The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-09-24


on Chris Carew's boyish face that night
haunts mo as vividly now as If l mad seen
1t there yesterday-and 10 Is years since
he last bent his head over his precious
violin.
suppose that two friends fired with
the same burning ambition were never
more genuinely attached TO each other
than no and I--perhaps because, If j
searched the world. I might never find "a
more lovable more unseltlsh and thorough
fellow than Chris Carew.
To become great violinists: that was
.he lifedresm we shared. Living TO.
gether, we mad praoticed together for
gears, and dreamed of the triumph To
come True, more than once i reoolleot
having spasm OF envy. because as time
went on, Chris unoonsciously developed
deiicacy Of touch ana purity of tone
Shat l could not seem to reaoh, and was
more often given the solo parts when We
played together in public; but nothing
more Chris invariably turned its edge
an his quiet. convincing way.
"Will. it's nonsense. My instrument
happens tn be an older and a better ono
than yours, that's all. Put any other
lddle into my hands, and 1 could never
get half the effect. You know IL; we
nave proved It, F"
And so In those dear days we always
placed it down To the subtle sympathy
chat had grown between him and his
exquisite old violin. nearly LACK with
age. AS say, we rad struggled and
dreamed together for years. and then
Shen that shadow of a woman came to-
tween us. Then
They say that every woman has some
klnd of beauty in some mans eyes; but
Lottie Arnold-well, she seemed TO he
one of the women who uDconsciously sot
longing the heart OF every man she met
She hau just joined. as pianist the or
chestral society TO which Chris and L
belonged. and l know that L experienced
queer thrill the very first moment saw
heron a concert night when she floatod
across the platform TO give the overture.
And. again, when she stood bowling 10
the appiause--a slight, indesori badly
witching figure in soft, white evening
1ress, with mass of deep brown hair,
and clear, calm eyes that shone even at
chat distance. And Chris-whon / hap
pened to glance at him, his lips were
parted and hsstood AS IL lost in ecstacy.
At tho moment though set it down
To his deep appreciation OF her PLAYING.
IL it had ended there But practice
nights came twice week. and with them
opportunities OF turning botties music.
of begging her accom- mpaniment-even OF
whispering soft Dothings until l under
stood that she had too intense nature TO
appreciate them. In month l was madly'
'n love with her. and could not realize
future without her. Waen-when /
grasped OF n sudden that the same thrill
had communicated itself tu Chris, and
that we were secretly running race to-
gether for Lottie's heart. the mischief
began. Before l knew IT, that Insane, un-
reasoning jealousy of him and his chances
had sprung up in Zoe.
He was handsome; more, it presently
seemed to me that she thought more of
his playing than of mino-a calling dan
N ..nf rf@a MI PC
4 watched, as no stood bowling away
dreamily beside her. until grew so sick
with the jealousy that l left the place ana
went home alone; and yet. he never
seemed to understand Truth 60 tell. as
che weeks went by, no one could have
said that either OF us bad come within
winning distance OF her. Sometimes it
was l who would go hume in n state of
mental intoxioation. while Chris would
secm paler and gutter than usual: then,
next time, Chris would come In with the
tel-tale flush, TO find me sitting moody
and savage. Never once did we speak
directly of it but tho shadow was there,
thickeuing every day. And, somehow,
from tho first 10 seemed TO me that
Chris. taken on his merits alone would
bs tho winner in this silent, desperate
struggle.
pique, / had absented myself from the
practice and for hours sat planning how
1 could make him set u match to the
powder A bout ii o'clock he burst in, his
lace all aglow.
"will. I've Just heard tho sweetest hit
of music ever written. Her own compo-
sitipn-Lottio's, / mean j Can near it
now! / caught Eer playing it unawarcs
and, what do you tninky I've made her
promise To EN- body IL in q violin duet 10
bo played by you aud l at the next con
cert She can do it; she has written III r.
than one pretty song. Will! Will! What
il the matter? What have 1 Coleg"
l had tried To sueor. but it was no use.
Whon he put his hand on my shoulder
ana softly asket that / could only Re5 up
and walk from the room. Tho lump in
my throat was toO great for words. |
knew loved bim-but did rot know that
i hated nin, too..
Then. for "a month If suspense. wo saw
nothing of Lot;ie Arnold. She wns as
much an enthusiast as Chris himself;
having set herself To the work. hor one
fear was / suppose. that tho duo would
not be fnished In time. But at last cnme
"a letter 1t had nearly driven ner mad
she said, but we could Judge OF her success
IL we oalol at her house 20 tTy our
parts on the following Wednesday oyen.
ing
tho note was androssol TO Chris For
moment my jealousy llamod NJ 20 toHt
i had almost snatobed it out OF his hards
as 10 Tedu III. Il lIbslerou IIht linbHlSt
but know that the crisis was At hand
now. My brain was in whirl all thn5
week-scarcely word passed between us.
And Chris. as he walked beside no that
"Wednesday evening. seemed To have grown
haRgard and he shifted his violin case
from hand TO fani constantly. ] think
he had began To understand.
Reaching the house, we Nere Shown at
once into tho sitting-rouD', and there sat
Lottie at piano surrounded ny u litter
OF papers. Perhaps She too, realized
something nc that mo nrut, for sho rJso
with u start and n eiehtopnd color
lis 10 really sevon O'clock | sFom to no
left behind tho world lately--t is staccato
finale has kept me in IA nervous trauu uie
for days! Or anu-and-" snO ho.itAted
pluckinR ut h velvet Land at hcr thr, 10
quite chldisniy for her; "I--l'In dreaI-
fully sorry hut it isn't TO he duet 1T
all found / hadn't possibly tire ID
arrarg, the second part as we'll ls tho
accom- paniment so IL abandoned 1t,
anu | really think IL gees better as
sole. - A strained, forgotten pause.
Then, becoming herself again. she ran
forward and touched my arm, appealing
Iy - Nnu mi do,