The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1906-01-26
A MUSICAL
ATTACH M E Mt
Nv CERTIE De 8. WEBSTER
tCopy tight, 1905, by Joseph b. Bowies.l
IN Two SOnloquies, q y,
and Two Letters.)


She Ito her needle)-There's nothing
more annoying than being a woman,
unless It Is the fact hat leap year
m 30 seldom, and you've been too
well brought up to make use Of 1t
when 1t does turn up.
1t seems 80 absurd for me TO be
living in one fiat with a chaperon,
while Mark inhabits another below
with an elderly h~ousekeeper. What q
saving of expense 1t would be to dis
miss tho chaperon and the ~housekeep-
er, and to have one fat between us!
not to mention the advantages OF
companionship lie would gain by such
an arrangement.
/ can't understand why he doesn't
propose to me. 1 am sure he loves
mel can see 1t in his eyes. and you
can never mistake a mans eyes-that
is IL they are dark ones like Marks.
with two rings round the pupil.
He's got plenty Of money. for, be-
sides his profession, which must bring
him in an awful lot Che is singing
somewhere every mighty, l know he
has a private income. We are 80
well suited to each other In every way
except one, of course, but Of my def
cheney in that respect he knows moth
ing, for that (pointing to something
near the piano. keeps up my little de-
ception for me.
However, that piece Of pretense, OF
which I am heartily ashamed now,
seems no good. . 1t serves me right
for spending $3.50 just for the purpose
OF making a man in a fiat below think
that I was a desirable wife for a pro-
fessional singer. Bah! III sell 1t.
It must strike him as very strange
that, calling so often as he does, he
10 never shown into my b%oudoir-I al
ways tell him it's too untidy to be
seen.
Oh. dear, II. as Corneille says: DE
ceit is a game played only by small
minds" how very infinitesimal my
brain must be! Well, it's no good
stopping at home doing needlework
that is absolutely useless, Just with
the hope that a laggard wooer may
call. I'm going out, and I'll put an ad-
vertisement in the Exchange columns
OF Woman's Wisdom, and see If any
misguided person will take that (point-
ing near piano. and give me a Persian
kitten and a sealskin cape for 1t.
(Exit.)
He Ito his pipe)-Blow 1t! I don't
allude to my sentiments regarding cir
cumstances and fate. How much sweet
er you would taste, my friend, IL you
had been filled by her dainty fingers
and If she were sitting opposite to me
there ready to relight you IL you went
out-a contretemps which I fancy
might often occur If she and I were
together alone.
Pah! What's the good Of day-dream-
ing? 1t can never be. How could
marry a woman who would be always
using the piano when l wanted to prac-
tice? l could not ask her to give
1t up, because playing like hers could
have only been acquired by years OF
indefatigable study. It's true I've only
heard 1t through a ceiling and a floor
hut those seem merely to act as res.
orators and to accentuate the marvel
Gus ~distinctness and liquid purity Of
each run and trill.
Paula's practicing is of a very VI
usual order, and her repertoire pecul.
iarly circumscribed. She v at
lacks scales or any technical exercises
but only plays seven pieces. which
strikes me as being a strange and
Heterogeneous selection. "R~hapsodie.'
Of Liszt; the Jolly Monk Polka
Beethoven's Funeral March," "Ls
Czarine," a "Ballade" Of Chopin's
"Maisie Is a Daisy" and a Bacf
"Fugue," l can't understand 1t, but
all know is that this accomplishment
o. hers must stand between US and oul
happiness.
may be q conceited fool to say
sour" but l can't help thinking some
how that she cares-there is a certain
curve at the corner Of her mouth whey
she smiles, and you can eve mistak,
the meaning of a woman's smile wher
she has dimples.
Perhaps she would give It up? All,
no, l couldn't be such a brute as t.
ssk her, and sven If she did, I shoult
know that after We were married hel
little heart and fingers were yearninl
after the Polka" or the "Fugue," ant
that she was thinking Of all she hat
renounced for the sake OF being TICK
to q long-haired professional singer.
And then, again, she might want Il
accompany me. which would inevitabl,
lead to Quarrels Il have lever yet beeI
friendly with an accompanist for NOR,
than . month";, so I must renounce m,
dream Of woman's love. and art mus
forever be my mistress. I'LL just q
and call at No. Q for the last time
though as the Internal plano is quie
It is probable she may be out. How
I. ever, Ill try my luck, and after that
my friend, you and l must grow oil
and seasoned alono together (put
q - H. 49, n.tkN La.N yAa. -."a