Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-03-12
''yoU MUST GO AGAIN, MADEMo1sEnLE. :"

IOO MOSI 10 AtAlN, MADhhOlSELLt-
shoe to the blaze with a despairing in
difference to the smell of burned
leather.
Impossible! Your voice is most
beautiful, and l 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 | didn't have
any voice of any kind. 1t wabbled,
avoided the tune-did everything-and
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 1t had previously seen much
service.
"Ma pauvre petite" The professor
gazed at her perplexedly. 'I'll make
q 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 | 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 a table cover The girl
dried her eyes furtively, and after the
outdoor chill her nerves slowly relax
ed by the comforting gas log. She
watched him with the amused toler-
ance woman has for a mans house
keeping. and when he brought the
''Tannhauser" score to put under the
teapot she forgot her woe long enough
for faint smile, which the professor
quickly observed.
"Ah, you are feeling better even now.
and when you have eaten six of the
little fish and two of the crackers and
ask for second cup of this well cook
ed tea you may tell me your story"
he arranged three of the prescribed
little fish on a cracker and deftly
squeezed some lemon juice over them.
81 believe | am equal to three more"
she said, selecting an unbroken crack
er from the box and holding 1t while
he angled for the sardines. And now
I must tell you what a failure / made.
When my voice stopped with that asth-
matte gasp, l never was so surprised
IN my life. / told him | didn't know
what was the matter-Id never had
such an attack before. He said he had
often had candidates for nnsitinps IN
tne cnolr ger so nervous Iney coulun-I
sing at first and for me to rest few
minutes and try again.
"But thought how hard / had tried
for that position as soloist and how
hard / had studied with you for the
last six months, when the people at
home had scrimped and saved to keep
me here In the city, and / don't know
how | lost my grip but great big tears
commenced running down my cheeks,
not nice ladylike tears, but the great
big splashy kind that you can't swal-
low and that real ladylike handker-
chief will not soak up"
She had hung the ladylike handker-
chief before the fire to dry, and the
big blond professor who looked more
like a Morse sea king than French
teacher of voice, handed 1t to her, with
twinkle In his eye.
Perhaps you might find a spot
sltghtly dry" he suggested
Its s-silly of me to start OF this
way again. The director told me to
come agasn next week and he would
hear me-that If I could sing in half
the whole souled way l cried l ought
to make good. You ought to be asham-
ed to laugh at me-" reproachfully. "Ill
never have the courage To 60 again,
and I'll always be afraid to sing in
public now. My voice might act that
way again, and wanted so to make
my living by singing"
He leaned toward her and spoke ear
nestly.
"You must go again, mademoiselle.
In my country we always drive horse
back and make him look at the object
that has given him the fright. 1t is so