The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-02-28

|
mistake!"
Nov, what's mistaken" said John
Free. Il just want to know"
Mother" cried the girl, her voice
still thick with sobs, tits gone! Our
dreams gone, mother! I-I-oh, /
can't-sing." She sank to q chair,
her head fell to the table, and sobs such
as the old room had never heard be-
fore crowded upon one another in hot,
passionate succession.
Something's happened to your
voice, Rhoda?' asked the oil farm
er, timidly.
She grew more quiet then. oh, no,
pa" she said, 'nothing's happened 10
it. 1t never was there. | never could
sing"
Wei I guess We know better than
that. And whoever said"
Now, pa" broke in Mrs. Free, this
is no time for arguing. Come right up
| to the fire, Dodie, and We'll get off
those wet things and get good hot
drink. You'll take your death of cold
sitting there as though no one cared
whether you were wet or dry!"
After her feet were warm, and she
had taken the hot tea her mother had
made for her, and the old surroundings
had taken little of the sting from her
wound, the girl began casting about
in her mind for words which would
not distress her parents. They were
sitting on each side of her, eager to
know, and yet reluctant to ask ques-
tons which would bring pain, their
sorrow, after all, tempered with glad
ness because she was at home.
You see, pa" she began, quietly,
there are no really great singers
round here. am the best there is,
and so. because can sing a little. Miss
Parsons--all of us, made mistake and
thought | had great voice, when |
haven't"
But l cant see" began the old
farmer
Now, pa" protested his wife, Just
let Rhoda tell it,"
The city is full of good singers,
mother. They come from all over the
country. There are thousands of
them who can sing better than l can"
Now | don't believe that" cried
her father slapping his knee hard.
The girl smiled at him fondly
You'll have to believe it, pa. for my
teacher, one of the best in the whole
city, said So
He did, did he? Well what had you
done to make him mad? There's
something behind it,"
''oh, no, pa. And you mustn't resent
it. 1t was very kind of him. He
might have gone on taking our money
for long time, but he didn't you see.
He was very good"
Hum grunted John Free. dubi-
ously.
And he was so very kind about it.
It was after my lesson. and was
standing there, putting on my gloves.
when he looked over at me in a strange
Kind Of way and asked me just what I
hoped to make Of my voice. | didn't
quite know what TO say, and then he
asked me pointblank if | expected to
make money out of it, to make back
the money ! was putting into it-then
he asked me something about our cir
cumstances, here at home. oh very
kindly, pa" as an angry exclamation
burst from the old farmer,-"and when
told him we wern't rich, that-that
it had been an effort, you know, he
looked at me very Guoerly, and then
he sat down and told me the truth"
She hesitated, and then went on with
little catch in her voice: And in
spite of all I've suffered, thank him
from the bottom of my heart"
Her mother reached over and took
one of her hands. Just what did he
say, Dodie?"
Merely tnat it wasn't great,
mother; that it wasn't worth the
money we would have to put into it.
He says voices can be made now with
out much TO start on, but it takes a
long time and a great expenditure, and
when there are so many who have
have something good to begin with,
why my voice would bring us nothing
disappointment. And | can see
that he's right.
He says it's a nice little home
voice" she went on, trying to smile,
but that is all it ever will be, you
know, and | cant afford to pay five
dollars lesson for-don't you see,
mother?"
Mrs. Free only pressed her child's
hand tighter, fighting the lump which
kept rising in her own throat.
Il wasn't very philosophical about it
at first" continued the girl, her voice
shaking as if it might give way with
any word. "Of course ! didn't cry
or make any fuss before him, and told
| him so, and that | wouldn't take any
more lessons. Oh-he was so good
| about it! He told me that we couldn't
all have great voices in this world: I:
that it wasn't our fault of we didn't
have them, and that if we did the best
we could with what we had, there was
nothing to be ashamed of. He shook
hands with me, and said he had liked
me so much, and that it was Just be