The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-08
JANE HERRING'S PIANO.

the cradle, so 10 speak, make so bold as 10
say II again."
Mrs. Freeman looked over her spectacles
at the tall. somewhat gaunt woman before
her. Certainly the purse-pride of which she
spoke was not noticeable In Jane Herring s
personal appearance. Nothing could be
palmer or more homely than her dress. nor,
in fact. her whole surroundings. She stood
before her guest looking down at the fire
tloughtfully. Her sallow face, despite its
habitual melancholy of expression. was not
unpleasing; and there was a wonderful
sweetness about her grave gray eyes. and in
her voice. as she answered:
You have no call 10 say I'm purse-proud,
Mrs. Freeman. / only like to keep my sta
tion."
And what's your station. galo What your
mother used to din in your ears years ago,
tellin', you you was too good for this an
that. Just a matter o. having pianer over
an above other folks, and a lot better you
are for itv'
jane Herring turned instinctively to the
old instrument in the corner by the window.
Its ancient rosewood case shone with much
polishing; 1t looked quantity out OF place in
that homely kitchen.
Its not only the piano." she said quietly.
IT'S the education that goes With it, and
being able TO play 1t, and-and that"
''Eddication-bosh!" remarked her guest
somewhat rudely. Its just that pianer, and
all the village knows it,.
WELL" she went on after a pause, as Jane
made no reply. twas just this L came
round TO speak TO We about, Jane. Ye might
have been a happy wife be-now. but for that
now mishtn't your
A dark flush spread very slowly over Jane
Herring's sallow face: she put her hand
nervously to her forehead.
Don't" she said huskiy.
but you might" persisted the elder
woman, disregarding her evident discontinue.
Here you are, woman OF thirty,
Twin alone an miserable. so to speak, when
you might ha' been the wife of a good man.
"Oh. please-please. that's all past and
done with. Mrs. Permanently do you speak
Of it?'
'Phineas Balm wasn't good enough for
you. The Balms hadn't pianer, eh?''
Jane turned to her angrily. She was very
rarely reused, but her words came quickly
now, and the hot flush was still upon her
face.
You have no right to speak OF such
things" she cried. NO one is concerned in
that but me. 1 want no one to live with me.
l ask no one to help me. 1 might refuse
every man in the place if liked
But it ill-oecomes you. Don't you know
how it angered all the folks about when you
said mo- TO Phineas? She thinks herself
too good for him. they said. Now, Jane
why do you say this? Why bring up the
past at all? Have 1 offended you in any
way. Mrs Freeman
NO. l came in your interests, so to speak,
Jane. because I've got eyes and ears. and 1
can see what's going forward Phineas Balm
was hard hit for you twenty years ago, and
it's my belief he would have you yet but for
your pride. But" she added mysteriously,
there's another woman, a young one and
a pretty one, setting up to take his heart.
There is. you mark me, and it's Miss Let
ter's new millinery prentice"
'.Phineas is his own MASTER" she said.
And no more. Not one word more would
would she hear. Mrs. Freeman, in her med
dlesome solicJude, felt that she mad had q
wasted visit. Jane Always was a queer soul;
| good enough and kind enough, too. in her
way, but as proud as Lucifer, and nothing
| to be proud OF.
Poor Jane Herring! Her pride did not pre-
| vent her shedding a few tears by her lonely
| fireside that night. This was not the first
time that Mrs. Freeman had tried to intro
duce this subject. but it was the first time
she had so much to say.
Was 1t the piano? Jane rose from her low
| chair before the fire and went to the corner
| in which the instrument stood. Truly her
mother had taught her to expect great things
| by reason OF this rare possession. Truly, as
| younger woman, she had thought her sta
mote and tiny village. And when Phineas
| had stood there. on that very hearth. and
had laid his simple love before he-. this
| to stand substantially between them.
| Was 1T the piano.? Looking back over the
| years-tbe long and lonely twenty years
| been no other obstacle. She could remember
| the thrill of pleasure the knowledge of his
| honest love had brought her; she could re-
send him from her. Her mother had assured
her there would be plenty. in better sta
ton in life, who. would seek her hand. She
| twenty years of loneliness, and they had
She had seen Phifeas often enough since
| then. She had watched him through the sick
/ stages of his disappointment had noted how
| time began TO set its mark upon his honest
! face. She had rarely spoken to him, but
| when chance threw them together his man.
ner had been so kindly. so considerable as to
| spare her any embarrassment. She had never
| questioned as to whether he still cared for
her; it had never occurred to her to suppose
| that he did. seeing that she had refused
! hin. in the same way she had not ques-
toned her own feelings: it was not so nat
| ural TO her now to live alone. 50 natural tC
| look upon love as a thing Of the past that
| she had ceased to think of It,
| "ApOtner WOmdn-d young ana pretty
| onerI
How strangely those words insinua ted
| themselves into her thoughts. What ter
rible aching lonliness filled her tonight. in
| her quiet little home! She had no heart for
| music. The old piano stood unopened. Jane
| Herring, usually so busy and serene, paced
| to and fro between the fireplace and Tie
| door. up and down. up and down her we'll
/ scrubbed boards.
proud. all, proud of what?-a lonely. self
| ish life. a little knowledge, and few pos
4 sessions"
| She stopped before the mirror that hung
| above the mantel shelf. and stood looking
| at the reflection of her face. A melancholy
| face il was-the face OF a woman who had
| let life go by without taking the best that
| loneliness had wasted; love-hungry, dis.
/ appointed face
/ Was she jealous of this unknown woman
| this young and pretty girl for whom Phineas
| Balm might well recall his love and his
| youth? Surely not. Yet what was this
| strange emotion. this pain about her heart
/ this sick restlessness such as she had never
/ before known? IT seemed incredible that
/ the idea of his loving another woman should
| rekindle in her desire to have Phneas 70,
herself. Yet she experienced an intense wish
TO come again under his notice. TO know his
feelings. to have part in his interests.
II had come upon her so suddenly in the
| midst of her staid. contented life. At th'
| very mention OF this stranger by the Cos
| sip Of the place there had leaped no within
her an emotion which she had with diff
/ Guilty repressed until she was alone. Look
ing around her home, so perfect In all the
/ details of order and thrift, yet withal sc
| barren and cherries. she wondered more