The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-30

/ nave Deen is unfortunate as you, ana
1 see no reason for despoiling myself of
| everything"
| Mary Taussig looked about her at the
| familiar, beautiful room. The fire danced
! in the great fireplace: the pictures she
| and her husband had selected together
| looked at her from the walls; her chair
| stood in its accustomed place by the read
| ing table. Beyond, IN the dining-rom, she
/ caught the CLEAN of the cnina and crys-
| tai she had enthusiastically selected in
| happier days. The beauty and the asso-
| citation of these material things called
| to her with a thousand tempting voices.
| Her face grew white.
Il will take the child,' she said. 81
! will choose CIaribel."
| The next morning, leading her Swear
| old daughter by the hand, she opened the
| door of her house for the last time. At
the ultimate moment she turned and
| looked back upon her land of lost de-
! lights.
Ten years later Mary Taussig and her
| daughter entered the Auditorium on Fri
day afternoon for the pleasure of listen
! ing to a concert by the Chicago orchestra.
| Mary Taussig walked with the independ-
ent step of one who is IN the habit Gof
walking alone. There was a clear and
sad light in her gray eyes. Her brow
! had grown loftier than it has been in the
| days of her youth. Dignity and patience
and kindness spoke in her every feature.
AS she moved along in her violet-colored
garments no woman in the audience that
day, young or old, had a personality so
appealing and SO picturesque. About her
young daughter there appeared to be
something unfielled The face wore an
l
enchanting restlessness of a young girl,
but something suggestive Of more def
mite regret and deprivation. With the
frank disregard of beauty, which the
young can afford to assume, the girl had
accustomed herself in black. Black plumes
shaded her face; her little chin was hid
den in her sombre furs, and the delicate
hand with which she pressed down he
theater chair was gloved in black.
This slender hand caught the casual
glance of the gentleman occupying the
next seat. and he followed it with his
eyes till it rested on the owners lap.
Still its fragile contour held him, as if
it awakened memories, and he sat staring
at it idly. with no care apparently, to
lift his eyes higher.
1t was not till after the music had be-
gun and one of the too obvious descrip-
tive symphonies of a certain modern COM
poser began to make its insistant way
into the comprehension Of the audience
that he choose to lift his eyes. When he
beheld the face of the young grill next
him a strange and comDrehending light
stole into his face, and his fixed regard
caused the girl td return his gaze. For
a moment perpleXity had its way with
her. Then an EXPRESSION of awe, almost
in hnr
quietly and naturally, the two knew each
other for father and daughter, meeting
after ten years.
There was no need of Claribers soft
pressure on her mothers arm to make
er acquainted with the fact that Ma
than Taussig sat there beside them She
had noticed him when she stood in the
isle waiting for her daughter to precede
her. y mist clouded her sight, and she
seemed for a moment as if death was
actually knocking at her house Of life
But she forced herself to calmness and
seated herself
1t was fate, no doubt. From the day
she left her own home she had not lived
in Chicago. For a time she and her
daughter had known peaceful English
country life; for years she had lived in
quiet, beautiful Massachusetts village
where Claribel had attended school For
the first time she had returned to Chi
cago. What likelihood she had asked her
self. was there of meeting Nathan Taus-
sig in city of 100000 souls? Yet here,
on the first occasion in which she had
ventured into public place she had met
him! II was fate, no question.
The music had changed. The orchestra
was giving to the people the most rev
erent thoughts of a master. True and
sweet was the serene major harmony
and the dew of its beauty fell into the
very cisterns Of the heart. In the tremb-
ling young girl Of the sable garment It
a~oke q world Of tenderness. Tire long
ing and dissatisfaction from which she
had suffered took concrete form in heT
Imagination.
It was her father that she wanted-her
fathers love, her fathers guidance. his
authority As the rivulets Of spring dance
down the hillside 70 find the river. so her
soul sought that of her father TIE music
'yearning Ike god IN pain, .npelied her
TO indulge IN an exquisite Impulse. She
slipped the glove from her warm and
quivering fingers and laid them softly
softly as 4 kis-Eithin the hand # the
man beside her. on his part there vas
second s hesitation rs II the faithful
nerves OF his hand had not told his ach-
ing heart tEe trath. Then, with a gasp
such as Z sinful one might take upon an
angels robe, he clOesd his hand upon that
Of the G5rl and over the two spread a
| happiness ike the balm Of a sIarii, sum
mer niEht.
TIE concert ended in tine. The thee
arose. They faced each other. Each
looked beautiful 10 the eyes Of the rest
crowd passed along the sisles- L would
| have been p-0fane 10 have said anything
commonplace. Yet & was no place for an
! extraordinary wcg1- II was Ciari5el VINO
first found courage 70 speak
1t IS strange thai you knew ms" she
said 10 her father. Tel ne. waz il voGE
/ eyes cr yogr heart taat frst Informed yog
who ! w2ss'
II cannot tell But now that We have
met. are We 10 psrt2'' His eyes asked The
/ question Of the elder woman. though Il
was the ycuassT ona he addressed.
Nathan Taussigs sad BIS Esfs. let
( the EIrt have her rights She wants you
and needs yo1. Take her horne wita you
fer 2 time"
But yaa must come too. Mar. come.
life IS going fast Let rs BE- AZ pace.
WAT were the old faeds2 I have forget
/ ten What the- were al ah11t- aulg
remember how lonely I an
who am : sala Mar T4asslg wIth
those divine melodies 4 tire master sfE
ringing IA her ssal ~ghst Z sso8sd re-
fuse &c yak IA the path appointed Tor
~ feet"
| the street. and 50 kcne-