Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-02-03
MELODY
OWN E
BY BELLE MANDATES

eeessessssssss sssssssssess
Edith Win It looked into the open
fire, whose soft glow intensified her
,clear cut features and softered the
meditative restraint In her beautiful
eyes. 1t was the night of her return
home after an enforced absence abroad
OF six years, which time had been de-
voted TO the care of an invalid father.
Since his death had occurred. two years
before, she had aimlessly travelled and
visited, until now she had decided to
open her old home, so long closed.
On Arnold Graves, organist Of St
Pauls and teacher Of piano, her young
girlish fancy had centered its dreams.
The two hours spent weekly under his
tutelage before she had gone abroad
had been very happy ones to her. She
had met her teacher of music socis w.
and their friendship had been fast
merging into closer relation when
fate had interviewed I'm the shape of the
family physician, who had ordered Mr..
Wilmot TO Switzerland, where their so
1ourn had been prolonged beyond their
original plans.
Edith had carried on q spasmodic
correspondence with Arnold Graves:
but, owing to his sensitiyeness. her nat
ural restraint and the lack OF propin-
guilty, their relations had not changed.
Constantly on her journey home had
come the question to her mind whether
he would find in the woman of twenty
six what had seemed to please him I'm
the girl of twenty. She had written to
him en- route and asked him to call
that evening. He had done so, and
now, after his departure, she sat before
the fire musing on their meeting.
She had I'm these years sometimes
feared lest her girlish inexperience had
read him wrong aud invested him with
qualities that lived only in her own
fancy. She thought she would almost
prefer not to meet him again than to
suffer the loss of her illusions. But
now her broadened nature and wider
experience found him to be all she had
thought him-and more She knew, too,
that her youthful feeling for him had
quickly and suddenly become some
thing else-something that YVES stron-
ger for its long duration. She never
had felt quite sure Of the place she oc-
cupied in his thoughts and feelings,
but tonight she had seen strange
light I'm his eyes when he looked ut
her. Perchsnce the expression had
been there in the days long ago and
she had been too ignorant to translate
IT
She had pursued her musical studies
while abroad. and Arnold had asked
her to come to his studio the next
morning and play to him. She went
at the appointed hour. and after play
Ing few selections there suddenly en-
tered most beautiful young girl
miss Wilmot," introduced Graves,
''let me present my ward and pupil,
Miss Beth Forbes. want you to hear
her sing" he explained TO Edith.
Then, turning to the girl, he asked
her to go into the adjoining room and
look for n certain arin.
He had written casually OF distant
cousin who had been left TO his guard
ianship, but she had supposed his ward
to be n mere child. Beth returned with
the music. So charmingly did she rem
der the aria that Edith felt her heart
going out TO her. though with conflict
ing sensations Riding home she sank
listlessly back in the carriage with a
dull throb of pain In her heart. She
passed most wretched day, full OF
sharpened doubts. 1t seemed to her
that Beth lacked no charm and that no
man could withstand such loneliness.
Arnold's ruling passion was music, and
he must love the girl for her voice
alone.
She wondered II Beth caEcd for him.
She had seen nothing I'm the girls man
ner 10 indicate that she had anything
more than an ordinary affection of a
pupil for her teacher. but then she was
young. and her innocent heart had
probably not yet awakened. Edith
found herself consumed with an in
tense curiosity TO know more OF Ar
nold's young protegee. Yielding to
sudden impulse. she sent Beth note
asking her to spend the following DAY
with her.
Beth accepted eagerly. and, battered
by having aroused the interest OF an
older, more accomplished woman, she
was responsive In the highest degree
TO Edith's advances.
In discussing a popular novel Beth
naiveiy asserted that the woman did
not love the man.
What do you know about love,
Beth?' demanded Edith.
Nothing, only from looking on. Ar
mold says that when sing love songs
tear passion to tatters and that /
never can express the song Of the heart
until have been in love"
They say q pupil never learns to
sing until she falls in love with her
teacher. Mr.. Graves has taught You
70 sing. hasn't hep .-s~
"Yes: he understands voice training.
But Ia never learn to sing love songs
II have TO fall In love with him firstr'
do you think him so impossible
then?"
For me. yes! Arnold doesn't think
of me as n person with an individual
ty- To him i am voice. II couldn't
sing, I'd be devoid or interest In his
eyes. He regards me as scientist does
his specimens"
She paused for reply. Receiving
none, she continued:
did you ever hear any OF his music
al compositions
res Ihey are exquisite"
''They have all been dainty, simple
little numbers. but his last work is far
different 1t Is classical"
''Has 1t been publishedY'
"Not yet He has just finished It. TN
tell you what We'll do. He is coming
for me tonight, you know. When we
are driving this afternoon Well stop at
the house and get the score. 1 know
where 1t Is"
In the evening when Arnold came
Beth told him that she had the manu-
script of his music.
Il am not in the mood to play IL to-
night" he said, hesitating.
You are not to play it," interposed
Beth II have heard it in all its differ
ent stages OF composition. and have 1t
at my fingers ends"
She seated herself at the plano and
commenced playing. She was not an