The Washington times., 1901-09-22
0ne OF fhe Ofher8

! The cornet player looked for her that
| evening among the dancers. Presently he
I saw her. She danced exquisitely: he had
l somehow known that by instinct. Her
| partner was the Harvard student, who
appeared. on the ground OF old acquaint-
| anceship, to have annexed her frankly
| from the moment of her arrival
She was small and bright and charming.
and the sort Of girl who was popular
| among girls as well as men. A crowd
gathered about her always, on vcranda or
tenni. court. She and the Harvard stu
| dent were the leaders Of every scheme
that. in the days following her advent
kept the big hotel In an eddy Of LIE and
| gayety.
The cornet player got to watch her with
an almost morbid interest. loneliness
that was perhaps less for her than for the
! world she typfned. His longing had grown
| upon fisa bit by bit till 1t was passion
/ that -gripped his brain night and day. IL
/ might seem a futile thing. but he had
brooced over 1t until 1t was real to him.
/ He had never spoken to the girl. but he
knew every tone of her voice. every echo
| of her laughter. His whole being moved
| with her each minute Of the day. He
hated the men whom she chatted and
/ danced with, because they belonged by
| birthright to her world.
| "El Captain" was the new two step that
| summer. 1t was a favorite at the hotel
Sometimes the girl would step UP to the
rostrum and ask the pianist II they would
mind playing 1t, and the cornet player
hated the pianist then savagely for his
chance OF a commonplace word and smile.
| One evening the chance arrived to HIM
| self. 1t was during the interval-thc big
4 h,l
stretched themselves. adjusted their wilt
ed collars, and strolled of to the bar. The
cornet player was sitting with his instru-
ment across his knees, and his head rest
ing wearfly in his hands. A rustic Of silk
aroused him, and he lifted his head to see
the girl seated on the edge of the rostrum-
Her partner had disappeared after a glass
of Ice water.
Il wonder If you've got pin?' she
said to the cornet player LOOK. I've put
my foot through the fiouncel
II believe So" he said. awkEardly. 'In
see." He was feeling along under the
edge Of his waistcoat. Presently his ing-
ers encountered a pin. and ne drew It oGt
and handed 1t to her. Can dc, 1t for
you?' ,sr,,.
Why. thank you." the girl said, He
dropped on one knee, and she watched
him gather the torn lace together deity.
When he stood up again her grey eyes
rested for a moment upon his flushed
face. -,
I've sometimes thought" she said alb
ruptly. you know. you play for US here
every night-do you ever get tired?"
'Tired?" said the cornet player. with a
queer smile. He moved one foot on the
floor. ''Oh, we aren't paid to get tiredr
There was something in his voice that
Jared upon her. 1t was as IL she had
laid her hand upon an obstacle unexpect-
edly in the dark. She wondered at him.
Il didn't know" she said hastily. 1T
just occurred to me. / should think you
must. sometimes. and you're always SO
nice about it OF course, we don't ever
get tired dancing. But that's different
Maybe we don't always just reaiize-
You don't have to realize,' said the
cornet player. His voice sounded alien TO
him. It was no longer himself speaking:
it was outside force. the voice Of his
thoughts sweeping past him. You don't
have to. It's all right for you to dance:lt 6
you were born for it. But did you never g
think that perhaps there were others who
weren't? Do you ever think what 1t must
be like to be one of those who've got.
do the playing all the time and never the
dancing? Always stand aside and inst
watch the others? I'm not Just thinking :
of myself" He had strange moment ef;
not caring what he said I've got a Sis
ter in the city. She's prettier than half
the girls here and she dances as well.
and she sells ribbons behind a counter
All the pleasure she's had in her whole
life wouldn't cost what you spend here
in a day. / wonder what you'd think, II
you only saw things from outside-aH
the enjoyment-just look on. and play for
other people, and keep right on, playing.
all the time
He stopped. The girl was regarding
him with wide, troubled eyes. But
but she stammered. You sit here.
and joke among yourselves-you and the
others . I never thought 1t was
like that. 1 never knew you-you cared,
that wayT'
"Caredr' the cornet player laughed.
Pm Twenty-Five" he said, and I've
earned my own living since I was fifteen.
Twenty-Five. It's a great age. Fm sup
posed to be beyond caring fer anything
any ordinary everyday pleasure. I'm
supposed to get along just as easy with
out 1t. I shall be thirty before So very.
long, and then / suppose l shan't care
Maybe III be by way Of getting it then
when don't want it any morer'
There was a silence. The outburst had
passed and was leaving his commonplace
self He stood before her hot and awk-
ward, profoundly ashamed.
There was a catch in the girls voice.
Il shall always hate dancing nowa she
cried-"always. l shall!'
Don't do that" said the cornet player.
He smiled at her Il want you to dance.
Don't think that. 1 like to watch you"
He was groping for words to apoi-
ogixe. "OnlylI guess L was crazy" he
said Il had no business-I don't know
whatever made me talk that way
He faced her. shamefaced, hating him
self deeply. and saw through mist pity
and kindness looking at him out OF her
grey eyes. He fumbled with his collar
Il understand" she said. softly. Il.
think L understand. And please don't
think we've don't ever care at ALL 1
shall always remember it-always."
Thank you" - He caught his
breath hard and turned away. bending
his head over the heaped music on the
piano top. Across the floor he wss aware
of the Harvard student returning with
the glass of ice water. People were COM
ing in by twos and threes from the We
randa The two musicians loitered back
jadedly. tucking their handkerchfefs; once
more round their necks, and scowling at
the clock as they passed
The pianist sat down, feeling for the
pedal with his foot, and glanced at the
score of ''El Captain on the coruet play
ers stand. ''Oh. this id old tlsingr' he
murmured wearily.
Five minutes later his hands were rae
ing over the keys with a vicious swing
and force-the carelessness of long prac-
tice.