed p replied Oswald Ever
ard, laughing. "What on earth made you
take to it?"
at took to me, she said simply. at
wrapped me round with enthusiasm. l
could think of nothing else. l vowed that
would rise to the top of my profession.
worked day and night. But it means
incessant toll for years if one wants to
make any headway."
"Good gracious thought it was mere
ly a matter of few MONTHS he said smil-
ing at the little girl.
"a few months!" she repeated scorn-
fully. "You are speaking the language of
an amuteur. No; one has to work faith
fully year after year; to grasp the posi-
bilities and pass on to greater possibilities.
You imagine what it must feel like TO
touch the notes, and know that you are
keeping the listeners spellbound;thai you are
taking them into fairyland of sound,
where petty personality is lost in vague
longing and regret,"
81 confess I had not thought of it in
that way" he said, humbly. 81 have only
regarded it as necessary everyday evil;
and to be quite honest with you, fail to
see now how it can inspire enthusiasm. |
wish could see, he added, looking up at
the engaging little figure before him.
''Never mind" she said, laughing at his
distress; ~ forgive you; and, after all,
you are not the only person who looks
upon it as necessary evil My poor old
guardian abominated it. He made many
sacrifices to come and listen to me. He
knew liked to see his kind old face, and
that the presence of real friend inspired
me with confidence"
81 should not have thought it was nerv-
GUS work" he said
'Try it and see," she answered. "But
surely you spoke of singing. Are you not
nervous when you sing?"
Sometimes he replied, rather stifiy.
''But that is slightly different" (He was
very proud of his singing, and made great
fuss about it. "Your profession, as re-
marked before, is an unavoidable nuisance
When / think what | have suffered from
the gentlemen of your profession l only
wonder that l have any brains left. But
| am uncourteous.
''No, no" she said ''Let me hear about
your sufferings."
"Whenever have specially wanted to
be quiet, he said, and then he glanced at
her childish little face, and he hesitated
at seems so rude Of me" he added. He
was the soul of courtesy, although he was
an amateur tenor singer.
"Please tell me- the little girl said, in
her winning way.
"Well," he said, gathering himself to-
gether, "it is the one subject on which l
can be eloquent. Ever since I can re-
member have been worried and tortured
by those rascals. l have tried in every
way to escape from them, but there is a
cruel fate working against me- Yes; /
believe that all the tuners in the universe
are in league against me, and have marked
me out for their special prey
"All the what?" asked the little girl,
with jerk in her voice.
"All the tuners, of course" he replied,
rather snappishly. 81 know that we can
not do without them, but. good heavens !
they have no tact, no consideration, no
mercy. Whenever I've wanted to write
or read quietly, that fatal knock has come
at the door, and I've known by instinct
that all chance of peace was over. When
ever I've been giving luncheon party the
tuner has arrived, with his abominable
black bag and his abominable card, which
has to be signed at once. One occa-
sion | was just proposing to a girl in
her fathers library, when the tuner struck
up in the drawing room. / left off sud
denly and fed from the house. But there
is no escape from these fends. believe
| they are swarmino about in the air ike so