Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-02-13
A VIOLIN
SOLO
BY r. Il. LANCASTER.
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Copyright, 1901, by Authors syndicate

After Elanor had pushed her hair
back with both hands and said she
would never, never so much as think
about it, the question of Aunt Euba's
will appear to be settled SO far as
the Nalcombs were concerned.
What Henry Walton said and did,
no one knew. lie was a lonely man.
living somewhere in lodgings, and
had no confidant.
The Valcombs sighed in secret.
Half a hundred thousand dollars
seemed such a desirable adjunct; but
! of course Elanor was right. No one
wished her 10 make an uneongenial
marriage for the barefaced purpose
of replenishing the family purse.
Still IL might not have been uncon-
genial. II only she would consent to
Investigate. But at the suggestion
she whirled upon them.
"Mammon," and then, in direst
seorn: "You people must think me
bereft of self-respect"
Later on she set aside heroics and
told them that She would work for
them cheerfully but that She would
not sell herself for pelf No; not if
ten thousand Aunt Eubas made as
many thousand conditional wills and
/ left the wealth Of the Indies in fee
simple. And this, indeed, did set
tie it.
Elanor returned to town and her
small rooms mp six flights, and went
10 work on her cartoons with re-
doubled energy The rest Of the fam
/ ily remained in the country trying TO
realize that Aunt Euba had died at
last and left her namesake- penni-
less Their castles had tumbled
about their ears. And Henry Wal
ton2 Nobody knew anything about
him, not even where he lived
Elanor worked hard, telling her
self between whites that she was not
disappointed: that She had never ex-
pected 10 inherit anything from her
cranky relative sit IS nobler TO earn
ones bread by the sweat of ones
brow than 10 live al ease in ones
own town house" But well, after
series of rounds with the editors,
the sweat OF the brow seemed to be
more in evidence than either noble
ness or bread
II was with distinct sigh that the
young cartoonist put away the re-
mains of her simple supper and sank
down on the rug before the FIRE. And
then IL was that she first heard the !
violin. Some one in the next room
began playing low sweet reverie
of sound as though the player was
dreaming OF other days. Eleanor |
found herself forgetting the harass- |
ing present and drifting backward to
the times of her careless-hearted |
childhood when she was a wild young |
tomboy with all a boys sense of
honor and a girls willfulness. Wen,
she had wound up by drawing car
toons. she was making a living for
herself and helping the home folk.
Not much compared with all those
beautiful poetic ideals OF youth. but
stiIl something. This was the frame
of mind that the solo left with het
and she went to bed grateful for
The next evening she hurried
her tea and laid down on
the rug in eager anticipation. The
violin did not fail her. Softly, sweet
" as before, II began its story. But
il was no longer her story that il
told. She felt her sympathies yearn-
ing vaguely toward an unknown sad,
ness. What was il the violin whis-
Dered Of as IL faltered on through
those bars Of exquisite melancholy?
without, songs of birds,
fields of flowers with the hum of
Dees-lonely, lonely as Of
snow-capped and desolate.
II came to her at last that il was
he heart of the player that had
,rept into the violin's song; without
,ausinp to reflect Eleanor felt sud
lenly sorry for her unknown neigh
,or Sympathy rushed in with
rush of warmth and the violin fall
cred on. She fell to dreaming and
or the first time in many months
Ter own ego did not obscure her
ision. Compared to that lonely life
,ext door how much had She 20 be
thankful for!
Evening after evening through that
ong dark winter the violin's music
tole out upon the siNth-story still =
less. singing so sweetly its wistful
ong: and day by day the girl :
aimed in strength and purity. The :
ditors no longer received her work y
gith a wrinkle between their brows,
ut occasionally their eyes creased at
he corners, and their checks grew ,
,rrer. EIanor thanked them with
er lips. but her heart gave its graft j.
ude 10 the violin.
One day they met; it was strange .
hat they had not met before since =
9th had lived so long on the same ="
DOR. and Elauor did not know that
e was the man who played the vio .