Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-10-03
A DIMINISHED SEVANlll.
ny EUGENE T. WOOD.

She was the youngest but one OF .
family Of eight Physically. her lie
was and could be nothing save one
long cruciaxion. Crippled and de.
formed, there stretched behind her
record Of suffering; before her the
prospect Of greater torture still Ma
ture had used her cruelty. for while
her puny and misshapen frame in.
spired ridicule, or, at best, shuldering
pity, she had been lowered with .
capacity for affection that burnt itself
into fiercer intensity waiting the love
that never came Misunderstood. she
had gradually retreated into a little
world Of her own, with nothing to love.
Nothing? There was her violin, but
that could hardly be considered apart
from lda's own individuality. 1t was
her violin that expressed more clo-
quently than herself could ever have
done the loneliness and the lpveless-
ness Of her life.
ut speaks for me-" she once con-
fessed to the old doctor, who under
stood her better than anyone else.
what other people feel they can ex-
plain in words; but seem to have no
power Of expression except through my
VIOLIN"
Dr.. Marshall was silent for mo-
ment; then he asked presently: ibid
you ever hear my boy Austin play9"
Ida shook her head. She had he ard
no one. Her morbid consciousness Ut
inArlnities prevented her from attend.
ing any public concert, and Austin
Marshall, as she we'll knew, was pro-
fessional VIC linist Of repute.
"You ought to hear him. They tell
mo his execution Is remarkably good
and, besides, geniuses like you two
ought to know each other. I'll tell
you what I'll DO" be added kindly;
"l'll bring him round one evening to
see you, II you like, when he Isn't
busy"
Not many days elapsed ere the doc.
tor kept his promise, and Austin Mar.
shell, tall and strong, held the small,
wasted hand Of the diminutive musi-
clan, and wondered the while how the
perfect soul his father had described
had managed to find itself in that mis-
shapen little body. And later on.
when Ida had completely astounded
him with her rendering Of Dvorak's
"Romance"-wild, intense and heart
breaking-he told himself that such .
thing was monstrous. Here waa an
untutored genius, beside whom him
self would pale into comparative insig.
niflcance, doomed by nature to perpet-
ual solitude while, Orpheus-like, she
ought by her music to charm into life
the rocks and trees.
you want some lessons to correct
few technical errors" he said at last,
land then you ought to be able to hold
your own at Queens hall or st. James
with the best Of them. II could be.
lieve in the TRANSPORTATION Of souls,
would swear tho lost soul Of some re-
pentant sinner Is imprisoned In your
violin"
lie spoke with the generous enthusi
asm OF genius, mere talent Is sparilg
Of praise and begrudges success
II can never play in public" she an
swercd, briefly, with u painful flusl
that testified to her sensitive recogni
ton OF physical defects,
ida on apublic PLATFORM Why theyd
never see herr interpolated jovia,
elder brother with the brutal candol
admiring friends had sometimes mis-
taken for frank gcniality. 1--WE cal
her the Diminished Seventh, he added
with conscious smile that betrayed
the originator of the questionable
pleasantly.
Poor Diminished SEVENTH She
WINGED as from blow, and Austin
with the intention of covering her con
fusion, observed with ready tact;
VI suppose because the minor har
monies are most perfect and least un
derstood,"
That evening was but the forerunnel
Of many similar Scarce day passed
without Austin Marshall contriving t.
; spend some time with the deformet
IN usician. And as the days lapsed intt
weeks, and the weeks into months, i
was noted that when Ida played alon'
her airs were more roman tic than be
fore. And even her unmusical family
became infected with their gaycty, hel
mother (who frequently alleged sb'
could enjoy good music as much a.
anyone-if she could only get it) wa
cheered to the verge of joyful anticipa
ton. For who knew that Ida nigh
. not attain the supreme height Of in
spring dance-mu such as he
mother loved, and abandon forcvet
those ghoulish walls she said wer,
classical.
But when the old doctor noticed tn,
change he shook his head IN apprehen
sion, while tears Of pity filled his eyes
His profession had trained him to rea'
the longings Of the heart as well as TIN
J! infrmities OF the tenement 1t inhabited
. and II all he thought and dreade,
I. were true--l Had things been differ
:; emil If Ida had not been distinct,
: isolated by nature from the sweetes
gifts that life can hold
y And one evening came the crisis tn
good doctor feared.
II shall miss all this dreadfully whei
I'm away" Austin said, as he turne'
,ver pile Of music for particula
! net. I'm going north in day o
! 70, you know-didn't | tell your h
lded, answering the unspoken que'
; ion.
Next autumn, when | am bac
gain" he said, presently, feelin
yaguely that something was wrong
I'VE shall have some more pleasan
! evenings together, | hope"
. Ida spake not. For . moment sh