Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-01-28

''YoU MUST GO AGAIN, MADEAIo4sELLE."
shoe to the blaze with a despairing in
difference to the smell of burned
leather
Impossible! Your voice is most
beautiful, and 1 had taught you the
oratorio until you could render it with
closed eyes" the professor expostu-
lated.
The girl sat down, hunting vainly for
her handkerchief
Il don't know what my voice was.
but when l tried to sing for that hor-
rid man this Afternoon l didn't have
any voice of any kind. 1t wabbled,
avoided the tune-did everything-an
finally died away in an asthmatic
gasp" She found the handkerchief.
and it proved TO be too small for the
demand. suspicious limpness indicat-
ing that it had previously seen much
service
Ma pauvre petite The professor
gazed at her perpleXedly. "Ill make
a cup of strongest tea. bitter as the
English and the Americans could wish
for. While we drink it and eat some
crackers and can of the tinieSt sar-
dimes that l have in the back of the
music case you can tell me your de-
preston"
He put the kettle on the alcohol
lamp and drew the piano bench in
front of the fireplace. spreading a sheet
of music for table cover The girl
dried her eyes furtiveIy. and after the
outdoor chill her nerves slowly relax
ed by the comforting gas log. She
watched him with the amused toler-
ance a woman has for 4 mans house
keeping. and when he brought the
''Tannhauser" score to put under the
teapot she forgot her woe long enough
for a faint smile, which the professor
| quickly observed.
"Ah, you are feeling better even now.
and when you have eatsn six of the
little fish and two of the crackers and
ask for n second cup of this well cook
ed tea you may tell me your story
He arranged three of the prescribed
| little fish on n cracker and deity
| squeezed some lemon juice over them
Il believe l am equal to three more.
she said, selecting an unbroken crack
err from the box and holding it while
he angled for the sardines. And now
l must tell you what a failure l made
When my voice stopped with that asth
| matte gasp, l never was so surprised
in my life. / told him l didn't know
what was the matter-Id never had
such an attack before. He said he had
often had candidates for positions il
the choir get so nervous they couldn'1
sing at first and for me to rest a few
minutes and try again.
But / thought how hard l had trief
for that position as soloist and how
hard l had studied with you for tbs
last six months, when the people a
home had scrimped and saved to keeI
me here in the city, and 1 don't know
how l lost my grip, but great big tear:
commenced running down my cheeks
not nice ladylike tears, but the grea
big splashy kind that you can't swal
low and that a real ladylike handker
chief viii not soak up"
She had hung the ladylike handker
chief before the fire to dry, and the
big blond professor, who looked NOR;
like Morse sea king than French
teacher of voice, handed it to her, will
a twinkle in his eye.
Perhaps you might find spo
slightly dry he suggested.
"Its s-silly of me to start of thi
way again. The director told me IL
come again next week and he would
near me-that If 1 could sing in hall
the whole souled way 1 cried l ought
ITO make good You ought to be asham