Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-12-01
he added hastily, "and I don't mean &c

L was just SoihS w ittI a SuSSCGllOu.
She was looking at him with such in
terest and attention that poor Wilson
could hardly continue, but he succeeded.
"I'd like to give you a lesson or two.
You see, Miss Hapgooi. if your playing
took the form of regular practice in
stead of-er-what you were doing this
morning | think / could stand it, and |
never feel in the least disturbed when
-er-the performance is fairly cor.
rect"
Lucy turned her gaze. to the floor,
and her glorious color heightened.
II don't play SO very well myself"
continued Wilson, ''but l could teach
you the elements, and after a time you
would be able to pick out tunes with
Observation-Disclosures to-er-your-
SELF"
II should like to learn" admitted
Lucy, looking up with a most engaging
smile, "and if you will give me lessons
I can manage my practicing SO that you
will not be disturbed. There's "a piano
in the church vestry that | can use all
I want to, and I can practice there"
"Finel" exclaimed Wilson, and so
rejoiced was he at the promising sue
cess of his experiment that he suggested
a first lesson forthwith. Lucy hesitated,
but eventually put aside her buster.
hunted up an old instruction book and
sat at the piano beside Wilson, listen
ing with docile attention to his remarks
about do, "a, me, the names Of the
keys and the lingering of the scale. He
showed her how to hold her hand, find
ing it necessary. of course, to place her
fingers in position with his own, an
operation that SO bewildered him that
when he went to his writing he couldn't
put down a single satisfactory sentence.
Well, such was the beginning. There
was a daily lesson for two weeks, much
to Mrs. Hapgood's amazement and ap-
parent objection, though she said moth
ing, and much to the further disorder
Of Wilson's mind. Lucy evidently prac-
ticed long and we'll, for she improved
remarkably, and she continued to be
docile until toward the last, when Will
son observed that she was uncomfort-
ably reticent and almost ~freakish. One
day she jumped up suddenly, her face
scarlet, and bounded out of the room,
declaring that she was done with it all,
and that she would never touch a piano
again as long as she lived.
Wilson'S heart was in a tumult. He
had Ioornod DAVIS hoforo +b;c what w,
the matter and the prospect Of losing
those sweet hours at the piano was i'll
tolerable. He followed her, found her
struggling against tears in the dining
room, and, going straight to her, he
told his story. Lucy listened with an
expression Of unutterable anguish, tried
to say eyes," and "No." at the same
time and at length broke away from
his tentative embrace and fed back to
the parlor.
For M painful moment Wilson re-
manned where he was. Then upon his
astonished ears came the sounds Of that
most beautifully melancholy nocturne
Of Chopin's, the m in B major, and
played, it seemed, with more perfection
Of technique and feeling than he aver
heard. it. He tiptoed his way into the
parlor and listened there, while he
watched Lucy wiring from the instru-
ment the expression Of her wealth Of
voc Presently she stopped in the mid
die Of a passage, put her face in her
hands and moaned, ooh, l am SO
ashamed"
"But, Lucy" said Wilson, tenderly,
as he caressed her hair, II love you,
dear!''
Then she stood up, reached out her
arms helplessly, and their lips met.
II couldn't help it, Arthur" she
said, a little later, "when l saw that
you mistook Molly's ignorant pounding
for mine, l meant to have a little fun
with you, that was all. Mamma scolded,
but I wouldn't stop. am afraid you
think I haven't any principle at all.
son the contrary, dearest, answered
Wilson, ~ knew that you were impelled
and guided by the principle Of love. 1t
reminds me of the professor in college
in whose hands an experiment went all
to smash. Gentlemen said he to the
laughing students, 'the experiment has
failed, but the principle remains the
same n-Chicago News.