The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-10-08
which Mrs. Heard had ana sssavsSsto3

everyone who came within her reach.
The looking,glass told her that the
pink and white prettiness which had
been, praised in the bride had vanished
with her youth. But she@wa always
nicely, even stylishly, dressed, and
could not make herself believe that her
personal appearance was q negative
factor in tn" attractive influence she
would IKE to exercise. She tried to get
some enlightenment from her husband
andother men she met as TO Mrs. Heard's
power to fascinate, for the town being
small ono 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 it not for
the greater. freedom from conventions
allowed to men, they might never have
known Of each others existence. All
that Miriam could learn, however, was
that there was - ,touch,rt "an atmo.
sphere" about that other house which
she was left to infer was absent from
her own. A touch of brightness, she rea-
ssoned, 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 think
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 tho
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 ut her
door, it being the season of Lent, anil
therefore of extra weekday privileges
for worshipers:: She invited Miriam,
to accompany her, promising, ,s when
she heard the; object Of the visit, to tell
what she could about the instrument
on the way thither.
-
have struck Miriam forcihly but for an
accidental circumstance which brought
back and emphasized her discourse dur
ing the church service. They went into
pew occupied by a 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 its 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 a
fresh beauty and meaning. Could it be
tho voice OF the inconspicuous little
woman which was so full of tears and
yet so full Of joy, whose unaffected
earnestness did not raise it's pitch or
strain its quality, and yet compelled
listeners as no oratorical display OF lung
power could have done? Miriam could
not avoid the r,ldeness Of staring at her
neighbor, whom she found she had
often seen before, but only at distance.
II see you realize at last Mrs. Heard's
power to CHARM" said Aunt Cecilia, on
rejoining her companion at the church
gate after greeting to the little woman
in black.
do YOU mean to tell me, Miriam an
swered, ''that such a voice can be ae-
quired, is anything but gift OF God?'
ut is that, of course, my dear child;
but her mother, whom I knew well in
the old country, understood the Inn
portance of learning to use Gods gifts.
She taught her children by precept and
example that tones marred by muscular
contraction or by slovenly enuneiation
constitute not only a remediable physi-
cal defect, but a danger to the moral
character upon which the harsh sounds
react to produce irritant or sullen
thoughts and feelings. It ie 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. It is the
unimpeded beauty of her spirit which
you admire"
"Thank you 80 much, Aunt Cecilia"
Miriam was holding the old ladyh
hand at parting-"you have made me
see without resorting to blunt speech
that my uncontrolled voice has often
slashed my husbands peace of mind
to bits. geshed my childreu's good tenn
per and nipped some Of my own best inn
pulses in the bud. I'm afraid it's too
late, now, to get the best music out Of
my much-abused organ, and you admit
that there is not go much danger that
boys will convert their voices into in.
.struments of torture; but my best e.
forts shall 60 to the training Of Babyy
Miriam, SO that her father may praise
her some day In the words which ex'
press oil Of King Lear's passionate but
too tardy appreciation OF Cordelin-