Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-04-04

one CIOSoSu ONSI W SuG uGSh, anu
the clerk pushed the register toward
her. AS she dipped the pen into the
ink her eyes Travelled over the array
of posters on the opposite wall. Yes,
there it was-'Piano Recital by Luel-
la Morgan Wright, pupil of Stahl-
mann"
Her cheeks grew red, her eyes
shone. The name she was about to
write in the register was not entirely
obscure and unknown. The bell-boy
perhaps would recognize it; the clerk,
too, and he would tell the man stand
ing next HMM fancy she could see
them whisper and smile.
She took up the pen eagerly. Then
her hand stopped in mid-air, her face
grew very white. For the name just
above hers on the register was Au-
gust Bernhard Stanlmann, Vienna.
A mist swan before her eyes. Was
she seeing correctly? She looked
helplessly at the clerk.
What is it?" he asked, thinking
that she had spoken.
"This gentleman-when did he
Gomez"
Half an hour ago. Came in on the
Overland"
Half an hour ago! Then he must al
ready have seen those posters. The
letters stared at her as if printed in
fire on the opposite wall. And if he
had seen them what must he think of
the girl who had done this thing!
Mr.. Stahlmann sat at the piano in
his room on the third floor of the
hotel. AS always when he was very
tired, he was finding his rest in music.
He was worn with weeks of concert
playing and the long journey over
land. The mills and skies of southern
California seemed to promise all that
song of the hooking bird had filled
him with delight.
The door opened and mis- secretary
stood beside him.
''Pm sorry to disturb you," he said,
alphabetically, "but there is a young
lady here who insists on seeing you.
don't know how to turn her away"
'You told her that l never see
strangers?" said Mr.. Stahlmann
Eyes but she says she has some
thing to tell you that concerns you
closely"
"The old story. They all say that"
The secretary hesitated. "She
seems in deep trouble of some sort"
80? Well, admit her.
A moment later a pale and tremb-
ling girl stood before him.
you wanted to see me?"
She held out a crumpled poster to
him. Its this" she said. Haven't
you seen it?"
He took the paper from her hand
and glanced over it. Then he raised
his eyes to the frightened girl, and
she felt them studying her face.
Nothing could escape such look
as that. She stood revealed before
him and before herself, just as she
was, a foolish, ignorant girl. She
could not hold up her head; she stood
abashed her cheeks flaming, her eyes
filled with hot tears. Il came and
told you about it, anyway" she broke
out at last. Wasn't that something's"
The grave eyes, still resting upon
her, wandered over the details of her
dress with its gaudy coloring and bit
of cheap jewelry at the neck. They
rested upon ner hair, her face-last
of all upon her hands. Still he said
nothing, and so she broke out again,
al
ct was my concert, sir. So much
depends on it. They told me it was
the only way to get an audience, to
use some big name like yours. I
thought if I once got people to come,
II might be able to please them.
me to succeed just now. I've worked
so hard and there have been so many
difficulties! 1 worked with people who
didn't understand. If l should sue
coed with this concert / could do so
many things for mother-and the chill
dren. You see we're so poor ~" Her
voice broke.
At last he spoke, and his voice, al
though grave, was kind. "You are
very fond Of music?"
Out of the depths of the girls hum
iliation a sudden light illumined her
face. Il love it," she cried
'WilI you play something for me?"
''I-play for you?"
Eyes, if you are willing"
Uncertain, hesitating, almost over
powered with confusion, she took her
seat upon the stool. She realized for
the first time the measure Of her own
incompetence. Just for a moment the
thought trembled in her mind of
brilliant fantasy with which she
meant to open her concert. But the
strange new doubt of herself that was
upon her led her to choose instead
little nocturne of Chopin.
At first her fingers shook so that
the notes were weak and uncertain,
but gradually, as she played, her
nerves grew calm. This quiet room,
raised so far above the noise of the