Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-04-04
This gent,eman-when did he

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
he needed. Even now the evening
song of the hooking bird had filled
him with delight.
The door opened and mis- secretary
stood beside him.
I'm sorry to disturb you," he said,
apologetically. "but there is young
lady here who insists on seeing you.
don't know how to turn her away"
you told her that never see
strangers?" said Mr.. Stahlmann.
Yes 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"
$50? Well, admit her."
A moment later a pale and tremb-
ling girl stood before him.
you wanted to see me?"
She neld out 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 a look
as that. She stood revealed before
him and before herself, just as she
was, foolish, ignorant girl. She
could not hold up her head; she stood
abashed her cheeks flaming, her eyes
filled with hot tears. 81 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 It's 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,
unable to endure the silence.
at 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. 1
thought If l once got people to come,
IL might be able to please them.
Oh, you don't know what it means to
me to succeed just now. I've worked
so hard and there have been SO many
difficulties! worked with people who
didn't understand. If 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. II love it," she cried.
will you play something for me?"
"l-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 moment the
thought trembled in her mind of a
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 a
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
| city outside, seemed full of a peace
and refinement such as her life had
never known. The deeply lined face
above her spoke of things she could
only picture with awe end reverence
Something within her responded deep
ly to this new atmosphere.
The dramatic, overweight MOOD
in which she had come to him gaze
| place to something calm and sweet
The nocturne, with its wistful minor
notes, seemed to be uttering all that
| her tongue would have spoken If II
could. She knew that she was play
ing as she had never played before
There was silence in the room when
she finished. She sat still upon the
stool, quiyering, not daring to raise
her eyes to his. Suddenly her self
control gave away, and she burst into
tears. In the midst of her sobs she
felt hand laid on her shoulder.
Mr.. Stahlmann was speaking to her
and she checked her tears in amaze
ment, for what he was saying seemed
the most wonderful words she hat
ever heard.
Il thank you for the pleasure yor
have given me-" he said, and his sim
pie courtesy touched her to the heart
Don't worry about the posters. YOU
are a pupil of stahlmann. You have
just taken your first lesson" Their
the pressure upon her shoulder grew
heavier. "As for the future, we who
serve so great an art should try tt
keep ourselves pure from unworthy
acts"
The girl caught his hand and press
ed it to her lips, quite unable to speak
Mr.. Stahlman led her, still speech
less, to the door.
after your concert is over" hi
said, come to me in few days fol
your first lesson."-Youth's Compan
ion.
Il