The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-09-19

members of her class would begin. In
reply to some visitors query. "Ob.
you must mean Luciie. She plays
beautifully. She is perfect genius
and only seventeen! Really. you
must hear her.
Then perhaps they would go in
search of Lucille. and present her, 10
the questioner, 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 well: 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 Luciles
absence; and Beth Burns usually re-
piled:
Yes, Lucile's mother used to play
years ago, before Lucille can remcm-
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 1t is all stiff II doesn't
show much, but she never could play
again; and she's never been very well
since then, either. 1t hurt her nerves
some way. Lucille just adores her."
Reth never tired OF singing the
praises of Lucille and Luclle's mother.
They just adore each other. Lucille
spends all her time out 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 Meister. Il German
pianist, for whom the school was Civ
ing small reception. Her Won Meister
had honored his hostesses and 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. II will
polite be-" he said to himself. He
had heard so many music pupils play!
When at a word from the music
teacher, Lucille. with her white dress,
her shy blue eyes aud her Gretchen
like braids of brown hair. went to the
piano, he sighed patiently to himself.
and then prepared to give his polite
attention to the expected performance.
American Franleins. dey bang. oder
dey tinlile." he said to himself.
After one or two measures Herr
vnn Meister sat straight up in his
chair. This American Fraulein
neither banged" nor "tinkled." She
played, not wonderfully, but well, and
with touch that was at once charm
ing and original.
''Vill You once more play. traulein:'
was his only comment. as she finished
the nocturne. The color deepened in
Lucile's checks. IF only mother were
here"' she thought.
won't you come. 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 tho doctors next article. to
copy. / must do some of IT tonight"
ITO think OF you doing typewriting
when, il ii hadn't been for me. you
might have been playing Beethoven
before kings and queens! You should
have thought of that, mother, when
when You didn't"
Her mother laughed merrlly. my
dear, so l might. but l prefer you,
think, to playing Beethoven before
kings and queens"
Lucille could never forget that for
her, and through her her mother had
lost the power to play the music with
her fingers. ''She plays 1t with her
life." the imaginative daughter said
to herself. Everything she does is
beautiful musicY
She was thinking thus tenderly OF
her mother. when Herr Won MeisteI
asked her to play once more. "Beeth-
oven--you can?" he added; and Lucille
smiled; her mother loved Beethoven.
"She will be so happy because he
asked me that" Lucille thought, and
she smiled to herself. and played onr
of the andante movements. Il wish
could remember how she played it,
she lifted her face, still softly smiling
with thoughts of her mother. to Herr
Won Meister, as he in turn stood and
smiled down at her.
Mein liebes Fraulein. we're is II yor
study? We're Is ii you get your--touch
We VIII say?" lie asked her
My mother used to play beauti
fully, every one tells me- said Lucille
. as usual. ''She has taught me some
and Miss Willis teaches me now" sh,
added, turning to the music teacher
But mother listens at home wher
she has time-and | love music
But, pein liebes Fraulein." sal,
Herr Won Meister. ''it Is to German,
you should go. In America Il is no