The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-12-16
CORA JAMES MUSIC.

One and, two and. three and. foul
and; one and, two and, three and, foul
and, counted Cora James happy
voice, while Cora James stiff. nervc1I:
/ fingers pressed the wheeGy keys of the
little cottage organ.
! Cora James, mother. out on the side
/ porch, picking over red raspberries fol-
Mrs. Downing, heard it, and her tired
face frightened. They were only five
finger exercises that Cora Jane was
praeticing, but her mother did not know
that. She and father had saved for
years to buy that cottage organ, and
ROW that the dream was realized at last
all her days seemed set to music: the
fragrant red berries slipping through
her fingers might have been the visible
notes of her song of joy.
The monotonous exercises in the
front room kept on for half an hour.
Then Cora Jane looked out of the
porch door. The gladness singing
through her heart was part CT the, mu-
sic that her mother lived by these
days.
Are the berries ready?" she asked.
III take them over now if they are
Her mother looked up at her low
ingly.
I can take them just as well as not, 3"
she answered. Go and play some more,
child"
But Cora Jane shook her head posi-
lively. Tn not going to let the music
make me selfish, she cried. The idea
of your walking clear over there in the
heat, after ali you've been doing to-
day. I'll he down for. them as soon as
I've changed my dress
Five minutes later Cora Jane was on
her way to the village, a pail of ber-
ries. covered with fres: green leaves,
swinging in each hand Mrs Downing
took summer boarders. and the greater
part of the precious organ money had
been earned by the fruit and vegeta-
bles that she had bought. Cora Jane
stepping swiftly through the sunny
places and lettering in the shadows,
remembered how she had stood under
the big elm one afternoon, and joyfully
reckoned that only five dollars more
were needed, and how she had run--ac-
tually run-all the way home the day
that she held in her hand the sixty
cents that completed the needful sum.
She wondered if girls who had had pi-
amos all their lives loved them as she
loved her organ. She wondered if they
could.
Mrs. Downing lifted her flushed face
as Cora Jane pushed open the kitchen
door. We'll, there, Cora Jane, don't
know what ] would do without you and
in hearty welcome. The cooks gone
and burned her wrist, and the baker
hasn't come and 1 was just in despair
when I remembered that your ma had
promised the first red raspberries to-
day. 1 guess with those and plenty
Of cream l can make out all right.
Folks can't get berries like that in the
city, Sit down and rest awhile child;
faint any fun coming all that distance
a day like this.
But Cora Jane scarcely heard her.
'Oh, Mrs. Downingt she cried. who 4
is that playing? Could | go and listen
a few minutes? Nobody would notice
# l stood out in the hall. would they?"
Mrs. Downing stared at her in amaze !
ment Land sakes. child you need |
aot look that way, as if you were asil- |
ng a favor of a queen she responded. |
Go along, if YOU want to. It's Miss |
sidney RedmoI1ds- there amt anybody (
round this afternoon but her. She does /
play pretty. that's fact. I'd forgotten |
low you dotted on music
Cora Jane slipped silently through |
nto the long hail. The parlor door was
open. and she caught glimpse of a
lender, girlish figure at the piano.
~ora Jane hurried by the door and sat
Town on the stairs.
In the parlor the music ran on rip
,ling and singing under the girls fin
.ers. Cora Jane listened spellbound; it
her think of the first spring buds
md the wind in the treetops on sum-
ner nights. and the laughter of little
,rown brooks leaping from shadow to
unlight Then the music changed: il
rev soft and wistful and charged with
-ers. Cora Jane listened spellb0und: it
Iands tightly together, and her eyes
ypre full of a pain deeper than tears.
NE knew now--in the joy songs she
ad not thought of herself. but now
he knew, and she never could forget
+ again. And she had thought that
he was learning to play. She wished
hat she had never bought the organ.
+ only she had not heard this girl. IT
as 50 terrible to know. And she had
cen so happy an hour before. II
The tender, haunting strains in the
arlor changed again. II was martial
1usie now. brave and inspiriting. But .
ora Jane did not hear-she had thrust
p. fingers in her ears and was hurry
lg home across the field. She didn't !
are if it was hot-she didn't care for ]
nything any more; she wanted only to
ct up to her room, where she could be
lone.
Late that afternoon Sidney was again ,
{ the piano. Her friends had not yet
sturned, and she was waiting for
lem. AS she waited she touched the 5
eys absently; she was not so alb :