The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-17
Stories of an Inland State.

was given solely for the qualification of the
pupils and their parents.
Breaking down the barrier of an admis-
sion fee at the door induced a large attend
ance. The crowd arrived early. after the
manner of those who attend free entertain
ments in the west. The house was soon
| full The parents Of the participants in the
! program could be detected here and there
! throughout the audience by their patent
anxiety, which in some took the form OF
depressing silence and in others hysterical
| vivacity which was not whit better than
silence for the purposes of concealn1ent-
| Mrs. Drew fingered the printed program
nervously. Clara was fifth on the list, next
| to last. BY strange abnormality Of vision
not confined by any means to Mrs. Drew.
! the type in which Miss Clara Drew's name
was printed grew larger than the rest,
| blacker and much more prominent On a
witness stand, with her life hanging on her
| her judgment, Mrs. Drew would have
sworn solemnly that Ciara's name did ap-
| pear in larger type.
| On the program next came Miss Angelina
| Shocks, and by this curious defect in her
vision, Mrs. Drew saw that her name was
| in exceedingly small type. She glanced
across the aisle al Mrs. Shocks. The latter
had her head high in the air, look of con-
quering confidence beaming benignantly
| from her face. Mrs. Drew gave quick
glance, drew her lips against her teeth,
elevated her chin and turned again to the
| consolation of the program with the fancied
| difference in size Of type.
There was rivalry between Mrs. Shocks
and Mrs. Drew, cankering rivalry over their
daughters respective musical accomplish
ments Mrs Shocks had assurances that
hAr- don oh a
playing and did not approve Clara Drew's.
Mrs. Drew had an equally bracing assur-
ance that the community which approved
Miss Angelina Shocks playing did not
know much and that the teacher, Burr.
had said within her hearing that Clara
Drew was his favorite pupil. And besides
Clara could reach two over an octave and
Angelina only one.
Burr himself did not, In fact, fancy Miss
Angelina Shocks execution. II was exc
cradle, he said to himself. Clara could play,
but she would play undemonstrative little
skits which impressed no one in the COM
munity but himself. Still he was anxious
that Clara should have a triumph at the
recital He had placed her next to the last
on the list believing that in that position
she would receive attention. And he had
placed Mss Angelina Shocks last in antici-
patton that the audience, having grown
restless, would make a quick departure to-
ward the conclusion, robbing Miss Shocks
of appliance and so accentuating that re-
ceived just previously by Clara Drew.
The curtain was already up. A piano had
been placed at one side of the. stage.
Burr and the first pupil on the program
walked across the stage. Three hundred
individuals in the audience clapped their
hands because some one else had started
It. Burr took his seat beside the piano.
The first pupil was Master Willie Watkins.
From his first appearance on the stage It
was plain to be seen that Willie had duty
to perform and he was going to do ii
# the heavens fell-or the roof of the opera
house. Stepping on the stage he riveted
his eyes on the piano, walked boldly, intre-
pidly across with his eyes still fixed in a
CLASSY stare. He pumped himself down on
the piano seat. It was much too high for
him. but little thing ike that could not
battle Willie or delay him in the accom-
plishmen. of his duty. Before the audience
had fairly begun to rattle the programs to
detect his name, which they all knew any
how, by the way, Willie jumped into a
simple waltz and played ii through like a
streak of carefully creased lightning. Some
times the melody was lost, but the waltz
beat of the left hand, never, for Willie had
practiced long to master that left hand.
He had conquered it and he meant to keep
it conquered. Sometimes the melody of the
right hand would abruptly break out and
insist on being heard, stealing Willie's at
tention from the left hand for a second.
But only for a second, for he again divert
ed his mind to the subjugated left and ham
mered away lustfully.
Mrs. Watkins In the audience sighed hea-
Willy and looked affectionately at Mr.. Wat
kins.
Willie finished. There was formal ap-
plause. Burr knew his business. The for
NAL applause was to the ears of Mrs. Wat
kins an encore. Willie came back and play
ed another waltz.
Then came Miss Bu,terfeld, trembling
visibly. Her hands grew clammy and cold.
Her fingers stuck together. She played the
Polish Dance" The audience gave more
impartial and formal applause. This. too.
was construed into an encore. Then Miss
Waters with "Schubert's Serenade" which
she butchered beautifully but which again
brought out the feeble approval which was
always an encore. Miss Weeks with Ira
umerei' had similar success.
Then Clara Drew. Mrs. Drew sickened
at the sight. She could not tell why. But
she sickened Clara at least was not afraid.
Her admiring teacher quilted the stage and
watched her from place where the audi
ence could not see him. she plays beauti-
fully" said Burr to himrelr.
She concluded. The applause was the
same as it had been.
1.-The beasts!' cried Burr.
Mrs. Drew Strengthened herself to study
Clara when she would respond to the en-
core.
Clara went to Burr
You are going back?" he asked.
mo. That is not an encore
You are right"
Miss Angelina Snpoks swept upon the
stage. There were tears in Mrs. Drew's
eyes.
Angelina stepped TO the front OF the stage
and bowed. No one but Angelina had done
this. The audience applauded Mrs. Snooks
crushed Mrs. Drew with hurled glance OF
triumph.
Angelina walked slowly TO the piano.
Her GOODNESS fascinated, overwhelmed the
audience.
She sat down. The audience held its
breath. She turned the piano seat around
slowly. The audience gazed enraptured.
She sat down again. Then she got up again
and twirled the seat some more. The audi
ence was almost gasping. Then she paused
and looked straight through the rosewood
piano with a dreamy gaze She tossed her
handkerchief down on the loves; keys OF
the board.
And then she raised her hands as high
as her chin. with the wrists still higher
The audience was paralyzed.
"Boshi' said Burr.
Andante-Angelina's fingers crep. softly
over the keys Her head was thrown back
her eyes to high heaven and the audience