Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1908-07-03
THE LITTLE
MOTHER
By OWEN OLIVER
(Copyright.)

1uUO Tue luuU6r TOOTH anu Slu6 W Lu0
old newspapers and boxes and pre-
tend that they were thousands of peo-
pie.
Nobody else seemed to think any
thing OF my voice except father. He
praises everything I do, so he doesn't
count. He even praised the way I
kept house, just after mother died,
when was only II.
When I grew bigger thought that
my voice might be rather good If had
lessons; but knew that father couldn't
afford them Che is an author), and I
couldn't spare time from the house
keeping. So I gave up the idea Of be-
ing a great singer, and only sang be-
cause liked singing.
When I was 16 one of fathers novels
was success at last. So we paid off
the bills and the money that father
had borrowed, and ne bought me a
new piano; the curate's wife gave me
some lessons, because had taught
myself, and didn't finger properly.
One day she accompanied some
songs for me; and then she made me
sing at the concert for the church
organ. After that they asked me to
sing at all the concerts in the town.
loved to hear my voice in the great
hall and to make it sound the very
best it would, and to feel as If the &C.
compartment was a sea of music and
u was swimming in it, and was moth
ing but voice, and the world was
nothing but music.
I sang better than usual at a con-
cert just after was II, and they made
me sing the second encore twice. It
was the one that called Dicks Song"
to myself, but didn't tell other peo-
PIE. He had won two scholarships
and was going away to Oxford next
term. and that made me think about
him when sang it.
When I had finished singing and
went back to my seat beside father he
was talking to a big old gentleman,
with long white hair and an enormous
red nose, and blue eyes, and smile
that made you like him directly. He
vas very nice to me when father in
troduced him.
glanced at his card, which he
handed me, and then remembered.
*sWhy!" I cried. "You are the Mr..
Arten, who brings out all the great
.singers!"
Il want to bring out one more" he
said. 'Your voice will never be alb
solutely at the top of the first rank
i will not deceive you-but people will
think that it is, through your wonder.
full gift of feeling. You must have
lived great deal in your IL years, my
child, to feel like that"
couldn't help smiling.
''Why!" said. II haven't done any.
thing at all! I've never had the time,
you see, because mother died when
I was II, and I've had to keep house
TOR father and the boys ever since"
~Only that" he said. "Ah.h! Well
you will be very nearly the first con,
6alto Of your generation, if you would
come to me and work hard for a
couple of years"
II would" l said, "if I could"
He said he thought it might be man.
aged, and he would speak to father
about it. was so excited that
danced round the room when he had
gone.
Father was very quiet when I told
him about it, and laid down his pipe
and put his elbow on the chair. and
his chin on his hand and stared in the
IRE; and then thought how he would
miss me-he and the boys. I ought
to have thought of that before, but
hadn't. It shows how selfish was.
ooh, daddy" I cried. Il didn't
fhink-how horrid was-I DOM
want to go after ALL
went and stood behind him, with
my hand on his shoulder, and my cheel
against his hair. did not want hin
to see how disappointed I felt. Blu
he pulled me round where he coult
see my face.
1T isn't that, DEAR" he said. 1T 1.
time that we paid back some of tn.
sacrifices that you have made for us
Six years of household worries, whe1
you should have been a careless child
God bless you, dear! You have you
own life to live, but Are you sur,
It is the best life for you, Molly?"
you know how you feel abou
writing, father" I answered. II fee
like that about singing
He sat me down on his knee an,
Kissed me.
Father wrote the next day and toll,
4r. Arten that I would go; and h,
wrote back and said he was very glad
and would come in fortnight. So
vas very busy seeing to my clothes