The Falls City tribune., 1910-05-06

nan peeyishly .as she rocked back and
forth in her chair by the stove. II
wish to goodness her pa had never
lett it to her, but that was all he
ever had. No wonder he died SC
poor"
The speaker was a thin, bent WON
an with that tired expression in her
face. so common TO women who live
on large farms. Her features were
sharp and her mouth had a bitter
expression. Her black calico dress
seemed to bring her sharp features
ipfo stronger relief.
Her daughter, Lille, with a toss of
her head, remarked, "Well, if she
could play, it would be different. The
folks are always sayin' as how she
is so pretty and smart, but I don't
think so" Say, ma" she said con
fidentially, IF Jim Trayers comes
tonight, tell him that Mary don't wan
10 see him Oh, dear, | wish he'd
20 with me. But III get him yet"
Just then the door opened and
Mary entered the room. She was a
slender, pale girl of eighteen. Her
golden hair was done in a large loose
knot at the back of her head. In
her deep blue eyes was a sad ex-
preston. She carried a violin in
her hands and a sheet of music was
tucked under her arm. A plain black
dress set off her features to a good
advantage.
There was such a marked contrast
in the appearance of Lille and Mary
that even Mrs. Freeman noticed it
srudginely. For Lille was a stout,
healthy looking girl with blue eyes
and brown hair. Her complexion was
tlorid and appeared all the more so
becaues of the bright red dress she
wore She was rather pretty, but her
features were coarse and she had an
iEnpudent air about her.
Hary came in the room slowly, 1T
was so cold up stairs, that | could
not practice she explained.
Well" exclaimed Mrs. Freeman,
sharply, 1T was bad enough as it
was! | should think you might have
a little consideration for the rest of
us You know l can't abide the fid-
dle!@
Mary said nothing, but her lips
trembled as she turned and left the
room. She rushed up stairs and
threw herself on the bed and cried
softly. Then she grew more calm,
and arose with a resolution never
70 forsake her old violin. She de-
termined that some day she should
take lessons of a great teacher and
be a great violinist.
That night Jim came, but Mary did
not know it. Nor did she know that
HIM. Days passed uneventfully at
the farm. Mary saw Jim Travers
many times after that night when he
failed to see her. Upon his question
ing why she had refused to see him,
she explained that she had been i'll.
But Jim was not deceived. He knew
how Mary was treated at the farm.
He tried to persuade her to leave the
FTeemans and marry him, but she
only said, mo, Jim, I owe a great
deal to Uncle John and Aunt Maggie,
longer"
Jim liked her all the better for
this, and Mary thought more of Jim
every time she saw him.
One day several months later, Mary
was out in the warm sunshine be
meath a large oak a short distance
from the house. She had her
violin and as she played her simple
music she expressed all her great
lodgings and desires. She did not
see the strange man, who came up
tse path to the house. But he saw
her and gave a little scornful laugh.
He rang the little old-fashioned bell
is% patiently, and was Immediately adj
nitted into the house by the farmer
hinself-a large man of fifty or more
years, with greedy blue eyes and
. firm mouth.
AS Mr.. Freeman greeted the strans-
er, he said, "Be quiet, Morrison, for
Maggie or Lille may ono in here,
and that would't be best for me-" He
laughed disagreeably at his own
iske. He led Morrison into the
som, known as the best room, or
parlor." Morrison glanced uneasily
soout the darkened
The furniture was mostly hair cloth
with the exception of a handicapped
table On which lay a large Bible.
There We're several pictures on the
walls. One was the Crock of Ages"