The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-10-09

ing institution Of learning, who we,
always dropping into Mrs. Heard's pa
ior Tor a bit of advice or encourag,
ment, seemed never to find out tina
Mrs. Brooks would be glad to serve he
DAY and generation as gracefully a
that plain little woman in the mex
house evidently had knack of dc
ing.
| Miriam being. as I have limited.
sensible woman, began to look the situ
alton in the face, hoping by dint of sell
criticism to find out what she lacke
which Mrs. Heard had and gave i
everyone who came within her reach
The looking-glass told her that tn
pink and white prettiness which ha,
been praised in the bride mad vanishe,
with her youth. But she was alway,
nicely, even stylishly, dressed, an,
could not make herself believe that he
personal appearance was a negative
factor in the attractive influence sh,
would like to exercise. She tried to oet
some enlightenment from her HUSBAND
| and othermen she metas to Mrs. Hea rd's
power to fascinate, for the town being
small one social lines had to be very
strictly drawn, or not at all, and thew
happened to separate the two good la
dies OF this tale, SO that were it not for
the greater freedom from convention
allowed to men, they might never have
known OF each others existence. All
that Miriam could learn, however, was
that s.,
sphere" about that other house which
she was left to infer was absent from
herown. A touch of brightness, she rea-
soned, must be supplied by household
decorations which should be striking
enough to attract attention, yet taste
full enough to disarm criticism. She
gave herself up to the embroidery
craze-that snare of those who thin,s
they cannot afford to buy works of arr,
therefore prefer not to know how much
they are spending-and often piled her
needle until her muscles were stiff, her
eyes dull, and her voice sharp with the
tension OF worn nerves. And vet her
beautiful centerpieces did not supply
the charm which she had felt to be
lacking to her dinner table; her artistic
sofa pillows did not invite to that re-
pose of mind and body for which she
had hoped.
That wonderful instrument, limited
It years ago by Aunt Cecilia. sometimes
occurred to the dissatisfied wife, and
It last, one day, she put on her hat, re-
solved to see that dear old lady, ex-
oressly to find out more about the
subject which had never again come up
in the general conversation |
'etween these two good friends and |
elatives.
Aunt Cecilia was about starting fer
hurch when her caller arrived at her
DOR, it being the season Of Lent, anil
therefore, OF extra weekday privileges
Or worshipers. She invited Miriam
accompany her, promising, when
ne heard the object of the visit, to tell
hat she could about the instrument
n the way thither.
What she said would perhaps not
ave struck Miriam forcibly but for an
circumstance which brought
ack and emphasized her discourse dur
g the church service. They went into
pew occupied by little woman in
ack, in no way specially noticeable,
no moved up to make room for them
ithout turning her face. But when S
e congregation began to take its part /
the repetition of prayers and psalms
iriam became aware that the phrases
hich she had known and loved all her
e were sounding on her ears with t
esh beauty and meaning. Could it be C
e voice of the inconspicuous little f
oman which was so full of tears and
t so full of joy, whose unaffected a
rnestness did not raise it's pitch or S
'ain its quality, and yet compelled h
teners as no oratoricaf display of lung Il
wer could have done? Miriam could D
t avoid the rudeness of staring at her E
ighbor, whom she found she had n
.en seen before, but only at distance. b
I see you realize at last Mrs. Heard's N
wer to CHARM" said Aunt Cecilia, on
dining her companion at the church b.
te after greeting to the little woman Xxi
black.
DO you mean to tell me-" Miriam an q,
cred, that such voice can be ac- w
red, is anything but gift of God?" m
1t is that, of course, my dear child; st
her mother, whom knew we'll In ne
old country, understood the i'm or
lance of learning to use Gods gifts. in
taught her children by precept and gi
mple that tones marred by muscular
traction or by sloyenly enunciation Sc
stitute not only remediable physi- ha
defect, but a danger to the moral do
racter upon which the harsh sounds sai
It to produce irritant or sullen
lights and feelings. 1t is largely lor
to her training that the good wi
lights of the sweet little woman pa
m we have Just seen have free course