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

sorbed but that sound in the door
| way made her turn.
A woman stood there-a plain, tired
faced country woman such as she saw
in her walks every day. But this
| woman was in trouble; her pale lips
| were trembling and her faded eyes full
of tears. Sidney went across to her i'm
! pulsively. She did not know who she
was, but it was not the first time thai
the tiny silver cross she wore at hel
throat had given the girl silent intro
| auctions.
I'm so sorry" she cried with tender
wistfulness. II wish L wasn't &
stranger, and that 1 could help
The woman shook her head YEARLY
| IT'S too late now" she answered heav.
lily. Cora Jane never was one to take
things easy. L don't expect she'll ever
/ get over it. And she has been so happy
till she heard you play"
The girls eyes widened with sur
prise L don't understand" she said
who is Cora Jane? I've never play
ed for any one I didn't know, and
don't know any one of that name. vii
you not tell me, please, if [ have any
thing to do with it.
There was no resisting the girls
! earnestness; before Cora James mother
realized what had happened. she was
telling the story of Cora James love for
cabinet organ. Sidney listened with
pitiful sympathy; the whole, poor
pathetic little story was written sc
| plainly on the worn face before her!
! But though the sobs climbed up in the
girls throat more than once, there was
no trace of dismay in her face when
! the story was ended.
j.. q am coming to see Cora Jane in
the morning." she announced in a
/ sweet, decisive voice. I've ever so
many things to tell her Why, I've
been taking lessons all my life! If she
had as many as I have had, she'd be
playing just as well. There isn't the
least bit of reason for being dis
| couraged. You must tell her So Mrs.
Hill. And tell her surely to expect me
tomorrow, for she'll have to have a
only l don't like to be unwelcomei"
The woman looked up admiringly
into the earnest young face, and a
CLEAN of hope shone through the
shadows in her eyes
It's real good of you to take SO
much interest" she said, gratefully.
L guess you could help if anybody
could"
Sidney was unusually thoughtful
often leased
her about her experiences, but she
never had found one in the least like
this. Cora Jane must be comforted,
there was no doubt about that, but
she kept wondering what Cora Jane
was like, and whether it would be
hard to talk to her. She wished that
she didn't have to go, only there was
no use wishing that. Then her fingers
touched her little cross and a brave
resolution routed her fears.
But when the next morning she was
in the little stiff front room of the
Hill cottage, and Cora Jane stole shyly
IN and lifted her big, sad gray eyes to
the face of this other fortunate girl,
Sidney's dread all vanished
oh, you poor child she cried do
you care like that?"
Cora Jane said nothing. There
was little culver about her
lutely. Sidney put out her hand
and derw the girl down on
the sofa beside her and began talking
eagerly The plan that had been dimly
Swallowed in her mind the night be,
fore took rapid form. Cora Jane, in
her bewilderment, did not grasp it at
first; when she did, Sidney's voice was
full of pleading
It's just the lessons, you know,
dear" she was saying. i've taken
them ever since 1 was years old, and
you haven't had any, your mother says.
Nobody could expect to play without
taking lessons. And L don't know what
to do with all my time here l don't,
truly. 1t would be real charity to
let me help you twice a week. on
course, two months isn't very long. but
it would make a beginning. anyway.
If you knew how 1 wanted to, you
couldn't refuse mel"
Cora Jane drew a long breath. But
I couldn't ever pay it to you" she
But you could to some one else"
Sidney said. Some other girl who
wanted to play. Don't you think you
ought, so that you can help others
even if you wouldn't for yourseIf?"
oh, wish 1 dared!" Cora Jane cried
Sidney sprang up and danced lightly
about the room. II couldn't help it,
she apologized, breathlessly. It's so
good to be of a little bit of use some
where! You sit right down at that or
gan and take your first lesson this min |
lite. Cora Jane"
Cora Jane obeyed, Her fingers trem-
)ied so that she made many blunders. !
'ut Sidney laughed away her nervous
less. When Mrs. Hill stepped softly to !
he door half an hour later the two |
Sirlish faces We're bent over the organ,
md Cora James was as bright as Sid
ley's.
The lessons went on regularly for a
month. Cora Jane was unhagging in
Ter purpose: she would have worn herl
elf out with her practicing had not
sidney interfered. Every evening she
'layed for her father; he listened de-
ghtfully to anything, even exercises.
Tut he liked best a few old songs. Cora
ane always ended with THE Old
)aken Bucket Years before her father
nd mother had sung in in singing
chool. Cora Jane, faithfully PLAYING
he familiar air, and secretly wonder
lg how anybody could care most for
hat, little knew how, under it's spell.
he years slipped away and the man
nd woman Travelled back to the fields |.
f youth Together.
One afternoon Cora Jane Went over To
lrs. Downing's with some early APP
les. Mrs. Downing was not in the
itchen, so. leaving her load there, the
irl went through to the parlor If Sid
ey was alone she would play for her
she had done it many times. But the
arlor was dim and deserted. Cora
ane was turning away disappointed
hen a clear. amused voice foated il.
} her from the piazza.
"How's your pupil getting on. Sid
ey? l was passing the house the other
ay when she was practicing, an-well.
thought l appreciated your virtues be
re, but to spend two hours a week
yer such stupidity as that! Why. she
ever could learn to play if she liveG
be as old as Methuselahi Why don
ou tell her so and not bother with
er any longer?" :
Cora Jane. in the middle of the par
+ door, stood raralyze1; things seemed
cling about her and she grasped a
lair for support. She was not con-
ious that she was listening; she only
1t that all her NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. binr 2