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

she cr6pC SllertISfa AAOule ike some
wounded creature.
She could not eat any supper that
night, and the organ was untouched.
She was not sick, she said, only tired !:
she guessed she'd go up stairs Cora
lanes father wandered restlessIy eft
don't seem right without the music, y
he said to his wife.
mo. il DON'T she agreed with a
troubled glance toward the front room
They were both very silent that even
ing.
The next morning Cora Jane went
about her work as usual, but she did
NOT practice. She sent a note 10 Sid
ney by a neighbor. Promptly after din
4 ner Sidney came over, the note in her
hand
Il want to know what this means,
Cora Jane?" she cried. The idea of
giving up lessons when you've been do
ing so well. It's just nonsense"
Cora Jane turned her hopeless face
to the window.
1T isn't nonsense" she answered
duly. Il was in the parlor yesterday
and 1 heard what you said on the
! piazza. [ didn't mean to listen-I
didn't think anything about the listen
| ing part till afterward But 1 heard,
and l know now it amt no use. You
/ said so yourself"
:.
Jane, deari" she cried pityingly.
Cora Jane did not move. You don't
know anything about it, she answer
ed. You can't"
There was silence moment. When
Sidney spoke it was With an evident
effort. You think / don't, dear, but
do. I'll tell you about it, and how
was helped. 1 loved music always,
but I wanted to sing the way you
want to play, Cora Jane. l hadn't any
voice, but | thought it would grow
| strong through training and l took
| lessons for two years. Then finally the
professor told me that it wasn't any
use, that l was just wasting money
and strength and time over something
! that l never could have. ] felt so bad
ly over it and 1 was proud, too, and
! felt mortified. l vowed that I'd never
sing another note as long as I lived
! Mother missed it, / knew She didn't
J care if my singing was poor, she loved
! to hear me, but she was too good to
urge me to what she knew would
/ hurt. SO it went on for months Then
! ] heard sermon. l can't tell YOU
about it, Well. I've forgotten all the
! life here was just the beginning of
| life, that it, all the real and true of it.
| was going on forever, and that in the
| forever would come the satisfaction
in some sweet, unknown way. of all
our desires; the answer to all our
lodgings. And then-it was foolish of
me, for I know it would have been
| the same of any other thing that
wasn't spoken of-but [ remembered
! how much the Bible says of song, and
/ knew that my music would be given
me there-and l could wait | went
down and sang to mother that night
When l saw her face l realized how
selfish L had been. I've sung for her
ever since. I'm going to use my little
here, and not worry because it isn't
more. That will all be made right,
bye-and-bye."
Cora Jane was looking at her now,
overwhelmingly. Go on" she
pleaded, as Sidney hesitated.
It's this way dear. Perhaps you
cannot ever play some OF my music,
but many people don't care for that
kind at all; it's the musician heart in
you that makes you love it and under
stand. But there must be ever so
many people in the village here who
love hymns and songs and variations,
aren't there?"
Yes" Cora Jane answered. sheI
was thinking of her father and THE
Old Oaken Bucket
And you can give them SO much
pleasure, Cora Jane,if you are not
faint smile, and she added, quietly, TIL
be ready for my lesson tomorrow and |
thank you
She went resolutely to the organ when
Sidney left. That evening she played |
while her father and mother listened. |
Her father sat with his head Leaned !
back against the wall and his eyes
closed; when she nlayed The Old
oaken Bucket he i6oked up content
edly.
Folks can play all the new tangled
things they want he remarked, but
that's good enough music fer me any
tine-eh, mother?"
And mother answered with a tender
smile, There amt anything prettier
to me, father"
The next winter Sidney received a
note from Cora Jane 1t was nearly
all about her music. I'm playing in
the Sunday school now" she wrote II
can't be glad enough that you didn't let
me give up. When Miss Elkins left
there didn't seem to be anyone else to
play there, and there wouldn't have
been if you hadn't made me- And
play for father every night, and I'm
teaching little Sadie Norris something
to surprise her mother. | don't feel
badly over it any more; l don't, truly.
I've found out some things about peo-
pie that / never guessed before, and
one is that nearly everybody has some
wish put away like mine. When 1
found out that, l was ashamed to be
blue over mine any more. That was
when l really began to try to use my
music ALL could. And after all, l guess
I'm as happy when people like it
using it so for them, 1 mean-as 1
would have been for myself l can wait
for my time in the forever"
Sidney folded the letter with tender
fingers and tucked the envelope in a
corner of her mirror. That's to help
me to be brave" she said, with quick
And Cora Jane. playing over faith
fully the simple airs that were all that
he message that her poor music was
to either hearts That will be
one of the joys of Cora James for
sver ''--Nahel NnlSnn Tyh1rStnn in .