The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-10-15

reply TO some visitors query. "Oh,
you must mean Lucille She plays
beautifully She is a perfect genius
and only seventeen! Really. you
must hear her
Then perhaps they would go in
search OF Lucille and present her to
the questioncr and then usually the
guest would ask Lucille to play: and
Lucille. with a little added color. would
shyly comply. The visitor, whether
musical or not, almost invariably was
interested and pleased and sometimes
surprised by the girls delicacy of
touch and expression. she plays re-
markably we'll; and she is young" was
the usual Judgment. Are your family
musicale"
My mother used to play" Lucille
always replied quietly. so quietly that
questioners never asked her why her
mother no longer played Sometimes
they ask the other girls, in Lucile'S
absence; and Beth Burns usually re-
piled:
Yes, Lucile's mother used to play
years ago. before Lucille can rcmcm-
Der much. Mother says she played
much better than Lucille She probably
would have been famous. but she
burned one of her hands 1t was when
Lucille was four years old Her
mother left her for a moment. and
Lucille set her dress afire with some
matches; and her mother took her
right in her arms and put the fire
out with her hands-her beautiful.
wonderful hands, She burned one so
badly that it is all stiff. 1t doesn't
lhow much but she never could play
again; and she's never been very well
lince then, either. 1t hurt her nerves
'Ome way. Lucille just adores her"
Beth never tired of singing the
praises of Lucille and Lucile's mother.
They just adore each other. Lucille
0pends all her time our Of school doing
things for her mother They used
TO be rather rich, but they aren't now.
Lucile's father died four years ago:
and Lucille and Jim-little imp-are
the only children"
Beth was thus discoursing one even
ing TO Herr Won Neister a German
pianist, for whom the school was civ.
ing small reception. Her Won AGeister
had honored his hostesScS ana their
other guests by playing three times
for them. Then he courteously re-
peated his request that some of the
music pupils play for him. Il will
polite be- lie said to himself. He
mad heard so many music pupils play!
When mt 4 word from the music
teacher, Lucille. with her white dress.
her shy blue eyes and her Gretchen
like braids of brown hair. went to the
piano. he sighed patiently 10 himself.
and then prepared to give his polite
attention to the expected performance.
american Frauleins, dey bang. oder
3ey tinkle,' he said 10 himself.
After one or two measures Herr
Won Meister sat straight up in his
chair. This American Fraulein
neither banged" nor "tlnklpd" She
played, not wonderfully. but well, and
with touch that was ut once charm
ing and original
"Nill YOU once more play, Fraulein?"
was his only comment. as she finished
the nocturne The color deepened i'm
Lucile's checks. IF only mother were
here" she thought
Wont you como. mother" she had
urged; but the little mother. who also
had blue eyes and curling brown hair.
had shaken her head
Not tonight dear You know /
have all the doctors next article to
roDy. / must do some Of it tonight"
TO thinl; of you doing typewriting
when, il st hadn't been for me. YOU
might have been playing Beethoven
before kings and qucensl You should
have thought of that. mother when
when you didn't"
Her mother laughed mcrrily "NIv
dear, so / might but 1 prefer you.
fhlnk. to playing Beethoven before
Sings and queens"
Lucille could never forget that for
her, and through her. her mother had
iOst the power to- play the music with
her fingers she plays it with her
life" the imaginative daughter said
TO herself Everything She does SIS
beautiful music"
She was thinking thus tenderly of
her mother. when Herr Won Mcistcr
asked her TO play once more "Beeth-
oven you can| he added and Lucille
smiled, her mother loved Beethoven.
"shc viii Doe so happy because ne
asked mo tuot" Lucille thought. and
She smiled to herself and played one