Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-11-05
which Mrs. Heard had and gave 10

which Mrs. Heard had and gave 10
everyone who came within her reach.
The lcoking-glass told her that the
pink and white prettiness which had
been praised in the bride had vanished
with her youth. But she was always
nicely, even stylishly, dressed, and
could not make herself believe that her
personal appearance was negative
factor in the attractive influence she
would like to exercise. She tried to get
some enlightenment from her husband
and othermen she met as TO Mrs. Heard's
power to fascinate, for the town being
a small one social lines had to be very
strictly drawn, or not at all, and they
happened to separate the two good la
dies of this tale, so that were 1t 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 there was "a touch" "an atmo-
sphere" about that other house which
she was LETT 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
ful enough to disarm criticism. She
gave herself up to the embroidery
craze-that snare of those who thinl,
they cannot afford to buy works OF art,
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 yet 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
at years ago by Aunt Cecilia. sometimes
required to the dissatisfied wife, and
at last, one day, she put on her hat, re-
solved to see that dear old lady, ex-
pressly to find out more about the
subject which had never again come up
permost in the general conversation
between these two good friends and
relatives.
Aunt Cecilia was about starting for
church when her caller arrived at her
door, it being the season Of Lent, anil
therefore of extra weekday privileges
for worshipers. She invited Miriam
to accompany her, promising, when
she heard the object of the visit, to tell
what she could about the instrument
on the way thither.
What she said would perhaps not
have struck Miriam forcibly but for an
accidental circumstance which brought
back and emphasized her discourse dur
ing the church service. They went into
q pew occupied by little woman In
black, in no way specially noticeable,
who moved up to make room for them
without turning her face. But when
the congregation began to take it's part
in the repetition of prayers and psalms
Miriam became aware that the phrases
which she had known and loved all her
life were sounding ON her ears with o
fresh beauty and meaning. Could it be
the voice of the inconspicuous little
woman which was SO full of tears and
yet SO full of joy, whose unaffected
earnestness did not raise its pitch or
strain its quality, and yet compelled
listeners as no oratorical display of lung
power could have done? Miriam could
not avoid the rudeness of staring at her
neighbor, whom she found she had
often seen before, but only at distance.
"I see you realize at last Mrs. Heard's
power to charm" said Aunt Cecilia, on
reicining her companion ut the church
gate after greeting to the little woman
In black.
"Do you mean to tell me-" Miriam an
swered, "that such O voice can be ac-
quired, is anything but gift of God?"
"It is that, Of course, my dear child;
but her mother, whom / knew well in
the old country, understood the i'm
portance Of learning to use Gods gifts.
She taught her children by precePt and
example that tones marred by muscular
contraction OF by slovenly enunciation
constitute not only remediable physi-
cal defect, but danger to the moral
character upon which the harsh sounds
react to produce irritant or sullen
thoughts and feelings. It is largely
due to her training that the good
thoughts of the sweet little woman
whom we have just seen have free course
through her throat and lips. 1t is the
unimpeded beauty of her spirit which
you admire"
''Thank you so much, Aunt Cecilia"
Miriam was holding the old lady's
hand at parting-"you have made me
see without resorting to blunt speech
that my uncontrolled voice has often
slashcd my husbands peace of mind
to bits, gashed my children's good tenn
per and nipped some of my own best i'm
pulses in the bud. I'm afraid it's tod
late, now, to get the best music out Of
my much-abused organ, and You admit
that there is not so much danger that
boys will convert their voices into in
struments of torture; but my best ef-
forts shall 60 to the training of Baby
Miriam, SO that her father may praise
her some day In the words which ex-
press all Of King Lear's passionate but
TOO tardy appreciation Of Cordelia-
Her voice was ever soft, gentle and
low; an excellent thing in woman.'"-
Good Housekeeping.